Gayatri Ram, PhD, CCC-SLP

As a board-certified speech language pathologist, Dr. Ram specializes in working with children with language and literacy needs. “I strongly believe that all children have the right to communicate in ways that feel comfortable for them, with the people they want to communicate with, and about the things that are meaningful to them,” she says. “My job is to help children find their best ways to do that, through play-based learning and family-centered practices.” Her most important role, she adds, is “to teach children and their families the tools to advocate for themselves – whether at school, home or in the community – so they can lead their best lives, unapologetically.”

Dr. Ram embraces the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in her work with families. “What I enjoy most about being a care provider is all the wonderful families, from so many varied backgrounds, that I get to meet every day,” she says. “I am committed to providing excellent care that is in line with your family’s needs, cultural practices and belief systems. I want my families to feel heard and supported as we work together to help our little children discover and become the best versions of themselves.”

Dr. Ram attended Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in India before earning her medical degree at Ohio University. She completed internships at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Hocking Valley Community Hospital in Ohio, and in the North Clackamas School District in Oregon. She has specialized training in child language and literacy, parent education, gestalt language learning, neurodiversity approaches in therapy, and DEI. Prior to joining Providence, Dr. Ram worked as a clinical assistant professor and associate director of clinical education. She is passionate about working with children, and about training the next generation of clinicians to continue that work.

In her free time, Dr. Ram loves spending time with her family and taking them on adventures around the world. “I hope to visit as many countries as possible and to learn about their diverse cultures and food practices,” she says. At home, she enjoys cooking vegetarian meals and gardening.