Compassionate.  Connected.  Clear.  Creative.

Picture it:  Sitting in a basement office in the middle of the night (smart phones barely invented!), isolated and feverishly typing out a doctoral thesis on infant language acquisition, while [not-ironically?] 38 weeks pregnant with constant bouncing on a yoga ball, citing research on the importance of social connection starting during pregnancy and childbirth...

In the years leading up to both the birth of my first child and of my doctoral dissertation, the transformation I went from knowing the science to actually experiencing it, is quite indescribable, even for a linguistics and speech therapist who loves words! 

The worlds of data, numbers and brain scans, of technical papers, procedures, and protocols, transmuted into the proverbial blooming buzzing confusion that is the shockwave of Entrance to Parenthood - only two supersonic weeks passed between the Dissertation's Finale and the Big Birthday. 

I cannot imagine what that transition would have felt like, had the previous seven very privileged years NOT been devoted to studying and unpacking the nuances of infant and maternal mental health, family systems in birth and postnatal periods, or early childhood development risks and resilience, all within the protected walls of academia.  But still, even with all that, there is nothing that compares to actual support, right there beside you.

Fast forward:  In the decades following Thesis Baby (and his twin sisters!), I kept in mind the very best gems from the lab, from the library, and from my very own living room.   

But the real learning always happens when I have the honor of stepping into the homes and classrooms of so many of my neighbors, on their journeys with infants and toddlers, and putting their wisdom always first.

Dr. Gina Cardillo (‘car-DILL-owe’) is passionate about supporting lifelong learners. In her work, she puts relationships first, recognizing that attuned, reciprocal, and reflective connections between people are what ultimately drives all learning and resilience, at any point on life’s journey.  

She strives to be a devoted communication therapist and partner for families and early childhood education professionals.  She is guided by principles of healing-centered practice, infant and early childhood mental health, developmental and cognitive (neuro)psychology.

Her clinical and research background focused on the highly sensitive Prenatal to 3rd grade period. She served as a senior Early Support therapist at Kindering’s Families in Transition Team, which supported families experiencing resilience in their safety, housing, and self-empowerment journeys with infants and toddlers. 

She is currently the Speech & Language therapist (and former department manager) at Northwest Center Early Supports, serving families 0-3 years old in the Seattle area. 

A dynamic and engaging presenter, she has developed customized courses, workshops and keynotes, and serves as an advisor and consultant in the early learning community.  

She served as the Interim Director of Education at the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center in Seattle, and was the founding Director of Outreach at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.  

As a state-approved trainer in WA, Gina also develops professional learning opportunities, which include promoting resilience and relationships in educational settings. 

A former faculty member at the University of Washington College of Education (Department of Early Childhood and Family Studies, and Special Education), some favorite courses she developed were Family & Community Engagement (online learning), and Risk & Resilience in Infants & Toddlers.

She holds a Magna Cum Laude BS in Psychology and Linguistics from Cornell University, and a PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington.  

Gina enjoys forest bathing in the Pacific Northwest, immersing in escape-the-room games, chatting with her parrots, and cheering for her hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. Her most treasured role is being a parent to three strong, kind, and brave  children: a son and twin daughters.   (Yes, that's them all over this site!)