Hello! 

Thank you so much for visiting my page.  I am the Speech-Language Pathologist at Broken Ground School.  The 2017-2018 academic year will be my first year here.  I am so excited to be joining such a talented team and incredible community.

I graduated from the University of Vermont in 1998 with a degree in Animal Sciences, but decided to shift my career path after a trip to Kenya.  In 2001, I completed my Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at James Madison University and began my career by working in Early Supports and Services.  It was incredibly powerful to work with children and families in their homes.  I worked with kids from birth to three for 10 years before deciding to expand my professional experiences.  More recently, I worked in a sensory-based pediatric clinic (birth to 18+) for 6 years.  I am ready to shift my perspective to an educational setting and am so thankful for the opportunity to work with these incredible kids!  I have a special interest in animal-assisted therapy since it combines two of my passions.

In addition to my professional life, I am a mommy to a sweet and energetic 6 year old daughter.  We enjoy being outside, taking day trips, being at the beach, being creative together, and laughing.  I also love animals, gluten-free vegetarian food, exercise, dessert, music, and song lyrics.

I am honored to be a part of this team and look forward to hearing from you soon!  Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have along this journey together! 


Niki J. Neal, M.S., CCC-SLP
nneal@sau8.org