ICCD Staff

Gina Ward received her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Worcester State University and currently holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Gina also holds licenses in speech-language pathology from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and professional specialist teacher license for her employment with multiple public school districts. Gina worked at the New England Center for Children (NECC), in the residential program for two years while completing her graduate studies. During that time period she worked as a case manager and core shift manager to create programming, support daily living skills and track student progress for a team of students ages 14-18 years, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Following NECC, Gina worked for a year as a speech-language pathologist in the Salem Public Schools with students in preschool through fifth grade. She then transferred to the Dedham Public Schools where she has worked for the past four years with students in first through fifth grade, as well as the early childhood and middle school populations during the extended year program.

Gina has worked with children displaying a variety of diagnoses and levels of severity including articulation disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, disfluencies, hearing loss, executive functioning weaknesses, auditory processing disorders and social learning challenges. Gina has experience working with a substantially separate classroom and working with students who are communicating in a variety of ways (e.g. Augmentative Alternative Communication devices, Picture Exchange Communication System, gestures and speech). These students primarily present with significant diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Down Syndrome.

In her free time, Gina enjoys listening to audiobooks and is an avid supporter of Boston sports teams.