Mollie G. Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Mollie Mindel is currently working as an AT/AAC Specialist for the Contra Costa SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) in the East Bay of California.
In 2005, Mollie received her Masters of Science degree in Communicative Disorders from San Francisco State University (SFSU), with a prior B.A in Cultural Anthropology. Currently, Mollie is pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus in Special Education from Portland State University. In addition to being a speech-language pathologist (SLP), Mollie is an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist. Mollie focuses on working with culturally & linguistically diverse (CLD) populations, advocating for and providing culturally and linguistically responsive services.
Working for SPG, Mollie has contracted with a variety of local school districts as an SLP and AAC/AT Specialist supporting students with disabilities from ages 2 years to 22 years old. She has focused on collaboration with families, staff, and multidisciplinary service providers, while implementing a transdisciplinary approach with her students. Rather than just focusing on her own professional expertise, Mollie embraces the larger impact she can have through uplifting other professionals by assisting them in building their own capacity to support CLD students with complex communication needs.
Building capacity amongst fellow professionals
Mollie finds great joy in supporting future SLPs and AAC Specialists, working with them to develop skills and confidence in working with students with complex communication needs. Mollie is the AAC Program Coordinator for SPG's prestigious AAC Mentorship Program, designed to provide intensive training to working SLPs looking to build capacity and specialization in AAC. The AAC Mentorship Program provides intermediate-level professional trainings with direct hands-on mentorship from experienced AAC Specialists.
Previously, through a partnership with Therapy Abroad, Mollie has spent her summers working in Belize as a study abroad clinical supervisor, supporting university students gain hands-on experience working with local children who have significant speech/language disabilities. She developed and implemented an AAC Camp in Belize, reaching local children most impacted by their communicative disorder. Through the running of this camp, she supported graduate students develop culturally responsive interventions as they experienced the role as an AAC Specialist working with emergent communicators from a CLD community. Mollie emphasized empowering the local community directly through family-centered supports and trainings, as well as collaborating with local professionals, government agencies, NGOs, and schools to carryover evidence based practices.
Building knowledge through professional trainings
Mollie provides numerous professional in-services and team trainings on various AAC and/or CLD topics to various districts across the extended San Francisco Bay Area and California. Additionally, Mollie has presented at state and national conferences (ASHA 2013, CSHA 2014, ASHA 2017, and CSHA 2018, ASHA 2019, ASHA 2020, ASHA 2021, CSHA 2022, ASHA 2022) on a variety of topics, including: disproportionality of African American students in special education; ethical and legal assessment of African American students in the schools; CLD considerations in AAC; supporting African Americans accessing AAC; legal and ethical issues in AAC; and, cultural competence when providing international speech therapy services. Additionally, Mollie worked as a Lecturer at SFSU, and has participated in professional panels and developing workshops for her alma mater.
Building happiness through family
On a personal note, Mollie is a dedicated and active member of her own extended family. A mother and wife, daughter, sister, niece and aunt, Mollie prioritizes her family with the same passion that she prioritizes a family-centered approach for her students. A San Francisco native, Mollie now lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband and son and their beloved kitty (Jacque, Isaac, and Maui). Mollie is an avid gardener, and the whole family enjoys spreading out in their own private garden oasis. When the fates allow it, Mollie is an adventurous world traveler, traveling anywhere and everywhere when the opportunity arises. From the heights of Mt. Everest's base camp to the depths of the Dead Sea mud flats, from the desert coastline of South America to the lifeblood rivers in Southeast Asia, give Mollie a map and a ticket and she is ready to go. Though her family misses her when she travels they are indulged upon her return with her mastery at recreating her favorite food dishes from her travels. Entertaining and feeding her loved ones, family and friends alike, brings Mollie true joy.
Mollie Mindel is currently working as an AT/AAC Specialist for the Contra Costa SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) in the East Bay of California.
In 2005, Mollie received her Masters of Science degree in Communicative Disorders from San Francisco State University (SFSU), with a prior B.A in Cultural Anthropology. Currently, Mollie is pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus in Special Education from Portland State University. In addition to being a speech-language pathologist (SLP), Mollie is an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist. Mollie focuses on working with culturally & linguistically diverse (CLD) populations, advocating for and providing culturally and linguistically responsive services.
Working for SPG, Mollie has contracted with a variety of local school districts as an SLP and AAC/AT Specialist supporting students with disabilities from ages 2 years to 22 years old. She has focused on collaboration with families, staff, and multidisciplinary service providers, while implementing a transdisciplinary approach with her students. Rather than just focusing on her own professional expertise, Mollie embraces the larger impact she can have through uplifting other professionals by assisting them in building their own capacity to support CLD students with complex communication needs.
Building capacity amongst fellow professionals
Mollie finds great joy in supporting future SLPs and AAC Specialists, working with them to develop skills and confidence in working with students with complex communication needs. Mollie is the AAC Program Coordinator for SPG's prestigious AAC Mentorship Program, designed to provide intensive training to working SLPs looking to build capacity and specialization in AAC. The AAC Mentorship Program provides intermediate-level professional trainings with direct hands-on mentorship from experienced AAC Specialists.
Previously, through a partnership with Therapy Abroad, Mollie has spent her summers working in Belize as a study abroad clinical supervisor, supporting university students gain hands-on experience working with local children who have significant speech/language disabilities. She developed and implemented an AAC Camp in Belize, reaching local children most impacted by their communicative disorder. Through the running of this camp, she supported graduate students develop culturally responsive interventions as they experienced the role as an AAC Specialist working with emergent communicators from a CLD community. Mollie emphasized empowering the local community directly through family-centered supports and trainings, as well as collaborating with local professionals, government agencies, NGOs, and schools to carryover evidence based practices.
Building knowledge through professional trainings
Mollie provides numerous professional in-services and team trainings on various AAC and/or CLD topics to various districts across the extended San Francisco Bay Area and California. Additionally, Mollie has presented at state and national conferences (ASHA 2013, CSHA 2014, ASHA 2017, and CSHA 2018, ASHA 2019, ASHA 2020, ASHA 2021, CSHA 2022, ASHA 2022) on a variety of topics, including: disproportionality of African American students in special education; ethical and legal assessment of African American students in the schools; CLD considerations in AAC; supporting African Americans accessing AAC; legal and ethical issues in AAC; and, cultural competence when providing international speech therapy services. Additionally, Mollie worked as a Lecturer at SFSU, and has participated in professional panels and developing workshops for her alma mater.
Building happiness through family
On a personal note, Mollie is a dedicated and active member of her own extended family. A mother and wife, daughter, sister, niece and aunt, Mollie prioritizes her family with the same passion that she prioritizes a family-centered approach for her students. A San Francisco native, Mollie now lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband and son and their beloved kitty (Jacque, Isaac, and Maui). Mollie is an avid gardener, and the whole family enjoys spreading out in their own private garden oasis. When the fates allow it, Mollie is an adventurous world traveler, traveling anywhere and everywhere when the opportunity arises. From the heights of Mt. Everest's base camp to the depths of the Dead Sea mud flats, from the desert coastline of South America to the lifeblood rivers in Southeast Asia, give Mollie a map and a ticket and she is ready to go. Though her family misses her when she travels they are indulged upon her return with her mastery at recreating her favorite food dishes from her travels. Entertaining and feeding her loved ones, family and friends alike, brings Mollie true joy.
