Name: Lisa Capozzoli MA,CCC-SLP
Tell us about yourself?
About your job: Pediatric speech language pathologist at Children’s Therapy Center
How long have you been employed at WHS? 7 years
Was it always in the same department? Yes
What extra duties have you taken on during COVID 19 (if any)? Nothing new since COVID, but I specialize in working with children with complex medical needs, infant and toddler development, autism spectrum disorder, and feeding/swallowing disorders. I have worked closely with Your Child’s Place, a medical daycare facility in Washington, PA. I coordinate the Annual CTC Sensory Friendly Touch A Truck.
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Thiel College in 2001 and Master’s degree in speech language pathology from the University of Akron in 2003.
Hobbies outside of work: Volunteers with the Southpointe Grizzlies Special Hockey team. I enjoy baking, cooking, sewing, and crocheting.
Family, pets, etc? Married for 17 years with three growing sons.
Why did you decide to do the work you do now?
Educating families about child development and helping that child to communicate with others can be the beginning of an unexpected path for many. I learned very early in my career that by connecting families with community resources in the early stages of development helps the family and community grow stronger. Being a pediatric speech language pathologist has allowed me to do just that. My ten years of work in early intervention prior to working at Children’s Therapy Center helped me make the connections within the local community to help families find affordable child care, healthcare in the form of medical assistance, nutritional education and supplementation, behavioral health programs, and gainful employment opportunities while supporting a young child with special needs. I have carried this knowledge and experience with me to help our families at CTC.
What skill or talent would you most like to learn or improve?
I love to make things or restore the beauty in old things. So I have been working on skills such as crocheting, sewing, cooking, baking, and knitting. I’ve recently refinished an antique table and am hoping to finish the chairs in a few weeks.
Who (someone famous or well known) would you like to meet someday and why?
Even though he has passed on from this world, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Rogers. He was such a kind soul, and I was mesmerized by him as a child. His messages of kindness and concern for others and fascination with learning resonated with me as a child.
What do you want to tell people, or want them to know, about the COVID-19 pandemic and/or about WHS?
I have been so proud of how well our pediatric patients have adapted to wearing masks. Many of our parents have done a wonderful job teaching their very young children, children with complex medical needs, and children with sensory issues how to wear a mask. It is an amazing act of love and kindness to protect one’s neighbor by simply wearing a mask.
Photos of Family