Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist of the Year Awards 2025

2025 marked a new initiative to celebrate the dedicated Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in our province by awarding the Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist of the Year Awards. The awards were presented during the NLASLPA 45th annual conference & AMM at the Capital Hotel in September 2025 to Alyson King (S-LP) and Jane Bowering (Aud).

Alyson King (S-LP)

Alyson started work at the L.A. Miller Centre (LAMC) in the fall of 2022 as the clinical lead for inpatient rehabilitation. In this role, she has exhibited outstanding leadership, not only within the speech-language pathology team but across the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team. She has developed a comprehensive orientation package for new SLPs, improved clinical data collection systems to better assess team capacity, and introduced both aphasia and general communication groups for inpatients. These initiatives that have had a measurable impact on patient care and clinical efficiency.

Alyson’s collaborative spirit is evident in her work with physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleagues, with whom she has developed integrated co-assessment approaches. She also chaired the Process Working Group for stroke care at LAMC, leading to the creation of a comprehensive interdisciplinary stroke team assessment document which has improved continuity and quality of care for stroke patients. Alyson’s passion for advocacy is perhaps most powerfully demonstrated through her work on the Communication Access Initiative, inspired by her training in Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) through the Aphasia Institute in 2023. Recognizing the barriers faced by individuals with aphasia in the healthcare system, Alyson envisioned and actively pursued a system-wide change: to have all healthcare providers in NL Health Services trained in SCA. Between 2023 and mid-2024, while maintaining a full clinical caseload, she led this initiative with unwavering commitment and effectiveness. Her leadership and vision were formally recognized in the summer of 2024 when she was selected as the first Rehabilitation Innovator in Residence for the Rehabilitation, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care Program. This role allowed Alyson to further champion her vision of equitable communication access. She built a cross-sector coalition of partners including HIROC (securing a $20,000 grant), the Aphasia Institute, the Provincial Cardiovascular and Stroke Program, Planning, Performance and Evaluation, Health of Older Adults SHN, Memorial University’s medical and nursing schools (SCA™ now embedded in first year curriculum), Quality, Risk and Accreditation, and the Research and Innovation team (with whom she is developing an SCA-focused app in partnership with Medirex). Alyson is also advancing research in this area of Speech-Language Pathology. As part of the Communication Access Initiative, training participants are engaged in outcome-based data collection to evaluate the impact of Supported Conversation strategies on both provider confidence and patient experiences. Her work is helping to build a growing evidence base that supports the integration of communication accessibility as a core component of quality healthcare. In every aspect of her work, Alyson King exemplifies excellence in leadership, advocacy, and research. She is not only transforming clinical practice within the LAMC but is also influencing broader systemic change at a provincial level. Her dedication to improving communication access for people with aphasia and her ability to turn vision into reality make her a truly outstanding candidate for SLP of the Year.

Jane Bowering (Aud)

She is a driving force behind the updating the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) pathways, and developing the EHDI protocols so audiologists across the province can begin to standardize practices. She is truly a wealth of knowledge. In using these protocols at my site we have called on Jane numerous times to review tracings and provide and expert opinion regarding next steps. She is prompt and concise with recommendations, and is always more than happy to answer questions. She is a leader in this area, and her guidance is invaluable. Jane has also stepped into an advocacy role recently with NLASLPA. Jane is currently serving as our very first Government Meeting Liaison for Audiology. Even though she is new to this particular position (mostly because the position itself is new), she has sent along advocacy ideas to the executive in the past, and will no doubt continue to keep her finger on the pulse of audiology in NL going forward. You can count on Jane to reach out when we need to shed light on the issues that matter.

Congratulations again to Alyson and Jane!

Know a SLP or Aud who you think deserves an award for their dedication and work in their respective field? Let us know who you would like to vote for for 2026!