Dr. Joann Denemark proudly serves as the Founding Program Director, leading the creative development of two new hybrid Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) graduate programs launching Fall 2028 at the Phoenix Metro and Whittier campuses. 

Prior to joining Southern California University of Health Sciences, Dr. Denemark served as the Founding Program Director at Augusta University in Georgia, where she led the creative development and successful launch of a new residential program from the ground up, achieving candidacy through the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. She is committed to building new programs dedicated to strengthening the provision of SLP services within the critical shortage profession and creating a lasting impact on healthcare delivery. 

With more than 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Denemark specializes working with the low-incidence and medically fragile pediatric populations, prioritizing early intervention, interdisciplinary healthcare, and AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) assessment and intervention. Her goal is to translate real-world clinical practice into innovative, practice-driven curriculum design. She is honored to represent the SLP profession and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with SCU’s established sister programs. As a self-proclaimed advocate for patients, families, and the SLP profession, she is excited to advance SCU’s commitment to holistic healthcare. 

Dr. Denemark holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Innovation, a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. Her scholarly interests include cultivating students’ professional identity through engaging interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice. In recognition of her commitment to IPE, she was inducted into the Class of 2025 as a Distinguished Practitioner Fellow by the National Academies of Practice. 

A native of Florida, she is married to her high school sweetheart. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and playing golf.

SLP, Georgia, United States, SLP010511, Active, 2019, March 2027

SLP, South Carolina, United States, SLP.8632, Active, 2019, March 2027

American Heart Association, Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider, BLS, 2025-07-01, 2027-07-01, Georgia, United States

American Heart Association, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, CPR AED, 2025-07-01, 2027-07-01, Georgia, United States

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Clinical Competence, Certificate of Clinical Competence, Attaining “certified” means holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), a nationally recognized professional credential that represents a level of excellence in the profession of speech-language pathology (CCC-SLP). Achieving the CCC-SLP denotes that I voluntarily met rigorous academic and professional standards of SLP knowledge, skills, and expertise to provide high-quality clinical services, and that I am actively engaged in ongoing professional development to maintain current certification., 12034549, June 2002, December 2028, National, United States

2021 - 2026

Founding Program Director, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States

2019 - 2021

Speech-Language Pathologist, Columbia County School District, Evans, Georgia, United States

2009 - 2016

Speech-Language Pathologist (Independent Contractor), Clay and Duval County School Districts, Jacksonville, Florida, United States

2006 - 2010

Speech-Language Pathologist, Wolfson Children's Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida, United States

2002 - 2006

Speech-Language Pathologist (PRN), Life Care Center of Orange Park, Orange Park, Florida, United States

2001 - 2004

Speech-Language Pathologist, Clay County School District, Orange Park, Florida, United States

Child Language Disorders; Pediatric Assessment & Intervention; Professionalism; Ethics; Counseling; Cultural Responsiveness; AAC, Cultivating students’ professional identity through interprofessional education (IPE), Special Olympics; Animal-assisted Therapy (AAT); field expert for Augusta Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender, Low-incidence and medically fragile pediatrics, early intervention, Augmentative and Alternative communication (AAC), feeding aversion