Beehind the Scenes with Judy Meckna

“Early voices matter and so do the people who help them grow.”

Not every career leap starts with a five-year plan. For Judy Meckna, it started with a classroom visit, a deep love for kids, and a hunch that her second act needed more heart.

Today, Judy is a speech-language pathologist and co-founder of a thriving pediatric clinic in Long Beach, California. She specializes in early intervention, working with children from birth to three, guiding families through some of the most pivotal moments of their child’s communication development.

Before she was supporting first words and parent-led play, she spent a decade in corporate business and marketing. That is, until her husband, a longtime teacher, nudged her toward a different path.

“He said it was like teaching but different. Once I shadowed a speech therapist friend of his, I knew. This is it. This is what I’m meant to do.”

A career reimagined

Leaving her marketing career behind wasn’t easy, but it was the right move for Judy. She went back to school, earned her credentials, and built a new professional life. What began as a solo path in school-based speech therapy soon evolved into something bigger: opening her own private clinic alongside a fellow speech-language pathologist (SLP) who shared her vision for community-centered care.

“Only 2–3% of speech-language pathologists in California are people of color, a staggering contrast when you consider that nearly 80% of certified SLPs in the state identify as white. It’s a gap that doesn’t reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve and we knew there was a need not just for more services, but for more representation.”

Together, they opened a clinic that put families at the center of the experience and focused on reaching kids in the most critical window of development.

Early intervention matters

Judy’s practice is all about the earliest years. Her team supports children from birth to three who have speech delays, autism, apraxia, and other communication challenges. But they don’t work alone.

“Parents are in every session. We teach them how to carry the work home. They’re the bridge between progress and daily life.”

It’s about empowering the family.

Starting with Zanda from day one

Judy and her partner built their clinic around Zanda from the start. With no legacy software to slow them down, they dove straight into a platform that was designed to scale with them.

“We chose Zanda after doing a lot of research. It had the features we needed, the pricing was right, and we knew we could grow into it.”

From scheduling and reminders, to team coordination and secure telehealth, Zanda quickly became their clinic’s digital backbone.

Why Zanda?

• Multi-clinician scheduling: As their team grew to six practitioners, the calendar became their command center. “We can see everyone’s availability at a glance and plug in clients fast.”
• SMS reminders: With children getting sick and ever-changing family schedules, automated SMS reminders save time and reduce late cancellations and no-shows.
• Secure telehealth: Telehealth is ideal for parent consultations and follow-up evaluations that don’t require in-person visits.
• Simple onboarding: New hires pick it up fast. “We onboarded two new clinicians in the past two months, and they were up and running right away.”

The growth is real, and so is the impact

Judy and her team have seen their client list grow steadily, often by word of mouth. But the real success, she says, isn’t in the numbers.

“It’s when a toddler says their first word. Or when a parent tells us they feel confident helping their child at home. That’s what matters.”

Their clinic was even nominated as one of the Top 5 Healthcare Providers in the City of Long Beach, a source of pride for a young practice.

Serving the community, one library at a time

Through a partnership with the City of Long Beach’s “Help Me Grow” initiative, Judy hosts free speech and language workshops in local libraries. Parents learn what’s typical, what’s not, and how to support their child’s development early.

“Our work is about access, education, and showing up for our neighbors. That’s what drives us.”

Judy’s pro tips for practitioners

• Let the reminders do the work:
  “Text reminders have been a game changer. Our families reply instantly, which helps us reduce no-shows and keep our team running efficiently. Especially with little kids who get sick often it saves us time, money, and stress.”

• Involve parents as partners:
  “Don’t just treat the child, teach the parent. Invite them into every session. Empower them with tools, language, and confidence. That’s where lasting change happens.”