While working with children with autism in the Chicago area, Tenzin Moenkyi saw firsthand how language barriers can complicate access to care for multilingual families.

Now a graduate student in speech-language pathology at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill, Moenkyi is preparing to help fill a need for culturally and linguistically responsive care for Tibetan and other multilingual families. Upon completing her degree and earning certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), according to ASHA’s multilingual service provider records, Moenkyi will be the first Tibetan speech-language pathologist certified by the association.

Her long-term goal is to establish a multilingual speech-language pathology practice serving diverse communities, including Tibetan families who may have limited access to speech-language services in their native language.

“When families cannot communicate fully with providers, it affects the care their children receive,” Moenkyi said. “I want to help families feel understood, not only clinically, but culturally and linguistically.”

As a first-year graduate student, Moenkyi is gaining hands-on clinical experience at Augustana’s Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing while preparing for hospital and community-based externships.

This fall and in spring 2027, Moenkyi will complete two externships in the Chicago area, including one at Loyola University Medical Center.

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Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.