Apraxia Kids is excited to announce the 2024 winners of the Kristin Lynn Johnson Scholarship.

Kimberly Mahon
Maxine Babcock
Paola Gallegos

The Kristin Lynn Johnson Scholarship was offered for the third time this year and we received over 200 applications! The caliber of the applicants made the selection process a challenge, but these three students really stood out above the crowd. We are proud to honor Kristin’s legacy through supporting these exceptional future SLPs to continue pursuing their similar passions.

Kristin Lynn Johnson was a dedicated pediatric SLP who touched the lives of countless students. In 2019, Kristin’s life was taken too soon by a motor vehicle accident. Apraxia Kids is privileged to partner with Kristin’s family to honor her extraordinary life and passion in helping children with severe speech sound disorders including childhood apraxia of speech, by awarding these students each with a $1,000 scholarship in time for their final spring semester before graduating.

Here is a highlight of just some of the accomplishments and experiences our winners shared with us.
Congratulations to Kimberly, Maxine, and Paola!

Kimberly Mahon (University of Colorado Boulder)

Kimberly credits her nontraditional path to becoming an SLP, in part, to her becoming a wife and mom first. When her own child faced speech challenges, Kimberly dove into research to pursue an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment approaches for her child. In working with her child on teletherapy sessions and home carryover, she found her passion and gained practical strategies. Experiencing the challenges of navigating CAS and phonological disorders as a parent has given Kimberly a unique perspective, one that she brings into her clinical practice. Beyond graduation, Kimberly aspires to specialize in diagnosing and treating motor speech disorders like CAS, helping children find their voices, and supporting families on their journey. Whether it’s through clinical practice, research, or advocacy, Kimberly is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families like her own.

“The joy of ‘cracking the code’ of speech sound disorders is more than a professional pursuit for me—it is a deeply personal mission born out of love, persistence, and hope.” – Kimberly Mahon

Maxine Babcock (Nazareth University)

Maxine’s personal experiences receiving speech therapy as a child diagnosed with CAS greatly influenced her passion for working with children with motor speech disorders. She empathizes with the challenges both children and their families face and gives them the same hope and opportunities that Maxine received in her therapy journey. Maxine’s clinical experiences with several co-occurring challenges lead her to discover the importance of a differential diagnosis to find the best diagnosis and most effective treatment for each individual child. Maxine is passionate about spreading awareness to help improve early identification and intervention so that children with CAS can receive the most effective services, advocate for greater awareness of CAS among our society, healthcare professionals, and educators.

“My experiences give me a unique perspective on how important it is to create an environment where children with CAS and their caregivers are respected, heard, and supported.” – Maxine Babcock

Paola Gallegos (The University of Texas at El Paso)

Growing up and studying in a predominantly Spanish-speaking and bilingual community gave Paola an understanding of the unique challenges faced by children with apraxia who navigate two languages. Paola envisions a career dedicated to addressing the needs of children with severe speech sound disorders through clinical practice, research, and advocacy. She also hopes to contribute to the field exploring bilingualism and apraxia, sharing her findings with colleagues, and mentoring future clinicians to better serve diverse populations. Paola has been involved with the Walk for Apraxia for the past three years which she credits to providing her with meaningful opportunities to connect with families of children with apraxia, gain insights into their struggles, and deepen her resolve to make a difference. These events also showed her the critical role of advocacy, education, and awareness in ensuring that children with apraxia receive the support they need.

“I am particularly interested in conducting research on best practices for serving bilingual children with apraxia and exploring how interventions can be adapted to support their linguistic and cultural needs effectively.” – Paola Gallegos