Owner, Speech Pathologist

Anne Shaknis Quirk, M.A., M.S., CCC-SLP  (she/her)

Anne earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies at Fordham University, a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication at Fordham University, and Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology from CUNY Hunter in New York City.

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She's licensed by the state of Rhode Island and certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). She's treated in acute hospitals, subacute hospital rehab, outpatient rehab, skilled nursing facilities and home health. She is a clinical educator for graduate SLP students at the University of Rhode Island. She has a background in on-air news radio in the NYC market and media relations for non-profits.

Expertise:

She is a licensed SPEAK OUT!® Provider and VitalStim® certified. She has trained in Gender Affirming Voice Care under Mantra Voice, Myofascial/Manual Therapy under Walt Fritz PT, with additional certifications in Respiratory Muscle Strength Training among other specialities. She has experience addressing dysphagia, voice disorders, aphasia, dysarthria, cognitive-linguistic impairments, and voice and speech/accent modification.

Goals:

She is passionate about supporting her clients through a variety of transitions in life. Whether it is communication change for gender diverse folks, language deficits after a stroke, difficulty eating after undergoing head and neck cancer treatment, or communication challenges after a neurological diagnosis such as ALS, she has provided person centered treatment to diverse populations in Rhode Island for over 10 years. ​

Admin Assistant, Speech Pathologist

Joni Hodges M.S., CCC-SLP
(she/her)

Joni attended Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts where she was one of  the first students to complete an accelerated program to earn a Bachelor Degree in Communication Disorders and a Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology.  Her 30+ year career has encompassed the lifespan from birth through the geriatric population in a variety of educational and medical settings. 

Joni has worked in private and public schools, served as director of rehabilitation in a skilled nursing facility, treated in hospitals and provided Homecare services throughout RI.  Joni promotes holistic health and wellness by providing consultation, training and supervision to private clients and caregivers. Over the years, Joni has shared her knowledge of the field in her role as clinical supervisor to many students throughout New England Colleges and Universities. Joni has held a teaching certificate from the Rhode Island Department of Education, has a Professional Speech Therapy license from Rhode Island Department of Health and is certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). 

Expertise:

Joni is a life-long learner and is always expanding her knowledge and skills within and outside of the profession. Joni is a licensed SPEAK OUT!® Provider with a special interest in helping people with Parkinson’s improve communication effectiveness.  Joni also is a certified Accent Modification Coach who specializes in working with clients to promote confidence and clarity when speaking English. Joni also studies and practices NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) which capitalizes on the intricate connection between neurological processes, language and behavior to promote overall health and wellness.

Finally, Joni joins TrueSelf not just as a seasoned professional SLP but also as an administrative assistant who works behind the scenes to help with marketing, credentialing, billing, reimbursement and other day to day functions of the practice. 

Goals: 

Joni is passionate about helping people achieve their communication goals with a compassionate and holistic approach to treatment. Helping people find their voice again after a neurological diagnosis is incredibly rewarding and can have a positive impact on overall quality of life.  

Additionally Joni enjoys interacting with people who speak different languages and come from diverse cultural backgrounds. She develops individualized sessions to help clients learn to shape their speech to attain personal and professional goals in a fun and functional style.