Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Dziuk.
Hi Jenna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am so grateful to have this opportunity to share my story, thank you for having me. My journey as a speech therapist started when I shadowed a speech-language pathologist, Aide Lopez, at Kenedy Elementary which is in my hometown of Kenedy, Texas. It’s a very small town, where everyone knows everyone. I quickly fell in love with the work that SLPs get to do with children and knew I had found my calling. I went home that day and researched different universities who offered speech therapy programs. I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree in
Communication Disorders from Texas State University. During that time, I also shadowed another SLP, Janelle Perkins, at a nursing home. That’s when I fell in love with the field all over again — realizing how incredible it is that we get to work with people across all ages!
I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders with the highest honors. During my undergraduate career, I also walked through a very difficult season after losing my boyfriend to a sudden and unexpected death. Jon was also a Texas State student and born and raised in Kenedy as well, we were best friends. Losing him at such a young age tested my faith deeply, but through that pain, I found strength and a closer relationship with the Lord. I kept putting one foot in front of the other…sometimes knees hitting the ground and ultimately achieved the dream I had set out for, and through my faith, I also was given a second chance at love and married my husband, Kory, who is literally Heaven sent.
After I received my Bachelor’s degree, I was accepted into the Communication Disorders graduate program and earned a Master’s degree. Upon graduation, I earned Graduate Clinician of the Year and also graduated with the highest honors…..as a first-generation Latina college graduate, that accomplishment meant SO much to my family and I. While in graduate school I obtained hands-on experience in various settings and I discovered that my heart was working with children. After graduation, I began working for the Goliad Special Education Co-op as
a school based SLP. I am so grateful for my time with GSEC because I learned so much as a young SLP. The GSEC team became like family to me, and my director, Lori Homeyer, has been such an incredible mentor and friend. GSEC truly shaped who I am as a professional.
During my time as a school based SLP, I became a mother to our first born and motherhood changed everything for me…it truly opened my eyes to how important family involvement is in a child’s development. I wanted to create something that gave families that same connection and flexibility I was craving, so I started offering private therapy services. What started with just two word-of-mouth clients quickly grew to six, then ten, and to my surprise I am just about at full capacity…all the glory to God and my amazing support system. I might be biased, but I believe I have the best speech therapy families ever. I love those kids like they are my own.
I was a traveling therapist for a couple of years — driving hundreds of miles a day (sometimes clocking 300 miles) with toys flying around in the back of my car with every turn I’d take! My time on the road was spent servicing homes and daycares across Karnes and Wilson counties…as well as multiple audio books and phone calls to anyone who’d pick up the phone and keep me company while driving! Eventually, I realized how much time I was spending on the road and how many more families I could reach if I had a space of my own.
So, in 2023, my husband and I started looking for an office space. We found the perfect spot right in my hometown — the same town where I was born, raised, and graduated high school. Talk about a full circle moment!
We purchased an old law office sitting on Main Street. We completely gutted the office that hadn’t been touched in over a decade and transformed it into The Speech Shed. We officially opened our doors in October of 2025 and it has been such a dream come true. The Speech Shed is the first privately owned speech therapy clinic in Karnes County. It has been such a blessing to be able to provide a space for children to learn and grow and to provide services in an underserved community.
The Speech Shed is a place where speech therapy feels like home. Kids kick off their shoes and socks when they walk in. Moms and dads can sip coffee, relax, and be part of their child’s session. It’s warm, personal, and rooted in connection, everything I had always envisioned. And boy does it feel good to be “home”.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As mentioned before, my boyfriend passed away while in college. Losing him was incredibly difficult. I felt like giving up SO many times… grief is unreal and I have learned it never truly ends. But I kept going, with tears in my eyes most days. I believe it has helped instill grit and also a strong relationship with our Lord.
As far as the journey with The Speech Shed, my husband and I searched and searched for the right spot to build or renovate. Every spot kept falling through, heartache after heartache. I so badly wanted a place of my own….and to get the therapy toys out of my car and garage! The building we finally purchased was our SIXTH spot we looked at and were finally able to secure and lock it down and make it ours! Had it not been for my husband’s patience and guidance, The Speech Shed would not be possible. I joke and call him the Co-executive of The Speech Shed, he truly is the backbone of our clinic.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Speech Shed?
The Speech Shed was born out of my dream to create a place where speech therapy truly feels like home. I wanted it to be less clinical, less commercialized, and more of a warm, inviting space where kids can kick off their shoes, parents can grab a cup of coffee, and everyone feels comfortable and connected.
At The Speech Shed, I work with children of all ages — from newborn babies with feeding difficulties to school-aged children working on speech and language skills. I offer articulation therapy, language therapy, feeding therapy, and myofunctional therapy. I also work with several children on the autism spectrum and pride myself on creating individualized, family-centered sessions that support each child’s unique sensory needs.
I’ve had the privilege of learning from incredible mentors who have shaped me into the therapist I am today. Marcia Church, my private speech therapy coach and owner of Pediatric Speech Stars, helped me take the leap into business ownership when I had absolutely no idea where to start. She walked me through all the behind-the-scenes details that go into building a private practice, and I am so grateful for her guidance and encouragement.
When it came to branding, I was lucky enough to work with two amazing creatives who brought The Speech Shed to life visually. Krista Scott with Vanilla Moon Marketing helped me lay the foundation for my brand and poured so much positivity into me during those early stages. Then, Carly Zuniga with Something New Designs helped me blend my brand identity seamlessly, creating a balance between warmth, playfulness, and professionalism. Both of their talents came together beautifully to capture what The Speech Shed is all about from my logo, branding colors, and heart behind The Speech Shed. One of my proudest accomplishments brand-wise is that The Speech Shed feels exactly like what I envisioned — a place where therapy is personal, joyful, and grounded in connection.
I have also been guided and coached by my own children’s SLP/Myofunctional therapist, Mary Martinez. She is the owner of Hope Integrative Therapy and has been a Godsend for myself and my children.
What sets me apart as a therapist is my focus on relationships and trust. I value connection over
compliance, meaning I prioritize getting to know each child, building trust first, and creating a safe, positive environment for growth. I love collaborating with parents and involving them in sessions because I believe families are the heart of every child’s progress. At the end of the day, I want families to know that The Speech Shed is a place where every child is celebrated, every milestone is meaningful, and every session feels like coming home.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is that faith and perseverance can carry you through even the hardest seasons. Losing my boyfriend at a young age to a sudden death changed my life forever, but it also taught me the power of not giving up, even when it feels impossible.
As a first-generation college graduate and a Latina woman, I’ve learned what it means to beat the odds….the path wasn’t easy, but I leaned on my faith, on my family, and on the people who believed in me when I didn’t always believe in myself. Through it all, I’ve learned that grit, grace, and community go hand in hand. There will be moments when your knees hit the ground, but if you keep moving forward, even just one small step at a time, incredible things can happen. I remember something my husband told me when I was having a difficult time in graduate school. He said, “Life is like a dance, you take one step forward and two steps back, but you always keep moving forward”.
In my work, I’m reminded daily that families trust me with one of the most important parts of their
child’s development… their voice, their ability to connect with others, and their confidence. That’s not something I take lightly. It’s an honor that keeps me grounded and grateful for the journey that brought me here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thespeechshed.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespeechshed/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563104604398
