Biography

After studying theater, opera and linguistics, Katya Hill found the field of speech language pathology by accident when exploring a catalog of university departments. Reviewing the results of a vocational interest test, she discovered she was matched to the field with 99.9% and switched her major. She felt that the universe had aligned for her to specialize in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when no other speech-language pathologists (SLPs) wanted a position to work with students with severe disabilities who could not talk. She has been motived by ongoing technology and research innovation ever since. Being involved in running the ICAN Talk AAC camp every summer keeps her in touch with the life experience of individuals who use AAC and their families. Hill loves her clinical practice, research and teaching because they allow her to inspire curiosity, foster growth in students interested in severe communication disorders across the lifespan and being involved in making a difference in the lives of people with complex communication needs.