As a little girl, Asia knew she wanted to be a teacher. Her school teachers also knew this, so they would send her home with extra worksheets and assignments they no longer used with students. Asia would then use those assignments to teach her teddy bears and her sister (even though she was six years older than Asia). Asia really loved teaching.
Growing up, Asia volunteered at her mom’s workplace, which was a specialized school that provided therapeutic services and IEPs for students with disabilities and medical needs. Service providers like speech therapists, school psychologists, and physical therapists worked with students at the school. Asia particularly admired the speech-language pathologist (SLP), who shared about her experiences transitioning from working as a classroom teacher to an SLP. She encouraged Asia to explore the field of Speech-Langauage Pathology due to its specialized nature and broader career opportunities.
But because she always wanted to be a teacher, Asia entered college at Florida State University as an Education major. During her sophomore year, she enrolled in a course called “Introduction to Communication Science and Disorders” to dive deeper into the field of Speech-Language Pathology. She found it fascinating and “thought it was really cool.” Soon after, Asia switched her major to Communication Science and Disorders and continued to earn an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology.
Asia wanted to try something new after working as a speech therapist for a while. So she began taking software engineering courses. This eventually led her to Goalbook. In this Q&A, Asia shares about her role as a Speech and Language Content Analyst and how it supports our mission to empower educators to transform instruction so that all students succeed.
1. What were your roles before coming to Goalbook?
I was a lead speech therapist for students in Pre-K through 5th grade in the public school system in Florida. Then in 2015, I started my own private practice where I provided speech and language therapy to children ages 3–12 in one-on-one sessions. The practice also offered IEP advocacy services for parents of public school students, American Sign Language classes, and occupational therapy services, as well.
I also worked on a project with the Florida Center for Reading Research called Book Nook Bundles, which dispersed 25 diverse books amongst the seven library branches in Leon County. Each book bundle included books and materials to help parents engage in conversations and activities with their child about the books. I enjoyed working on this project with researchers and professionals because there had never been anything like that in the county before.
2. How did you find out about Goalbook?
I got to a point with speech therapy where I wasn’t feeling challenged any more, so I began to think about what else was out there. In January 2023, I started software engineering courses and really liked them. I’m a problem solver, and I just liked the newness of coding and creating things. But then I also noticed there was a side of me that couldn’t close my computer at the end of the day because I hadn’t solved a problem yet. So I wondered if software engineering was going to be feasible.
I started looking for jobs where I could fuse my education background with software engineering, and Goalbook came up. When I went on the website, I saw that there was a Speech and Language Content Analyst position. I thought to myself, “No way,” because it’s rare to see a role like this at an EdTech company. After reading the job description, I knew this position was for me. If I hadn’t taken those software engineering courses, I would have never found Goalbook.
Goalbook’s “mission was one of the things I gravitated towards because, as a speech therapist in the school system, it was my mission to try my very best to meet the needs of every student that was on my caseload.”
3. What attracted you to Goalbook’s mission?
The mission was one of the things I gravitated towards because, as a speech therapist in the school system, it was my mission to try my very best to meet the needs of every student that was on my caseload. I advocated for my students so that the services that showed up on their IEP were services that they would get in school.
I also love that this position offered a challenge to me. The job is stretching me each quarter and causing me to grow professionally.
4. What does it mean to be a Speech and Language Content Analyst at Goalbook?
So as a Content Analyst, my job is to make content for Goalbook Toolkit. I make new content in Speech and Language for different domains like: Expressive and Receptive Language, Articulation, and Phonological Processes. Recently we added new content in Goalbook Toolkit in the areas of Voice and Fluency. We also added some Augmentative and Alternative Communication content as well. I also lead Part-Time Content Contributors who write and edit resources for Goalbook Toolkit.
Being a Content Analyst means being on a team with different interdependencies. There is a lot of collaboration across the production process because our work is connected. There are a lot of touch points with each other to make a cohesive product because there are a lot of moving parts. It takes a lot of coordination, which is another part of the Content Analyst role: creating systems and road-mapping so that all those interdependencies are streamlined and not chaotic.
“It has made a huge difference to be able to come to Goalbook as a speech therapist and put a stamp on the Speech and Language content in Goalbook Toolkit.”
5. In your eyes, how does your work support Goalbook’s mission?
Being able to create and lead content in the area of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy is super important for the development of IEPs. I think it’s important for speech therapists and occupational therapists to have content that is created for them that they can actually use with their students.
Speech therapists and occupational therapists have so many IEP goals to write and so many evaluations, screenings, and observations they need to do. I hope to make their load a little lighter by making resources that help them write IEP goals and monitor those goals, like data sheets and progress monitoring assessments. In this way, I help educators and support our mission, too.
It has made a huge difference to be able to come to Goalbook as a speech therapist and put a stamp on the Speech and Language content in Goalbook Toolkit. I like being able to make a product that will help make Related Service Providers (RSPs) feel cared for and seen.
“Goalbook does an amazing job at helping us build relationships with each other across teams that are authentic and genuine.”
6. What are one or two things you love here?
I love the authenticity we really put on relationships here. I felt very welcomed, even when I sent out my first email introducing myself. That was followed up by seeing everyone at Team Weeks, both in the winter and summer. Everyone is intentional about actually forming relationships.
I love that we want authentic relationships across the company, not just with your core team. I think that’s very unique, especially for a remote workplace. A lot of times, in person, in brick-and-mortar buildings — and even in school settings — you might get close to your own team. For example, you’re on the 1st grade team or the 5th grade team, but you may not be close with everyone in the building. Goalbook does an amazing job at helping us build relationships with each other across teams that are authentic and genuine.
Another thing I really love is that I feel seen. I feel like I can show up as Asia, and it’s okay to be Asia here. I don’t have to code switch. I don’t have to act a certain type of way. I don’t have to fit in with a certain type of people or group. I can just come to work and feel supported and cared for as Asia holistically.
I think this is cool and not offered in a lot of other places where you have to show up and act and do a certain role. Here, you’re a professional — you’re seen as a professional, but you’re not acting. You just are. And you’re cared for, just where you are.
7. Which team activity has been your favorite?
The Denver RiNo Art District walk with my team. It was extremely hot, but we still had such a great time. I like creating art, so I think that’s what stood out to me. The artists are super talented to take spray cans and create such beauty.
This walk definitely spoke to the artsy side of Asia, who likes to paint, draw, and used to play a musical instrument called the euphonium in band.
8. What are you watching/reading/listening to right now?
I don’t do a lot of listening because I’m not a good auditory processor. Rather, I am a visual learner.
Reading: I do like reading. Right now I’m reading through the book of Acts in the Bible. I and a couple of friends have been reading a chapter a day and then have discussions. In the discussions, it’s neat to learn new things from each other.
Watching: If I get time to myself, HGTV. I will be watching House Hunters or Unsellable Houses. That’s another part of me that likes to be creative and do interior decorating, gardening, and curb appeal. I get to do that stuff around my house, but I also like to watch it.
9. Early bird or night owl?
Night owl. I do not like getting up in the mornings. My bed is my best friend sometimes, outside of my husband. I’m like, “I don’t want to leave you, I don’t want to get up.”
But I stay up later, probably because of having children and wanting silence after they go to sleep. That’s me-and-my-husband time, and we like to watch stand-up comedy.
