I’m Karen Dudek-Brannan, and I help pediatric therapists (SLPs, psychologists, social workers, and other service providers or aspiring leaders) get better support for their caseloads, gain control of their time, and create the freedom to provide services that make a true impact on kids.
If you’re new to this site, the best place for you to start with my information is this free online training where I walk through my evidence-based framework for language therapy that focuses on building reading, writing, and comprehension skills.
I’m a licensed SLP and have a doctorate in special education, a special education director license, and an assistive technology graduate certificate. I spent 14 years in the school systems before starting an online education company in 2015.
I believe that therapists and educators can make a bigger impact with their work when they learn how to lead, and I also believe that having constraints placed upon us can make us more creative and resilient because they force us to better leverage our time and be resourceful.
This little corner of the web is focused on language and literacy because that is my clinical area of expertise and research focus in my doctoral work.
In 2014, I completed my doctorate in Special Education and also got my Director of Special Education credential. I finished my B.S. in 2002 and my M.S. in 2004 in Speech Pathology. All of my degrees are from Illinois State University.
I also have a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, a license to practice in the State of Illinois from the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and a Professional Educator’s License from the Illinois State Board of Education with endorsements for Speech Language Pathology and Director of Special Education.
Through my courses and trainings, as well as the De Facto Leaders Podcast, I share up-to-date evidence-based practices, my own experience, and guest interviews designed to help pediatric therapists, educators, and aspiring school leaders design services that support social, emotional, and academic growth and set kids up for success in adulthood.
Whether you want to learn effective strategies for your therapy session or classroom, be an influential leader on your team, or find creative ways to use your skills to advance in your career, I’ve got you covered. You can listen to the show on most popular podcast directories, and can scroll through past episodes on this page here.