Advocating for the Profession: Speech-Language Pathology Student Takes Part in Capitol Hill Day

One evening in 2019, Olivia Brown ‘27SLP was sitting with her mother watching “The Bachelor” when one of the show’s participants mentioned she was a speech-language pathologist (SLP).

This intrigued Brown because when she was seven years old, she suffered from a brain swell that caused her body to start to shut down on itself. From 2011 to 2025, she had annual check-ups and MRIs, and experienced first-hand how people in the healthcare industry cared for others.

Driven in part by these experiences, she decided she wanted to be in a profession that served others. When she heard about the SLP profession, she conducted some research and decided it was a perfect career for her to pursue.

That led Brown to pursue the Master of Science in SLP program on Drexel University’s Elkins Park campus, where its early hands-on clinical focus at the on-campus Speech-Language Institute (SLI) has laid the foundation for her career.

Advocating for the profession is an important part of that foundation and was something experienced firsthand when she participated in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C. Advocates spent two days getting briefed on the current political landscape, the roles of legislators in the House and Senate, and meeting with congressional staff to discuss issues relevant to the SLP profession.

“Throughout this event, one thing that was constantly apparent was the amount of care and dedication each person in the room has for the work they do and the people they serve,” said Brown. The Centreville, Virginia, native completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas where she earned a degree in Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Global and International Studies. “Whether I was talking with fellow clinicians or listening to public policy professionals, it was so clear how much each person loves to serve people through their individual roles,” she said.

Among the issues for which participants were introduced to and advocated for included:

• The Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (MAAIA). This legislation would remove unnecessary barriers and expand access to care for seniors.
• The Removing Excessive Cuts to Outpatient and Vital Essential Rehabilitation (RECOVER) Act, which would help speech therapists be reimbursed properly under Medicare Part B guidelines.
• The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act (HR 2333), which keeps the administration and enforcement of Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act within the U.S. Department of Education instead of being transferred to other government offices.
• The Strengthening Efforts for Relief and Vital Incentives for Community Service and Engagement (SERVICE) Act, a bill related to public service that would make federal loan forgiveness more accessible to students.

“In addition to all the really fascinating things we learned, it was amazing to get to hear stories from my team members about their careers and all the ways they’ve been sent out to serve various populations throughout the state,” said Brown, who was part of the Virginia group representing her home state.

She added that the experience helped open her eyes to a new way of serving her patients and their families. Not only was the legislative process genuinely exciting and interesting, but she said it was another way for her to show up for the people she believes she’s been exposed to for a reason.

“The more I get to know my patients, the better I can serve them, and I get to take that same mindset into advocacy,” she said. “Leaning further into legislative advocacy allows me to bring that same patient-forward commitment to the policies that affect both patients and professionals day in and day out.”