Celeste Arleen Roseberry
Dr. Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin is a professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at California State University, Sacramento, and a practicing speech-language pathologist serving preschool through high school students. With a Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University, her work focuses on language development in children from underserved backgrounds, particularly those living in poverty or learning English as an additional language. Her expertise in culturally responsive assessment and intervention has made her a sought-after presenter at national and international workshops. She has sole- or coauthored 18 books.
A passionate advocate for literacy and equity, Dr. Roseberry-McKibbin is the founder of the Love-Talk-Read children’s book drive, which has donated over 355,000 books to children in poverty across the U.S. and more than 70 countries worldwide. She recently completed her first TEDx Talk titled “The Phone to Prison Pipeline,” which addresses the alarming rise in communication delays among young children and the long-term consequences of digital distractions during early childhood. The talk is set to be released soon. Her commitment to social justice is deeply rooted in her formative years growing up in the Philippines from ages 6 to 17, where she lived with her missionary parents and witnessed the importance of education and equity firsthand.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Roseberry-McKibbin enjoys spending time with her family. She is the proud mother of her son Mark, a writer, and shares a close bond with her husband Mike. They have been married for 35 years and together for 37! She loves to sing and play the piano. Through her academic work, public speaking, and online presence (@dr.celesteroseberry on Instagram and @celesteroseberry on TikTok), she continues to empower caregivers, educators, and clinicians to support children’s speech, language, and literacy development around the world.
• Northwestern University- Ph.D.
• ASHA Board Certified Child Language Specialist
• World Wide Who’s Who Registry of Executives, Professionals, and Entrepreneurs
• Blue Key National Honor Fraternity
• Outstanding Young Women of America
• Who's Who Among Human Services Professionals
• Who's Who of American Women
• Who's Who Among America's Teachers
• American Speech, Language, Hearing Association
• California Speech and Hearing Association
• World Literacy Foundation
• San Juan Teachers Association
• American Association of University Women
What do you attribute your success to?
My faith in God and the love of my wonderful parents. Also, growing up in the Philippines exposed me firsthand to dire poverty and its impacts that impact generation after generation. As the famous Brazilian Paulo Friere said, language is power. My goal is global literacy so that every child in the world is a reader.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Focus on what you love and have a passion for.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't let anyone else tell you what to do. Find your love and passion and follow them, no matter how hard the road. Never, ever give up. To land a TEDx talk, it took me approximately 2 years and 270 rejections. But I did it!
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now there is a huge shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), particularly multicultural and multilingual SLPs. Also, my field is 92% women and only 8% men. We need more men and diverse SLPs! For SLPs in the public schools (where I work part time in addition to my university job), our caseloads have doubled and even tripled since Covid. Grand Oaks Elementary, where I serve, has 350 students. Before Covid, we served 50-55 children. Right now, 100 children qualify for speech therapy. We are overwhelmed with the numbers and how severe the speech and language delays are. In California, 1 in 26 children is born with Autism Spectrum Disorder. These kids need comprehensive services and we are already stretched so thin.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My most important values are loving and serving God and my family. Staying healthy is right up there and I'm a huge gym rat. I usually walk 5+ miles a day in addition to swimming or weightlifting. Staying a constant state of joy and gratitude is also critical to me. I'm devoted to helping my university students have a growth mindset and develop a passion for our field. I love working with children and am devoted to helping build their selfesteem and speech and language skills. In terms of my family, friends, and students, my top value is making them feel seen, loved, and appreciated. I love to mentor people coming up behind me and help open doors for them.
