As SUNY New Paltz alumna Kyomi Gregory-Martin ’05 (Communication Disorders) approaches 20 successful years as an accredited professional, a new award from a leading industry group – and a new teaching role at her alma mater – are presenting an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far. 

Gregory-Martin is set to receive a certificate of recognition from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) at its 2024 convention in Seattle, Washington, this December, in recognition of her many accomplishments working in autism spectrum disorders, speech, interventions and learning disabilities.  

At the same time, she’s preparing to add to her teaching portfolio – she’s currently an associate professor at Pace University in the College of Health Professions – with a new role at SUNY New Paltz as an adjunct professor teaching sociolinguistics.  

And with returning to campus, the memories flood back in. In her undergraduate years, Gregory-Martin was an active student on campus. She was one of the first resident assistants in Esopus Hall when it just opened. Gregory-Martin was also a community development assistant, president of the Carribean Student Organization, and worked for the Disability Resource Center. She double minored in Black Studies and Linguistics. 

But there was one thing that she especially is thankful to New Paltz for: access to mentors. She has a yearslong mentorship with Psychological and Counseling Center Director Dr. Gwyneth Lloyd, whom she credits for helping her navigate the professional world.  

"She got me through those moments of obstacles, because there are obstacles along the way,” said Gregory-Martin. “It’s how do you overcome that. If she didn’t know the answer, she showed me who did. I’m not sure how I would have gotten as far as I did without mentorship.” 

After graduating from New Paltz, Gregory-Martin received her Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology, from the University at Buffalo in 2007. Upon graduation, she worked for the New York City Board of Education. A few years later, she continued her education path and attended Louisiana State University, graduating with her Ph.D. in the same field. Her Ph.D. thesis examined children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds that speak non-mainstream dialects such as African American English and Southern White English and explored the use of teacher ratings.  

"Ultimately, my research ended up being in the context of what my two minors were at New Paltz,” said Gregory-Martin. “I ended up merging that as my area of research, which is really cool that that minor could build into something like that. I really enjoyed it.” 

She was recognized for her work at New Paltz’s inaugural 40 Under Forty award ceremony in 2017. 

Today, she is filling the shoes as a mentor, “planting the seeds for more cultivation,” as she puts it. In 2023, Gregory-Martin spoke at the SUNY New Paltz Women’s Leadership Summit and was an international keynote speaker for Speech Pathology Australia, delivering an address titled “Utilizing a Cultural Humility Lens: Reflect, Respect and Respond.” For half a decade, she served on the board of directors for the National Black Association of Speech-Language-Hearing and worked with its mentorship program. 

And everything she learned in her time since graduating from New Paltz has inevitably helped shape the direction of the sociolinguistics course she is teaching here this semester. 

"I get to reimagine it from a completely different perspective,” said Gregory-Martin. “I want to hear the students’ voices in class. It’s really important working with students to present their voice and let them share knowledge current to them.” 

In her role on campus and beyond, she plans to continue her mentorship work. Her biggest piece of advice? “Dare to be different,” she said. It’s something her mother instilled in her when she was growing up, and something she is passing along to the next generations.  

"When I was getting my Ph.D., I was told to think about another profession,” said Gregory-Martin. “But the person who didn’t fit in was meant not to fit in so now I can stand out.”

She holds herself to that same motto her mom told her when she was just a little girl and now takes it into her academic career.  

"It is important for me to not only be a good researcher, but to be able to teach students in a way that they feel excited about,” said Gregory-Martin. 

When Gregory-Martin was just a first-year student walking from her Communication Disorders classes back to Esopus Hall, that version of her didn’t know exactly where all her new skills would take her.  Now, she can look back with confidence and say that it helped launch and support her continued success today. 

"At the time it felt like it had nothing to do with where my career would end up, but those have all been useful skills in my daily work,” said Gregory-Martin. “It might feel like you’re unsure of why you picked this major and minor and how it will come together. If you had asked me this 20 years ago, I would have no idea how that would ultimately place me exactly where I am now. But it all just came together.” 

Visit the Department of Communication Disorders to learn more.