Interview with Ricki
Tell us about yourself
I recently moved from Chandler to the West Valley and have been thoroughly enjoying every minute of it! I have two cats, Vinnie and Merlin, and would like to get a dog, pig, and a goat. Since this whole mini petting zoo situation probably won’t happen, I’m settling on visiting every zoo and aquarium in the area!
Why did you become a Speech-Language Pathologist?
I became a SLP so that I can help people share their thoughts and feelings, and to be a support system for families when the road is rough.
Why do you think your coworkers nominated you for being Motivational?
Being happy isn’t about not having troubles or anxieties. Rather, being happy is about how you meet and greet what’s troubling you and then how you move forward; your mindset as you approach those hard situations. As much as I can, I try to help because it can be really hard to see the bright side when you’re in the thick of what’s troubling you.
What do you love most about working with TEAM 4 Kids?
Being a teammate at T.E.A.M 4 Kids means I have the opportunity for continuous professional growth, and I can’t think of anything that’s more gratifying than being a lifetime student.
What is one of your goals you hope to reach this year?
One of my goals this year is to step out of my comfort zone more. Although it’s one of my favorite places to be, I may be missing out on new favorites if I don’t try.
Nominations for Ricki:
“Ricki is always positive and uplifting. She exerts enthusiasm to collaborate with multiple disciplines, to educate and share her knowledge, and encourages others to have courageous conversations. She is the first person to boost a colleague’s confidence and offer support. Not only does she motivate through her words, but she also motivates through example. Ricki loves research/expanding the field in order to best benefit her clients and all children with needs. She is a joy to be around and always exerts positivity in the documentation room or to collaborate solutions to problems. I am an OT (not even on Ricki’s team), and I feel extremely comfortable coming to her for advice, knowledge, and support! She has motivated me to expand my knowledge as a practitioner, to be optimistic in all situations, and has increased my confidence in myself. Ricki is most definitely motivational!”
“Ricki always motivates me to become a better clinician and person. She is such a hard worker and I can always go to her for questions. She is so knowledgeable and motivates me to further my education and career. Ricki is always a positive person to everyone in the office!”
“Her positive attitude and her willingness to help her team is very motivational to the people around her.”
“Ricki demonstrates the trait motivational by always encouraging me to reach my goals and become my best self!”
“Ricki absolutely leads by example and is one of the hardest workers I have ever met! She goes above and beyond to provide the best treatment and be creative with her clients, she is an excellent communicator and has the best-detailed answers whenever I have questions, and she is always understanding and kind in the process! You can tell she has a passion for what she does and she is such an example to me! We love you, Ricki!!”
“Ricki is always positive, always motivating others to be positive and look at the bright side of things, and is always helping even though she has so much of her own work to complete! It is a breath of fresh air to be greeted by Ricki every morning and to get to work with her throughout the day. Your attitude will be a good one when you are around her!”
“Ricki is constantly striving to improve as a therapist which is made evident by her interest in and excitement for learning and creating new things. She has so much knowledge and is constantly sharing her knowledge and skills with those around her in a way that motivates others to want to learn and grow as well. Ricki goes above and way beyond every single day for her clients, her coworkers, and in her role as a leader, and does so joyfully.”