Meet Nicole Gallagher, M.S., CCC-SLP, a Clinical Professor in the UConn Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) Department!
Nicole began her journey into the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) as an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She originally entered college with the plan to be a first grade teacher, focusing on literacy, but when she began taking SLHS classes and observing speech-language pathologists (SLPs), she learned that SLPs can play a role in literacy. She also realized that she preferred one-on-one treatment with students, rather than teaching a whole classroom. After graduating, Nicole attended Boston University where she earned her Master’s of Science in SLP. She has worked in many different clinical settings with different clinical populations all across the lifespan, starting off with her CF in Birth-to-Three, then skilled nursing facilities, inpatient and outpatient hospitals for both adults and pediatrics, and schools. In 2015, Nicole began her role as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UConn, teaching the AAC course while treating patients and mentoring students in the UConn Speech and Hearing Clinic. Nicole was promoted to Associate Clinical Professor in 2018 and was recently promoted again to full Clinical Professor in April 2024. Nicole mentions that her role at UConn allows her all the opportunities she is looking for; the role of educating future SLPs, continuing to treat clients, and being able to teach in the academic classroom. Nicole’s areas of clinical passion and expertise include infant feeding and swallowing, auditory rehabilitation for patients with cochlear implants, and augmentative alternative communication across the lifespan.
One additional aspect of Nicole’s career that she has a particular passion for is community service. Nicole provides service at the department, university, state and national levels. She currently serves on many committees including the national educational committee for the USSAAC, is the vice president for CSH Foundation for the state of CT, is the secretary for UConn’s CIPEH, and serves on the Executive Committee for UConn AAUP. Nicole also recently became the committee chair for the UConn SLHS Department’s Community Engagement Committee.
When asked what her favorite part of her job is, Nicole says that it is definitely mentoring students. She enjoys shaping individuals to become ready for the field of SLP, and she enjoys keeping in contact with students once they begin their careers!
Two fun facts about Nicole are that she has been skydiving twice and she once rode a camel in the Sahara Desert!
