Lynne Willis
Greenville,SC
Summary
Accomplished Founder and Owner of a private speech therapy practice with 21 years of experience and a proven record in building a mission-driven organization. Expertise in cultivating trust with families, simplifying complex clinical concepts, and fostering community partnerships. Leads a team of six speech-language pathologists, develops scalable systems, and prioritizes long-term relationships. Ready to contribute an advisory mindset to GiveWell’s major donor partnerships.
Overview
1
1
Certification
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner/Founder
Small Talk Pediatric Speech Therapy
Greenville, SC
05.2019 - Current
- Oversaw strategic planning for marketing, outreach, and community referral relationships to drive practice growth
- Built and directed operations for pediatric speech therapy practice serving children and families
- Developed and managed SOPs for client intake, scheduling, appointment coordination, revenue cycle management, employee policies, and hiring and training staff to streamline operations
- Supervised and trained therapists and support staff across clinical and administrative activities
- Established collaborative relationships with community organizations, nonprofits, and physicians to enhance referral base
- Maintained relationships with and retention of clients by providing superior customer service
- Coordinated billing, insurance paperwork, and patient records with care teams
- Ensured compliance with healthcare standards, privacy rules, and clinical documentation
- Oversaw budgeting, financial management, and payroll
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Prisma Health
Greenville, SC
10.2009 - 03.2020
- Conduct thorough assessments to identify patient communication and feeding/swallowing challenges and needs utilizing standardized tools and objective instrumentation
- Design individualized therapy plans tailored to each patient's unique communication goals using evidence-based strategies
- Cultivated relationships with interdisciplinary teams to enhance comprehensive patient care.
- Established connections with clients and families to provide education on effective communication strategies and therapy techniques.
- Guided families and clients in navigating complex medical information and determining next steps.
- Offer resources and support to empower families in the therapeutic process.
- Supported discharge planning and coordinated referrals across Prisma Health services
Education
Master of Arts - Communication Disorders
Univerity of Memphis
Memphis, TN05-2005
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Auburn University
Auburn, AL05-2003
Skills
- Trust-based advising: Guide families and professionals through emotionally and financially significant decisions regarding the care of their child, offering a clear point of view while encouraging clients to trust their own judgment
- Translating complex evidence: Explain and interpret clinical research, assessment data, and outcome measures Utilize these data points to understand where breakdown occurs, determine long and short term goals, measure progress over time, and develop plans moving forward
- Long-term relationship management: Manage individual expectations of each client/family while holding true to the ethics of therapy Meeting caregivers’ frustrations and concerns with both evidence-based data and human understanding Build ongoing collaboration with other sectors in the community to to improve the wellbeing of children with disabilities Help guide families and caregivers in choosing providers, schools, opportunities that will be the most beneficial for their child Maintain strong relationships with and retention of staff so that only 2 therapists have left and that was due to moving out of state
- Leadership and operations: Hire, mentor, and align a clinical team Design and scale processes and systems from RCM to employee policies Negotiate with payers, providers, and service locations Hire, train, and retain therapists and admin staff Create practice culture of respect, inclusivity, high professional expectations balanced with strong communication between therapists and owner/admin Encourage high emotional intelligence to achieve holistic perspective of each client to inform the functional plan of care
- Written and verbal communication: Produce tailored reports, family education materials, and professional correspondence
Certification
- Speech Language Pathologist - South Carolina Board of Labor and Licensing
- Certified Clinical Competency - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Certified FEES Competency
- Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile
Timeline
Owner/Founder
Small Talk Pediatric Speech Therapy
05.2019 - Current
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Prisma Health
10.2009 - 03.2020
Master of Arts - Communication Disorders
Univerity of Memphis
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Auburn University