Jen
Lee
Your Speech Friend

about me.
My grandmother had a stroke six years ago. At the time, I was managing studio operations for a commercial photographer in New York. I appreciated and focused nearly all my attention to work, putting in innumerable hours. But when I heard about my grandmother, I gave my notice the next day and flew to Taiwan three weeks later, where I would spend the next five years with my grandmother. Being a part of her continuum of care inspired me to pursue speech language pathology, participate in research, and to work towards a master’s degree to learn, grow, and gain experience in the field.
Imagination, creativity, and ambition have largely shaped my professional life, who I am, and how I learn. I built a career in the competitive world of arts and media, and I am proud of what I achieved; working for the top names in the industry and assisting Madonna as she worked on an album, a world tour, and a movie. My career in New York imparted incredible experiences and lessons on how to collaborate with different personalities, share my vision, and support a team. It made me a strong, resourceful worker and taught me to understand the importance of effective communication.
When I moved to Taiwan, I was exposed to a totally different lifestyle. In the following five years with my grandmother, I began to recognize variations in cognitive and physical abilities and how this affected communication. I shared many conversations with my grandmother. We were together every day. In the beginning we spoke quite a bit, though over time, her cognitive and speech abilities weakened. Our conversations became shorter and shorter, but we still tried. Every time we did, she would ask if I was happy, if I was safe, and if I had money. Even through the cognitive fog and physical pain she was still able to be my grandmother, asking me about me with love and care. Without knowing it, she was instilling values, fostering lessons on sharing, and nurturing my enthusiasm for speech and communication.
Of course, there were some harder times. On our walks around the neighborhood, as she sat quietly in her wheelchair, I would often wonder what she was feeling. I was sad that she was always so confused. I was scared that she was scared. I wanted to know if she could enjoy the warmth of the sun the way that I could. Her silence against my concern represented her deteriorating ability to speak, and it was deafening.
I found myself constantly arranging pillows around her body, watching to make sure her limbs were not stuck on something, and giving her massages. She had trouble telling me if something was hurting, so I became hyper-sensitive. Communication is a powerful tool, and I was intensely aware of its function through my grandmother’s impairment.
At the time, I was not looking for a new career but through this experience with my grandmother, I found a vocation that aligned with my values and interests. I have since shown the same dedication and passion to my studies as I had with my career in the arts. With my volunteer work, I have witnessed how speech therapy can transform a person’s confidence, social skills, and daily life, motivating me even more to pursue this field.
My background lends me the capacity to be a supportive, creative, and dynamic leader. My time with my grandmother has inspired my mission to become a speech language pathologist focusing in stroke rehabilitation. I have a natural curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning. I also have an unwavering belief that I can contribute to the field of speech pathology with strength and care. I believe this combination will make me a dedicated, compassionate, collaborative, and results-driven speech language pathologist, student, friend, and counselor.
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-Jen Lee
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CONTACT.
Tel: 240.780.1058