Ashley O'Rourke
- Assistant Professor
- Program Director, Communication Disorders
- School of Health and Natural Sciences
- MH G16A
- aorourke@mercy.edu
- (914) 674-7505
Dr. O'Rourke is an alumni of the Mercy University Communication Disorders program. She serves as the Program Director of the department and previously held the role of Director of Clinical Education and Services. Ashley teaches graduate level courses in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and Pediatric Feeding Disorders. She has traveled internationally to provide speech, language, and feeding services for those with developmental disabilities and craniofacial anomalies in China, Guatemala, and Morocco.
Ashley has focused her clinical career on serving the pediatric population with a heavy focus on developmental disabilities. She previously worked for the Department of Education, District 75, as a therapist in a self-contained setting and provided both public and private early intervention services across the five boroughs of NYC. Ashley also served as a member of a multidisciplinary Pediatric Feeding Team.
Dr. O'Rourke completed her EdD in Leadership in Healthcare and Education. She has completed research on interprofessional education between nursing and speech-language pathology, clinical supervision methods, and pediatric feeding disorders.
She continues to find passion in consulting, treating, and supervising future speech-language pathologists in the area of developmental disabilities and complex communication needs.
EdD, Leadership in Healthcare and Education - Nebraska Methodist College
MS, Communication Disorders - Mercy University
BS, Speech-Language Hearing Sciences - La Salle University
BS, Psychology - La Salle University
2022 Poster Presentation at Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders in Portland, OR. Interprofessional Collaboration & Training of Nursing Students on Autism Spectrum Disorders.
2020 (Postponed) Poster Presentation at New York State Speech, Language and Hearing Convention in Tarrytown, NY. Bridging the Generational Gap in the Clinical Education of Speech Pathology Students.
2018 Poster Presentation at Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference in Boston, MA. Medical Orientation Pre-Externship Curriculum.
2014 Poster presentation at Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing (ASHA) Association in Orlando, FL. A Case Study Examining Oral Transit Time & Severity Level of Dysphagia in Cerebral Palsy.
2012 Poster presentation at New York State Speech, Language and Hearing Convention in Saratoga Springs, NY. Communicating Effectively with Adults Who Have Dementia.
Member, Alpha Eta National Honor Society for Allied Health Professionals (2011)
Grants
O'Rourke, A. (2021) Micro Senate Grant. Covid-19 and Augmentative Communication: Resources for Hospitalized Patients. Mercy University.
O’Rourke, A. (2020). Faculty Development Grant. Closing the Generational Gap in the Clinical Education of Speech-Language Pathology Students. Mercy University.