Cary K. Cekola, M.A., CCC-SLP is a Michigan licensed,
clinically competent speech-language pathologist (SLP). Her
educational training includes both a B.S and M.A. in speech-
language pathology from Ball State University (2001).
Cary’s journey with becoming a speech-language pathologist
began when she was a curious 5th grader who wanted to help out
in the “Speech Room” at her school and by having a close
childhood friend identified as autistic.

Cary has worked at a variety of interprofessional medical and
educational settings with clients across the lifespan, both in Southwest
Michigan and in the Metro Detroit area. She has a passion for working
with young children and families. In the past ten years, Cary practiced
at Santosha Wellness, Bronson Lakeview Rehabilitation, and was a tenured
faculty member of the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Department at Western Michigan University. For nine years, she taught and led
teams of SLP students in the Preschool Language Intervention Program (PLIP),
the Western Evaluation Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental
Disorders (WECAN), and instructed numerous students in the Van Riper
clinic and across a variety of SLP courses.

Across her 20-year career, Cary has gained pediatric experience in
prevention, assessment, treatment (individual and groups), professional ethics,
community education, teaching and clinical education, clinical supervision,
and advocacy. Specialty areas include speech sound disorders
(including childhood apraxia of speech), receptive (auditory and reading), expressive (speaking and writing), and social language disorders, autism, and medically complex
conditions. She uses a variety of evidence based interventions to support
each child and family she serves. Cary plans to continue her education
in trauma, language and literacy connections, and social
communication strategies. Cary also has numerous years of experience
working interprofessionally with Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy,
Psychology, Pediatricians, Social Workers, Nurses, and
Parents as Educators (homeschool).

Professional service across her career includes providing developmental
supports and inservices to new parents through the Beaumont Hospital
Parenting program, serving on the Michigan Speech Language Hearing
Association (MSHA) Ethics board and as the Michigan representative to
the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA)Advisory
Council. She served Kalamazoo Public Libraries as a Community Resource
partner for the “1,2,3 Play With Me” program.

Cary loves spending her time with her husband and young son,
laughing with friends, getting dirty in the garden, taking pictures,
learning about historical architecture, listening to live music,
singing loudly in her car, trying new foods, traveling, reading, antiquing, and
doing her best at yoga.