Follow the Fellows
Patti Peters, M.Ed., M.P.S., CCC-SLP
Members of the SHAV Honors Committee have created this column to introduce our membership to persons who have been instrumental in the profession and Association over the years. In this article, we highlight the career of Patti Peters, M.Ed., M.P.S., CCC-SLP, who received the honor of Fellow in 2002.
Patti started undergraduate studies at Mary Washington College (University of Mary Washington) in 1972 in a co-op program with the University of Virginia (UVA), but fully transferred to UVA after two years. She received her B.S. and M.Ed. degrees in Education – Speech-Language Pathology from UVA in 1976 and 1977, respectively. She also has a Masters of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University of New Orleans (2000). Patti began her career just days after graduation at Roanoke Valley Speech and Hearing Center (1977-1982). It was here that she learned the “importance of the person. Perfect first job in that it set my priorities straight, with tons of new experiences and support.” She worked at Rehabilitation Services of Roanoke, Inc. from 1982-1994, and after almost 13 years, she opened her private practice “primarily to have a place to complete two books [she] was working on – a HELP book and The Source for Laryngectomy (with Dr. Bill Dichtel, a local Laryngologist). As part of her private practice, Patti worked a flex time position in the trauma and rehab units for Carilion Health System (1995-1997). Over her career, she gained experience in the treatment of communication disorders from infants to geriatrics in a community speech and hearing clinic, a private outpatient rehabilitation clinic, and in a Level 1 acute and trauma center and rehabilitation hospital. Patti continues to run her private practice, and it has expanded to include being a Medical Advisor for the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services, Disability Determination Services. In this role, Patti reviews speech and language claims for children and adults for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She reviews communication evidence in coordination with reviewing psychologists and medical consultants. Patti is one of two SLP’s doing this work in Virginia, and at times, she and her counterpart are asked to assist other states catch up on their claims. She has filled this role since 1999. Patti admits to surprising herself that she is still doing this work after 44 years. She has also served as adjunct professor at Radford University, supervising graduate students, and presenting isolated lectures over the years. She has lectured at Longwood University and James Madison University. At Longwood, she co-taught a class on a voice book that was in development.