Burton puts patients first

Wendy Burton, MA, CCC-SP, has dedicated most of her illustrious career to Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, where she has served as Director of the Communication Disorders Department for more than a decade."She has impressed her colleagues not just as a highly competent and caring professional, but also through her involvement in professional associations and clinical research projects," said Rancho Chief Executive Officer Jorge Orozco. "She is a key member of our clinical team." Wendy is often involved in critical hospital programs that go far beyond the realm of her departmental responsibilities, and is a "go-to" person when a critical need is identified. "She is always willing to take on new challenges, most recently the co-leadership of Rancho's management development program," said Rehabilitation Therapies Division Director Lilli Thompson, PT, NCS. "Of course, her primary focus has always been patient care, where she has proven herself a master clinician." Her many leadership and clinical accomplishments, as well as the spirit in which she has performed her Rancho duties, were key reasons she was presented with the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation's Amistad Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 24th Annual Amistad Gala on Saturday, May 1 at the Westin Long Beach Hotel. After growing up in Southern California, Wendy earned her B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford and her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from UC Santa Barbara. She came to Rancho in 1986 as a Clinical Fellow. She served as a staff speech pathologist until 1990, when she became supervisor of the Stroke/Gerontology Service. She left Rancho for two years to be a college professor. When she returned in 1999, she was appointed to her present position. In recognition of her dedication and clinical leadership, Wendy was awarded the 2009 Joseph F. Dowling Memorial Distinguished Service Award from the Rancho Professional Staff Association. In 2008, she was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award by the California Speech-Language Hearing Association. "Wendy's colleagues admire her for her distinguished service, her endless grace under pressure and her ability to get the job done no matter what challenges she faces, said Rancho Los Amigos Foundation President Gene Klow. We congratulate and thank her for her countless contributions to making Rancho better for our patients!"

********** Published: May 14, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 4