Joining Wolf this Fall, Katy Orlowski is one of the newest staff additions to Wolf! Learn all about our new Speech and Language Pathologist in this months We Are Wolf interview!
1. Can you briefly tell us about your background?
I didn’t actually know what an SLP was until my senior year of college! My bachelor’s degree is in pre-veterinary medicine. I had wonderful experiences caring for pets and livestock as well as spending nights in freezing cold barns helping sheep, goats, and cattle have their babies. As much as I love animals, I found that working in a vet clinic and dealing with the business side of things was not for me. I began to research other careers and as an extremely shy kid who had a hard time speaking with people, the field of speech language pathology intrigued me. After getting my master’s degree, I spent 2 years working in Early Intervention and with adults in a rehab setting, and for the past 15 years, I worked in public schools. I was very excited to join the Wolf School and have the chance to be a part of an amazing team and provide services as part of the Immersion Model©. I also work in a private clinic, specializing in working with non-speaking clients who use alternative and augmentative communication devices. I live in Cumberland, RI with my husband, two kids, and our dog Fozzie.
2. What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being an SLP?
The most rewarding part of being an SLP is witnessing the moments when a person discovers their own way to connect with someone, whether it be a verbally spoken word, an AAC device, a non-speaking child leaning against you or taking your hand when they realize you are listening, or a child lighting up when you say, “Tell me more about your special interest!”
3. What motivated you to want to work with Complex Learners?
I have always been passionate about continuously increasing my knowledge of neurodiversity-affirming approaches. I feel that the most important part of education is helping kids understand their own way of learning, being proud of who they are, and exploring their own unique strengths and interests. I feel so lucky to have found the Wolf School where everyone has this outlook!
4. What’s been your favorite thing about working at Wolf so far?
My favorite part is definitely getting to know the students! I love to find out what their special interests are and to learn more about their favorite topics from the experts! I love to see everyone dressed in their spirit gear on Thursdays and sharing their work at all school assemblies!
5. Who are some role models in your own life?
We are lucky to live in a time when we can jump online to learn from the lived experience of others. I follow the stories and advice of many neurodivergent, non-speaking, and disabled advocates online. It is an extremely admirable quality to share their own experiences, knowledge, and advocacy in order to make things better for others and it is important for us to listen.
Welcome to Wolf, Katy! We’re thrilled you’re here! To learn more about other Wolf Staff, read some of our past We Are Wolf interviews!