Shelly DiMartino-Odai

(President)

Shelly DiMartino-Odai, M.S.,CCC-SLP is a certified NYS Certified Bilingual (Spanish) speech-language pathologist with over 27 years of experience with children and adults in a variety of settings including rehab centers, nursing homes, schools, day care centers, and home care.  Her background and experience includes feeding and swallowing, cognitive rehab, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorders, phonological disorders, language disorders, and linguistic and cultural diversity. She is the recipient of a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and studied speech-language pathology in Catania, Italy from 1996-1997. Currently she provides speech and language services to bilingual Spanish-speaking children in school settings as well as children from diverse ethnic backgrounds.  Additionally she provides services to preschoolers in their homes. She started Global Speech and Hearing Services Incorporated as a way to extend knowledge and resources to people across the globe.

Carol Caputo-Schwarz

(Vice-President)

Carol Caputo-Schwarz has both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology as well as a Special Education certificate. Her career has spanned over the course of 40 years. She has a specialty in dysphagia and in 1986 she established an Oral Language Enrichment program at an elementary Magnet school and a Pediatric Dysphagia program within the Rochester City School. During her tenure at the Rochester City School District, she actively participated in several  continuing education programs that rewarded her with two ACE awards by the American Speech and Hearing Association.During her entire career she contracted with several home health care agencies and nursing home facilities to provide clinical services to patients with neurogenic  communication disorders and dysphagia. She is functionally fluent in Spanish and is able to conduct assessments of patients’ linguistic competencies and provide therapy as needed.

Nicole Urbanczyk

(Secretary)

Nicole Urbanczyk, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech pathology supervisor at Rochester Regional Health-Unity Hospital  in Rochester, NY.  She held board certification as a swallowing specialist for 10 years and has worked with older adults who have cognitive and neurological deficits for 26 years. She currently supervises a team of speech language pathologists who provide integrative services to acute stay hospital patients and outpatients.  Nicole also has affiliations with Nazareth University in Rochester, NY as a graduate clinical supervisor, the NYS Veteran’s Home in Batavia, NY and University of Rochester Medical Center, where she provides per diem SLP coverage.

Carmen Ishman

(Treasurer)

Carmen Ishman, M.A., CCC-SLP is a NYS Certified Bilingual (Spanish) speech-language pathologist, with over 25 years of experience working with children and adults of all ages.  Her professional career includes working both in the Rochester City School District as a bilingual therapist and evaluator, and in her private practice, Clear Path- Speech-Language Services (focusing on fluency disorders).  Carmen has earned 2 ASHA ACE awards and has presented at various universities and professional development workshops.  She is currently a member of both the RCSD Speech Department Advisory Council and the Nazareth College SLP Community Advisory Board.   Throughout her professional career, Carmen has used her multi-cultural background to connect with families and values the individual needs of her clients.  She strives to provide quality, research-based services, as well as community-based education related to the development of effective communication skills.