Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute Clinical Director of Speech Wins Top Honors

The Clinical Director of Speech at Hackensack Meridian’s JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute is the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s 2022 recipient of the Honors of the Association, the organization’s highest honor.

Kristie R. Soriano, MS/CCC-SLP, was honored for her significant contributions to the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. Soriano is committed to training future and current professionals, volunteering to support the profession, and conducting critical research.

“I am honored to be the recipient of this award at this point in my career. I am blessed that my vocation is my avocation: I love my work as a speech pathologist!” said Soriano, who joined JFK Johnson in 1984. 

Soriano completed a Master of Science degree in 1982 at Boston University and began her first job in 1982 at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. She joined JFK Johnson in 1984, where she was staff supervisor and then Manager of Outpatient Speech and Clinical Director of Speech. 

In her current position, Soriano develops outpatient programs, coordinates performance improvement and research projects, and has supervised Clinical Fellows and experienced speech pathologists for 38 years. Kristie is the Educational Liaison for the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, where she plans annual conferences and supervises and places more than 25 students annually from the graduate speech and audiology programs in New Jersey and around the nation.

She is an adjunct professor at the Nathan Weiss Graduate School of Kean University, where she has been teaching Clinic 1 and Clinic 2 since 2007, training over 100 graduate speech clinicians.

All nominees must be a member of the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association for at least 10 years with significant and ongoing leadership roles. The award is approved by the Board of Directors. Soriano served on the association’s board of directors from 1996-2022. Since 2015, she has been on the executive board of the organization.