AN INTERVIEW WITH 2022 DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA, MARISA YAGI

By Scott Robinson M.A., First year MS-SLP graduate student

In October, I had the chance to meet and interview the 2022 Division of Communication Disorders Distinguished Alumna, Marisa Yagi. I learned a lot about Ms. Yagi’s journey, life-experiences, and the tremendous practice she has grown.

I see you have lived and worked in Egypt, Kenya, Cameroon, and Japan, tell me about your experiences moving from country to country and any international work you’ve done.

I remember enjoying it as a child moving from country to country every 3-4 years. Of course, the older I got the more tears I shed when moving. But I generally had a good feeling going to a new country and new schools. I think I learned how to adapt very quickly and be comfortable with sometimes being uncomfortable.

As a professional, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work internationally, mostly due to my older sister being an international school teacher in small communities that didn’t have speech therapy resources. I was able to get a lot of international experience early thanks to her connections.

I read that you created your company, Yagi Speech, to provide affordable and accessible in person and online speech therapy focused on the international multicultural, multilingual communities. What led you to start Yagi Speech?

When I moved to Japan to be with my boyfriend, now husband, I wanted to continue to work as an SLP. Having international connections, being bilingual, and having worked for an online therapy company for a few months provided me the tools to work with anyone anywhere in the world. the international and bilingual community. What are the unique needs of the international/bilingual communities and how does Yagi Speech meet those demands?

What life experiences led you to the focus on international, multicultural clients?

The main life experience that led to me here is probably that I was privileged to be born surrounded by both English and Japanese and different cultures growing up. I think speaking another language is definitely helpful, but the most important skill in working with international and multicultural clients is the skill to be open, understanding, willing to learn, and accommodate clients with different backgrounds and needs.

With all of the different policies and regulations in different countries, I think many clinicians are discouraged to work overseas. There are hurdles related to local laws, licensing, citizenship, and of course language. Also, many who do work overseas rely on person-to-person, private contracts, which many ordinary clients find it difficult to afford themselves. In Okinawa, I was able to set up a company that accepts all major U.S. health insurances for in-person speech therapy and ABA services, which had never been done before. This makes my international clients happy because many move every three to four years and appreciate the stability of a session style that is similar to what it is in the U.S.

What countries/states do you operate in?

My parent company, Yagi Speech, is registered in Wyoming – Go Cowboys! My clinic in Okinawa, Japan is registered there. I am currently going back and forth between Japan and Colorado, and because I hold ASHA and state licenses for Wyoming, Colorado, California, and Pennsylvania, I can see clients online from those states.

Tell me about the growth of Yagi Speech from general operations to types of services provided.

On the Yagi Speech website it describes the company’s vision as fulfilling unmet demand for accessible and affordable speech/ language services focused on

Yagi Speech was founded in 2020 and grew at the speed of light, mostly because of the unmet need that existed in Okinawa, but also the COVID crisis created or revealed the need for SLP services. My goal is always to be able to provide speech therapy without a waitlist, which is currently the case. We currently have twelve employees, including both full-time and part-time.

Most of our clients are ages 2-5 with articulation, or expressive, receptive, pragmatic language delay. We have some clients diagnosed with ASD, global delay, and other disorders. We also serve a small number of adults with cognitive, voice, and swallowing disorders.

You also established a second company, ShisaCare, tell me more about that.

ShisaCare was initially created to accept Tricare, which is the big U.S. military insurance program. However, we now can accept anyone who wants or needs our services. When I initially started my company, I advertised on Facebook groups in Okinawa. After a few months I ran out of time to drive to each client’s house. It became quickly apparent that demand was significantly more than what I could supply at the time by myself. At this time, we have four full-time administrative staff including myself, four full-time SLPs, one part-time SLP, two full-time BCBAs, one part time BCBA, and 82 active clients. Most of the payment for our services comes from U.S.-based private insurance companies.

What is your vision for the future of Yagi Speech and ShisaCare?

Our next step is to expand our services to other parts of Japan in the next few years to provide in-person speech therapy. After that, since we are a global company, I see our role as further expansion to where there is urgent and unmet demand, wherever that may be. Also, while absolutely nothing can replace face-to-face, new technology will likely keep creating new and better possibilities for online services.

What was your most vivid experience in the University of Wyoming Speech and Hearing Clinic?

Having my supervisor give me feedback on the god-mic! I feel like I can still hear it about to come on when I am having sessions! The best moment I remember in the clinic is when I once really nailed a hearing screening. I was so nervous that I practiced over and over what I needed to say and do, and my supervisor gave me a pat on the back for doing a perfect job. That felt so good!

Do you have any specific memories of your professors or how their ideas shaped your future career?

Dr. Douglas Peterson really was an amazing professor who nurtured my experience at UW. He provided me with opportunities to work on projects in

Awards, Achievements & Acknowledgments

Promotions:

Breanna Krueger, Associate Professor

Corri Sandoval, Associate Clinical Professor

Japanese and took me on field trips. This made me want to work in the field and use my Japanese skills more. Dr. Roger Steeve provided me with so many useful tips and words of wisdom that helped lead me to my current career. Dr. Teresa Ukrainetz, who was the department head during my time at UW, expected the best from all of us, and her work ethic and passion inspired me to do the same.

You’ve now established the Yagi Multicultural Scholarship in Communications Disorders. What led you to establish this scholarship? I wanted to show my appreciation to the Communication Disorders department for all they did for me, including admitting me to their Masters program right out of undergraduate. I was waitlisted at first, but they gave me a chance. Everything I have now is because I went to UW and became an SLP. Also, because I noticed that during my time there, I was the only graduate student in our cohort with a multicultural background and one of only two that spoke a second language. UW has a wonderful department and the SLP is a terrific career choice, and I want more people with different backgrounds to consider this department and profession!

Scholarships:

Davydzenkia Viyaltea, Kathryn Sawyer, Kelsi Angelovich, Breanna Clark and Richelle Dietz received the Barbara Kahn Scholarship, a total of $8,500 was awarded.

Kylie Dray, Ava Smith, Erica Jones, Shiloh Sather, Erin Esty, Isavella Mijares, Blake Wilson, Laurel Holcomb, and Grace Villalobos received the College of Health Sciences Gordon S. & Charlott Myers Scholarships and Paul Stock Scholarships, a total of $16,000 was awarded.

Kyle Moore received the River Scholarship, a total of $1,700 was awarded.

Shiloh Sather received the Dr. Thom and Terry Flamboe Graduate Fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology Scholarship, a total of $1,000 was awarded.

Eva Chupity received the Yagi Scholarship, a total of $1,000 was awarded.

Morgan Schwindt and Mikayla Smith received the Steve Elliot Communication Disorders Scholarship, a total of $2,000 was awarded to these students. In addition $4,000 of the Steve Elliot Communication Disorders Scholarship will be awarded to high performing incoming freshmen.

Total University of Wyoming Scholarships Awarded: $34,200

Graduate Assistantships

The university funded 9 Graduate Assistantships for incoming 2023 graduate students, for approximately $21,671 (each) of support. The recipients are Isabella Mijares, Kimberly Quincy, Gabrielle Vincent, Erin Esty, Grace Villalobos, Kylie Dray, Morgan McKelvey, Amy Grant and Gabrielle Estavillo. One of these awards was funded by the Steve Elliot Communication Disorders Scholarship.

Total Number of Graduate Assistantship awards: Nine

College of Health Sciences Research Day and Research Committee awards

Top Student Podium Presentation Award

Alisa Therkildsen ($250)

Evy Loomis-Goltl ($100)

Faculty Research Grant

Katelyn Kotlarek ($2,500)

Other Faculty Distinctions

Student Travel Grant Katelan Rogers ($675)

Kyle Moore ($675)

Top Student Poster Presentation Award

Mikayla Smith ($100)

Other Student Awards/Distinctions

Sierra Levene, University of Washington School of Medicine WWAMI Medical Education (Mentor: Katelyn Kotlarek). Invited oral presentation at the 2023 Western Student and Resident Medical Research Forum

Samantha Power, Research MentoringPair Travel Award (mentee), American Speech-LanguageHearing Association, 2022

Samantha Power, Karlind T. Moller Cleft/Craniofacial Scholarship for Speech Pathology/Audiology Students, American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, 2023

Samantha Power, Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, University of Wyoming Graduate School of Graduate Education, 2023

Erika Jones, 2022 ASHA PROmoting the next GENeration of Researchers (PROGENY) participant

Breana Krueger, Assistant Professor, selected for American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Lessons for Success

Mark Guiberson, Professor, selected for the Council on Academic Programs in Communication Disorders and Sciences’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Academy

Katelyn Kotlarek, Assistant Professor, Emerging Leader Award, American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association

Katelyn Kotlarek, Assistant Professor, Research Mentoring-Pair Travel Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Mentee: Samantha Power, BS)

Katelyn Kotlarek, Assistant Professor, Meritorious Poster Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, New Orleans, LA

Donors: 22-23 (July–June FY23)

We’d like to thank and acknowledge donors for a very successful year!

Mikayla Smith, University of Wyoming Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2022-2023), Wyoming Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P20GM103432). Poster presentation and 3rd place award at the 2023 University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences Research Day

Evy Loomis-Goltl, University of Wyoming Undergraduate Research Fellowship (Summer 2022), Wyoming Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (2P20GM103432)

Jonathan Briggs, IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) undergraduate research assistantship, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (2P20GM103432)

Saly R. Sarvey, Nancy A. Harlan, Phillip W. Harlan, Katelyn J. Kotlarek, Breanna Krueger, Teresa J. Garcia, Mark

G. Garcia, Kristin A. Morrison, Mark M. Guiberson, Claoma T. Woodall, Simalee C. Smith-Stubblefield, William

R. Stubblefield, Mary A. Hardin-Jones, David L. Jones, Jonathan Cabrera, Zoe Kriegel, Dylan G. Perkins, Rhonda Dunlap, Robert T. Rimac, Frank Guiberson, Susan Guiberson, Vicki L. Bernard, Gregory T. Pratz, Sarah M. Dorr, Rainer Weeks, Barbara L. Hency, Kelly

E. Green, Rosa Rios, Amy K. Peterson, Michelle L. Hilaire, Kathleen Shanahan Peterson, Amy Peterson, Emily T. Peterson, Kathleen S. Peterson, Katherine Kelley, Nancy A. Gruver, Dick & Maggie Scarlett, Diana J. Seabeck, Rachel R. Sheffield, Jessica L. Epps, Gladys E. Larson, Michelle Phelps, Caron I. Mellblom-Nishioka, David J. Nishioka, Robert K. Donaho, Justin L. Stugart, Yagi Speech LLC, Marisa C. Yagi, Mary T. Schaub, Edward C. Schaub, Robert S. Seville, Diane M. Seville, Jessica L. Stugart; Paul and Judy Lerwick

Samantha (Sam) Power received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award from University of Wyoming’s School of Graduate Education and Graduate Council in April 2023. This award recognizes one graduate student for an exemplary master’s thesis each year. Sam’s master’s thesis, which was defended in December 2022, is entitled, “Growth of the Craniofacial Complex in the First Two Years of Life.” Her thesis committee, chaired by Dr. Katelyn Kotlarek, included co-chair Dr. David Jones and outside member Dr. Annalisa Piccorelli. The purpose of Sam’s master’s thesis was to quantify changes in craniometric variables (dimensions of the head) due to growth, sex, and race during the first two years of life. This research provides much needed normative measures for various structures in infants and toddlers under age two, which is the basis for understanding the interaction between growth patterns of the craniofacial structures and speech production.

While this award was a tremendous honor for Sam and our Division as a whole, this is just one steppingstone along the path of excellence Sam has paved during her time at the University of Wyoming. Sam has been a member of the Speech Imaging Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Kotlarek for nearly 4 years. Sam’s undergraduate honors thesis “An Exploratory Investigation of the Palatoglossus Muscle in Children Using MRI” was published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research last fall, which is arguably the top Tier 1 peer-reviewed journal in our field

Winner of the UW Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award: Samantha Power

and incontestably an incredible accomplishment for someone of her career stage. This past November, Sam was selected to present part of her master’s thesis at the 2022 American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA) Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was also selected to present her work at the 80th Annual Meeting of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) this month. In total, she presented 6 national and 3 regional research presentations.

Sam received two very prestigious awards directly related to her master’s thesis. In January 2023, she was awarded the Karlind T. Moller Cleft/Craniofacial Scholarship from the ACPA. This is a highly competitive professional scholarship for current graduate students in accredited speech-language pathology degree programs. In September 2022, she received the Research Mentor Pair Travel Award from ASHA, which fosters career development of graduate students who have expressed an interest in research careers in communication sciences and disorders. Sam has also received 5 major awards during her undergraduate studies, which cultivated her interest in research. Sam was awarded a competitive research fellowship through the Wyoming IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), which is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P20 GM103432). Sam also received the Students Preparing for Academic-Research Careers award from ASHA in 2021. To date, Sam has received 7 major awards.

The Division of Communication Disorders is so proud of Sam and all she has accomplished in the past 4 years at the University of Wyoming. She will be graduating with her master’s degree in August 2023, and we are looking forward to cheering her on from afar, as she pursues her Ph.D. at East Carolina University beginning in Fall 2023.