Lindsay Freeland

I first began working in the field of disabilities as a volunteer for a hippotherapy center when I was in high school. I assisted with therapy activities, keeping the child safely on the horse, and helping the child to groom and bond with the horse. During my time as an undergraduate student, I worked with children with disabilities at the daycare center and at the schools where I had practicum and student teaching experiences. I became passionate about helping the children who need the most and finding ways to give them the best educational experiences possible. As a teacher, I taught many children with disabilities. I learned a lot about the barriers parents, teachers, service providers, and even schools face trying to provide needed services. I became passionate about changing careers in order to make a bigger difference for children by providing targeted intervention.

In the LEND program, I hope to gain new knowledge and experience navigating policy, becoming a better advocate for people with disabilities, strengthening my leadership skills on an interprofessional team, and maintaining my focus on family- and person-centered care.

I plan to become a board-certified speech-language pathologist providing services to people with disabilities. I hope to become a leader within my profession and to use the skills gained from LEND to help me to be a leader on interprofessional teams and advocate for people with disabilities.