04/27/2026
Specialized Speech Technologies, Inc. is thrilled to honor Front Desk Administrator, Kathy Dodson, as our next Staff SSTAR! SST President,
Melanie Shultz, feels this honor is a long time coming. She states, “the front desk position at SST is one of the most challenging. Kathy
consistently juggles multiple responsibilities, from answering phones, to greeting patients, to scheduling clients, to collecting payments… the list
goes on and on and some days probably seems endless!” Furthermore, Miss Melanie states, “as the face of SST, Kathy brings reliability,
consistency, and a calm demeanor. Even on those more challenging days, she is friendly, patient, and able to face any hurdles head on! She is such
an integral part of the SST clinic team and IS appreciated far more than she knows!” SST team member, Marla Marrero, has similar praise for our
SSTar. She feels, “incredibly grateful to have Kathy as her cohort and ‘partner in fun’ at work!” She also states, “I appreciate having someone I
can count on and who can count on me in return. We communicate well and make a great team at the front desk.” Miss Marla feels it is worth
noting that “Kathy even puts up with my terrible jokes and off-brand sense of humor, which I feel should also be acknowledged!”
Way to go, Miss Kathy! (And thank you for humoring Marla so the rest of us don’t have to!)
Miss Kathy was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Furthermore, the Columbus area is where she chose to raise her three handsome sons as well!
When asked about the experience of raising three boys, Miss Kathy states, it was “challenging, mixed with joy!” (Truer words were never
spoken!) Miss Kathy loved being able to stay at home with her boys when they were younger. An avid sports mom, her boys participated in
multiple activities, including hockey, football, baseball, basketball, and volleyball. Miss Kathy jokes, “I think the only sport they didn’t play was
soccer!” Miss Kathy even served as their basketball coach during one of their recreational league seasons! (Is there anything she can’t do???)
As her boys got older, Miss Kathy returned to working in an office environment. “After so many years at home, it was a nice change of
pace getting back into the office.” Prior to starting with SST, Miss Kathy held positions at a CPA firm and as a CDCA counselor at a drug and
alcohol recovery center. Since starting with SST in 2024, Miss Kathy truly feels as though she has found where she belongs. “I love all the people
at SST. Everyone was so welcoming and helpful from the very beginning. I have a great relationship with Marla and Melanie and love how we
collaborate to make SST run smoothly. The therapists are amazing to work with, and I enjoy supporting them in what they do. I also love getting
to know the clinic families and especially enjoy all the kids who come up to my window to check in for their appointments. They really make my
day more enjoyable!”
When not at SST, Miss Kathy enjoys family time with her sons and her two beautiful grandchildren. “My grandson is thirteen and lives in
Oklahoma and my granddaughter is nine and lives in the Dublin area. They are both great kids and we have a lot of fun together. I am enjoying
watching them grow.” Always the social butterfly, Miss Kathy also enjoys playing pickleball, dancing, working out, attending summer concerts,
and spending times with friends. Taking a cue from our SSTar of the Month questionnaire, we asked Miss Kathy what she would do if she won
one million dollars. She states, “I would travel, specifically to Europe because I have not yet been there!” (Good answer!)
Thank you, Miss Kathy, for making such a positive impact on SST! The job you do is so greatly appreciated and you are
an extremely valued member of our team!
