Shelly M. Grinde

Shelly M. Grinde serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of South Dakota, teaching core undergraduate courses in Phonetics and Neurological Foundations while directing graduate-level instruction in Dysphagia, Professional Issues, and Clinical Methods. With 29+ years of clinical experience across educational, medical, and community settings, she provides essential clinical supervision and coordinates departmental internships.

Her academic credentials include:

• MA in Communication Disorders, University of South Dakota (1994)
• BS in Communication Studies and Theater, South Dakota State University (1992)

Dr. Grinde's professional focus centers on evidence-based clinical practice in Speech-Language Pathology, with specialized expertise in dysphagia management, neurological communication disorders, and early intervention frameworks. Her approach integrates decades of hands-on experience across pediatric and adult populations with current research in neurorehabilitation and swallowing disorders.

Her distinguished service has been recognized through:

• State Clinical Achievement Award (South Dakota SLHA, 2022)
• Volunteerism Award (South Dakota SLHA, 2011)
• Seven consecutive ASHA Continuing Education Awards (2016-2023)
• Dual Employee of the Month honors (Sioux Valley Hospital, 1999 & 2003)

As principal investigator for the $1.25 million PACE Scholars Program (US Department of Education, 2023-2028), Dr. Grinde develops workforce pipelines for early intervention specialists while mentoring students through structured clinical placements. Her supervision model emphasizes competency-based progression in diagnostic assessment and therapeutic implementation across diverse practice settings.