窪蹋厙惇勛圖

The Power Of Advocacy
Left to Right: Teigan Beck, Kerry Mandulak, Erika Shakespeare, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Jordan Tinsley, Laura Vigeland
Pacific professors Kerry Mandulak, second from left, and Jordan Tinsley, second from right, were part of an Oregon contingent of speech-language pathology and audiology professors who met with Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley during the American Speech-Language Pathology Hearing Association's Capitol Hill Day in November 2025. Submitted photo.

窪蹋厙惇勛圖 Professor Kerry Mandulak teaches that advocacy is a critical part of being a speech-language pathologist.

She and her colleagues are practicing that advocacy, working to raise awareness of the importance of speech-language pathology and audiology care, as well as the challenges standing between patients and the services they need.

I think that advocating for our services, teaching students how to advocate for themselves, and also teaching them to advocate for their services is how we are going to be able to serve the most people, she said.

In November 2025, Mandulak and fellow Pacific Professor Jordan Tinsley DHSc '25 joined 300 other members of the (ASHA) for in Washington, D.C. There, they were able to meet with Sen. Jeff Merkley, as well as staffers for Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and Rep. Cliff Bentz.

The 30-minute conversation with Merkley provided the delegation the opportunity to present facts about speech and hearing services in Oregon, about 窪蹋厙惇勛圖s graduate speech-language pathology and audiology programs, and about the success stories of people who have benefited from receiving services. 

He asked really good questions, Tinsley said. It was a nice conversation. We were able to bring up a couple of bills that ASHA was hopeful that senators and representatives would sign on to.

Tinsley talked about the work she does in gender-affirming voice and communication training, a more specialized area of the field that she said needs to be more broadly available to provide culturally-responsive services for the entire community because speech and communication disorders dont discriminate based on gender or gender-identity. 

Mandulak used the opportunity to demonstrate how legislation on higher education has a direct impact for affect his constituents and students in Pacifics speech-language pathology and audiology programs. Recent changes to the definition of professional programs for Pell Grants, for example, has limited graduate student loan availability for students working to become speech pathologists and audiologists. 

I wanted to discuss the Oregon workforce and getting our students out there in the world, and the fact that our program attracts a really diverse set of students that wouldnt otherwise get to be a speech pathologist, Mandulak said. There is the whole issue around student loans and not being designated as a professional profession anymore. We want to be able to keep offering this opportunity. I wanted him to understand that if we cant get students, then we cant have these professionals.

Jordan Tinsley & Kerry Mandulak

Our voices do matter. Even if a law doesnt get passed, that doesnt mean the advocacy wasnt important or didnt make an impact.

Pacific Speech-Language Pathology Professor Jordan Tinsley

By the end of the day, Merkley had signed on as a co-sponsor for , which would expand Medicare funding for audiology services. 

I know that not all advocacy work is that fast or that successful right away, but it did feel pretty cool to have been meeting with him in person and finding out later that afternoon that he had signed on. You feel like your voice is being heard, Tinsley said.

Our voices do matter. Even if a law doesnt get passed, that doesnt mean the advocacy wasnt important or didnt make an impact.

Advocacy is a core value of Pacifics speech-language pathology program. Mandulak and Tinsley have been involved with grassroots advocacy in the past, and they are leaders in their profession locally. Mandulak was the 2025 president of the , and Tinsley is the current president. 

However, this was the first time that they had been part of such a large-scale effort with elected officials. The experience, they say, will translate to learning opportunities for Pacific students.

I originally thought that I wasnt skilled enough to do this work, that I wouldnt know what to say. It turns out that I do, Mandulak said. And so you put yourself out there and do the things, and let other people tell you no. Dont say no to yourself.  

Dont count yourself out. Thats the lesson. Now I am trying to model that for our students so that they can feel confident in doing it. If we can send them out, and if they can keep spreading the word and sharing that with people, our impact can be exponential.

By

Blake Timm '98
Speech-Language Pathology
Audiology
Graduate and Professional Academic Programs