State by State: Montana

Jeanette Benigas28min

Jeanette Benigas

00:00

Hey fixers. I'm Dr. Jeanette Benigas, one of the cofounders of fix SLP. Our platform exists to discuss the biggest challenges that are currently holding back the field of speech language pathology. We present the issues with facts and invite you to be a part of joining this movement to make things better one conversation at a time. So let's fix SLP.

Jeanette Benigas

00:33

Hi, everybody, welcome back to the state by state series. Today we have Shelby Midbo, president of the Montana Speech Language and Hearing Association. Before we begin, I want to preface the conversation by letting everyone know that the views stated today are not reflective of Shelby's personal opinion, but instead representative of the executive board as a whole from the Montana Speech Language and Hearing Association. Thanks for joining us, Shelby. Here. Yeah, taking some time, we, you know, we had to put a pause on fix SLP. But we're back and you're helping us jump back in strong. So before we get into the all the questions, tell everyone a little bit about yourself.

Shelby Midboe

01:15

Before I start talking about me, I want to say thanks to fix LP for their efforts in highlighting state associations. There are a lot of people out there across the country doing the work that's necessary for our field and state associations. And I really appreciate and love that you guys are providing a platform for us. It's awesome. So it about me, I have a husband, I have two kids. And they're 25 and 21. As far as the state association goes, I've done a little bit of everything for the association. I've been involved for many, many years. And I think I was thinking back I think since 2016. I've been on the board. So last year was my second term as President, and there's no president or president elect right now. So I'm kind of still acting as the president and looking for someone to step up into that role. I am a speech therapist at a preschool through eighth grade school. And my I'm also active in my union in my district and my state. So as far as hobbies, go, Mom, my kids are both swimmers growing up and my daughter played volleyball. So I used to coach swimming that took up most of our time for many, many years. I used to play volleyball and League teams and now my knees just vote no to that. So now I just work out at the gym and spend as much possible time doing what my school site calls extra averting in all of its forms.

Jeanette Benigas

02:30

That your knees say No, I have one. I'm not looking forward to the other knee joining no president or you are the president. But there's no president elect.

Shelby Midboe

02:43

I'm actually the past president. There is no more president elect. So we have we're trying to run things right now. The president that we had two years ago, had in mind kind of a flat leadership model where we just everybody was assigned different roles in committees, but not necessarily like hierarchical ladder of leadership. And so we're we're putting that to the test right now. And we're pulling off a state conference.

Jeanette Benigas

03:09

Well, while ago we had Ashley from Iowa, who just kind of got thrown in. So if anybody out there in Montana wants to get thrown in like Ashley did from Iowa. Now is your moment. Shelby, how did you get involved with the state association? It sounds like it's been maybe eight years since you joined? And what do you love about it? Why do you stay involved?

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