COO & Co-Founder, Swallowing Training & Education Portal — Rinki Varindani Desai

This week’s spotlight is on Rinki Varindani Desai, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, a Non-Clinical 101 graduate who is COO & Co-Founder of Swallowing Training & Education Portal!

What is your full name, title, and company name for your current, primary role?

Rinki Varindani Desai, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S — Chief Operating Officer (COO) & Co-Founder, Swallowing Training & Education Portal

I’m a medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) and board-certified swallowing disorders specialist-turned non-clinical entrepreneur, educator, and researcher dedicated to driving innovation in healthcare, education, and rehabilitation.

What additional roles do you currently have?

• Founder and Digital Health Consultant, Theratactix
• Researcher and Term Lecturer at MGH Institute of Health Professions
• Co-Lead, Bitelabs HealthTech and Innovation Fellowship
• Full-time Mommy to a beautiful baby boy

Where are you located?

Originally from Mumbai, India. Currently based in Jackson, Mississippi.

Where did you go to SLP school, and what year did you graduate?

• Bachelor of Science in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology – AYJNISHD, Mumbai (2009)
• Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders – University of Texas at Dallas (2011)
• Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology – MGH Institute of Health Professions (anticipated August 2025)

What did you do when you first finished school, and for how long?

I moved from my home country, India, to the United States, in 2009 to pursue my dream of becoming a medical SLP. After graduating from my master’s program in 2011, I completed a clinical fellowship and spent the first four years of my career at a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) in Dallas, specializing in treating critically ill patients with tracheostomies, ventilators, strokes, and neurodegenerative diseases.

I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my clinical training. This experience honed my skills as a medical SLP, taught me how to manage complex conditions and challenges, and thrive within fast-paced, interdisciplinary teams.

In what setting(s) did you work, and what types of patients did you treat?

As my husband completed his medical residency and fellowship training in Interventional Radiology, we moved between Texas, New York, and Mississippi, which led to several job transitions. I spent four years working across inpatient rehab, post-acute rehab, skilled nursing, and long-term care settings, followed by four years as a clinical instructor at a large academic medical center and the adult outpatient SLP team lead.

Throughout my career, I worked in nearly every medical setting, with the exception of home health. I treated adults with a wide variety of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and cognitive disorders resulting from stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, head and neck cancer, trauma, respiratory illnesses, and more.

I worked full-time clinically until 2023, after which I transitioned into non-clinical consulting, research, and entrepreneurship to focus on driving innovation in digital health, education, and rehabilitation.

What did you enjoy about your early roles? What didn’t you enjoy?

The most rewarding part of my early roles was the opportunity to serve patients and make a direct impact on their lives. It’s the reason I chose this field. Helping someone speak and swallow again is truly a blessing. I found building relationships with patients and their families, and being a key part of their rehabilitation journey, incredibly fulfilling.

I also loved the constant learning, the challenge of solving complex problems, thinking critically, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.

The biggest challenges were the increasing productivity pressures and systemic barriers that limited patient-centered care. I also felt stifled by the lack of innovation, the limited opportunities for growth, and the lack of recognition for SLPs within many settings.

What else have you done since then, prior to your current role?

Over the years, I found ways to channel my clinical expertise and passion for innovation into several meaningful initiatives beyond my full-time clinical roles. I co-created a mobile app for dysphagia management, founded the Medical SLP Forum community (48,000+ members strong), co-founded STEP, and launched Theratactix, my healthtech consulting firm.

Beyond these ventures, I took on volunteer and leadership roles over a decade with state and national SLP associations. This helped me grow as a leader and contribute to the field in ways that extended beyond traditional clinical care, expanding my impact in innovation, advocacy, and clinician education.

When and why did you decide to do something non-clinical?

Early in my career, I constantly looked for ways to improve processes, advocate for change, and solve the systemic challenges I witnessed in healthcare. That mindset led me to take on side projects, leadership roles, and entrepreneurial projects—often working late nights after long clinical shifts.

In 2018, co-founding STEP was a turning point. I recognized a critical gap in dysphagia education and realized I didn’t have to wait for someone else to create the change I wanted to see. That “why not me?” moment launched my journey into non-clinical entrepreneurship and projects.

Motherhood in 2023 provided further clarity. This life-changing event highlighted my need for greater autonomy, flexibility, and the ability to build a career that aligned with my passions, while still being fully present for my family. Transitioning to solely non-clinical work has given me the freedom to prioritize my baby, while allowing me to focus on projects that align with my mission, values, and vision for a better future in healthcare.

What are you doing these days?

My days (and mostly nights) are filled with a variety of exciting and impactful projects:

Running and growing STEP: Our e-learning platform has had over 40,000 learner enrollments since 2018 and partnered with more than 150 universities worldwide to advance dysphagia education, making specialized training more accessible and affordable for SLP students and clinicians. We have assistants who support with customer service, but I continue to manage both the bigger picture and the day-to-day operations.

Consulting through Theratactix: We work with startups and organizations in digital health and healthtech. Recent projects include consulting for a digital therapy app company, digitizing a cardiac resuscitation program, a device commercialization project funded by the NSF I-Corps, and working on an NIH funded digital health solution for shared decision making in patients with neurodegenerative disease. I love the variety and pace.

Pursuing my Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology (SLPD) at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions (MGH IHP), where I also work as a part-time researcher in the Swallowing & Communication Collaborative Lab and serve as a teaching fellow for the Leadership in Health Professions course.

Co-leading the Bitelabs HealthTech and Innovation Fellowship (launched this year in Boston) to empower clinicians to upskill in digital health and drive innovation in healthtech.

My career has evolved from purely clinical work to a blend of non-clinical entrepreneurship, consulting, research, and education. I’m excited to see where this journey leads and how I can continue to make a meaningful impact.

Are you still treating patients, or are you solely non-clinical?

Currently, I am solely non-clinical.

How long have you been in your current role?

January 2018: Co-founded STEP and came on as COO

April 2023: Resigned from my most recent full-time clinical role

December 2023: Delivered a baby and founded Theratactix Healthech Consulting

August 2024: Began working as a researcher at MGH Institute of Health Professions

October 2024: Took on a leadership role co-leading the Bitelabs HealthTech and Innovation Fellowship

What do you wish you would’ve known before going into this COO & Co-Founder role?

Entrepreneurship, in particular, taught me lessons no classroom ever could.

• You don’t need to have it all figured out to start.
• You learn by building, failing, listening, learning, and trying again.
• The real secret is resilience: staying curious, staying adaptable, and trusting that with each challenge and failure comes growth and eventually success.
• Believing in the skills we have as clinicians that translate seamlessly into non-clinical roles across industries.

Did you get any special certifications or training along the way to help you get into your current role?

To support my transition into non-clinical entrepreneurship and other roles, I pursued several certifications, assessments, and self-directed learning opportunities over the years.

• Completed Non-Clinical 101, which was a crucial starting point in showing me what was possible beyond direct patient care.
• Took various relevant courses in areas like product development, user experience research, business strategy, digital marketing, and healthtech on Coursera, as well as more specialized courses, such as Harvard Business School’s Digital Health and Design Thinking courses and Stanford’s AI and Product Development course.
• Participated in programs like the Hi Impact Medicine Career Fellowship and the Bitelabs HealthTech and Innovation Fellowship that helped me identify my strengths, clarify my interests, and discover ways to make an impact in healthcare.

Beyond formal training, I made it a point to stay informed by immersing myself in podcasts, newsletters, LinkedIn posts, industry reports, books, and YouTube content relevant to my work and many roles.

Some books that had a big impact on me include:

• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
• Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
• Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek
• The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

That said, I firmly believe there’s no substitute for learning by doing. I don’t have all the answers, but staying curious, asking the right questions, and being open to constant learning have been the most powerful drivers of my growth. I hope to inspire others to do the same.

How did you find your job? Did you apply or find it through a connection?

Every role I’ve had came through professional connections. I co-founded STEP after meeting my business partner at a dysphagia conference, I got my research and teaching role through my doctorate program connections, and I have secured non-clinical consulting roles through relationships built over time.

Every meaningful opportunity I’ve had has come from networking, engaging in professional communities, and putting myself out there. For those looking to pivot, staying curious and building genuine connections beats cold applications any time.

Did you do anything special to your resume and cover letter to land the job?

One of the biggest challenges was learning how to reframe my experiences in a way that showcased my business impact, not just my clinical expertise. Non-Clinical 101 provided valuable resources that helped me identify and translate my transferable skills into language that resonated with decision-makers outside of traditional clinical settings.

When did you start your business?

I founded my first company, STEP, in 2018.

Where did you get the idea for your business?

The idea for STEP came from the frustrations of seeing persistent gaps in dysphagia education and training in everyday clinical practice. My co-founder, a researcher, noticed the same challenges from an academic perspective.

Rather than waiting for change, we decided to create it—building the world’s first online dysphagia training and education platform for speech-language pathologists. Seven years later, STEP has helped thousands of clinicians worldwide, and we’re just getting started. We have miles to go.

What is your business, and what types of products or services do you offer?

I have founded two companies: STEP and Theratactix.

1. I’m the Co-Founder and COO of STEP, an online platform focused on advancing dysphagia education for speech-language pathologists.

Our offerings include:

• On-demand, evidence-based, affordable, accessible CE courses on swallowing disorders.
• University partnerships that integrate STEP into graduate curricula.
• Programs that bridge the gap between dysphagia research and clinical practice across the lifespan.

STEP has supported over 40,000 learner enrollments and partnered with 150+ universities worldwide—helping clinicians strengthen their expertise and deliver better patient care.

2. I’m also the Founder of Theratactix, a firm specializing in digital health and healthtech consulting services.

At Theratactix, we work with startups and healthcare organizations on:

• Digital health strategy and clinical product development
• Go-to-market planning for healthtech solutions
• Business development and clinician engagement
• Innovation and implementation

Through Theratactix, I help healthtech companies design human-centered solutions that meet patient and clinician needs, particularly in the adult rehabilitation space.

How have people reacted to you leaving patient care?

The response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Many people, especially fellow clinicians, have told me they “completely get it.” Several have since reached out for advice on making their own transitions, which speaks to the growing interest in non-clinical career paths for SLPs and other healthcare professionals.

I couldn’t have made this leap without the unwavering support of my family. My husband and parents have been my biggest champions, always encouraging me to pursue my goals. And my son has been my greatest inspiration, motivating me to build a career that allows me to thrive both professionally and personally.

What’s a typical day or week in the life like for you? What types of tasks and responsibilities fill your time?

No two days (or nights) ever look the same, and I’ve finally learned to embrace the controlled chaos.

Currently, I structure all my work around my son’s schedule, taking meetings during his nap times and working long hours at night after he sleeps, when I need deeper focus. I also plan my weeks way ahead as much as possible, organizing different days/weeks around different projects to prioritize effectively.

Balancing everything takes a lot of intentional planning, discipline, and adaptability, but the variety energizes me. I am grateful for the freedom to build a career that fits my life, not the other way around.

What are some of the rewards of your current roles? What are the biggest challenges?

Rewards:

One of the greatest rewards of my work is the ability to innovate and make a broad impact beyond direct patient care. I’m particularly passionate about advancing digital health solutions that improve the lives of adults with communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders.

Whether through consulting, research, or education, seeing tangible results that align with my mission is deeply fulfilling—and being able to do it remotely is an added bonus. I also love collaborating with people from different disciplines who are tackling the same healthcare challenges from unique perspectives.

Challenges:

The biggest challenges come from the constant balancing act and context switching. Managing STEP, consulting, research, my doctorate, and motherhood requires intense prioritization and discipline, and it’s constantly a work in progress.

Non-clinical entrepreneurship and consulting can also feel isolating and unpredictable. Projects and priorities shift quickly, each client and team has different needs, and income can fluctuate. Navigating the business side of healthcare has required building entirely new skill sets outside of traditional clinical training. Despite these challenges, I wouldn’t trade this path for anything.

How did your clinical background prepare you for this role? Which skills transferred?

My clinical background is the foundation of everything I do professionally (and has gone a long way in teaching me many personal life lessons, too).

Working as a medical SLP gave me a firsthand understanding of patient needs, caregiver challenges, provider frustrations, and system gaps across healthcare settings. I learned how to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams. Being an SLP for nearly 15 years has honed my skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, leadership, and empathy—all skills that now fuel my work across multiple roles.

My clinical experiences allow me to advocate for and design solutions that truly address the patient needs and match clinical practice realities.

Roughly speaking, how are the hours and pay compared to patient care?

In general, the hours and compensation in my current roles are significantly better than in patient care.

With entrepreneurship, the risks are higher, but so are the rewards and returns—especially since I bootstrapped both my companies. Consulting and fractional roles in healthtech offer flexibility and significantly higher earning potential, although income can fluctuate depending on the project if you aren’t full time. Research and education roles are probably more comparable to clinical pay.

While the workload can be demanding at times, the ability to work on multiple high-impact initiatives, manage my own schedule, and have greater autonomy has made the transition more than worthwhile for me.

What type of person do you think would do well in your COO & Co-Founder role?

It depends on the specific role, but generally, success isn’t just about having clinical or technical skills. It’s everything else that makes the difference.

• Creativity and critical thinking are essential. Whether you’re building a business, developing a product, or involved in research, you must be able to think outside the box and stay agile.
• Strong organization and time management are crucial for balancing multiple projects and responsibilities effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are key—something we can appreciate as SLPs. Whether you’re pitching ideas, leading teams, or translating complex concepts for different audiences, strong communication has made a huge difference for me. 
• Emotional intelligence is equally important. Navigating diverse perspectives and teams requires empathy, humility, active listening, and relationship-building to create real, lasting impact.
• Above all, you need grit. The perseverance to navigate uncertainty, overcome setbacks, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t clear. Trust your strengths and believe that you will find the right fit when the time is right.

Do you work remotely or onsite?

Fully remote.

What is a typical career path for someone in your COO & Co-Founder role?

Since I wear multiple hats, I’ll try to summarize this a bit more broadly.

A typical career path often starts with a strong clinical foundation and subject matter expertise developed through years of hands-on patient care.

For some, the next step is moving into academic roles, which are generally more accessible and offer a clearer bridge from clinical practice to leadership, teaching, or research.

Transitioning into non-clinical consulting and entrepreneurship tends to be more challenging. These paths require not just clinical expertise, but also strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. It can feel isolating at times because there’s no clearly defined roadmap. You’re building as you go, forging your own opportunities.

The journey is rarely linear. Success in these spaces is shaped by a blend of clinical insight, continuous learning, creativity, grit, and a deep commitment to driving meaningful change for patients, providers, and the healthcare system as a whole.

If you’re considering a non-clinical path, I would encourage you to explore your interests and strengths, learn from others already doing similar work, and find the version of the path that fits you best.

Non-Clinical 101 does a great job of laying out different options, helping you gain a clearer picture of what each type of non-clinical role might align with your skills and goals, tailor your CV to highlight why you might be a good fit, and go from there.

What is next for you? What are your high-level career aspirations?

I plan to remain non-clinical for now and continue building a career rooted in impact, innovation, and service. I’m currently focused on growing my consulting work in digital health and healthtech, expanding STEP into more universities, and developing a digital health product to improve the lives of individuals with swallowing disorders.

With my doctorate finishing soon, I’m committed to continue contributing to research in swallowing disorders and improving the lives of those with neurodegenerative diseases. I’m also exploring opportunities to teach, to help inspire and prepare the next generation of SLPs and healthcare professionals.

At the heart of everything—whether it’s research, education, STEP, consulting, or product development—is my commitment to meaningful work: work that helps clinicians, empowers patients, and drives positive change in SLP and healthcare.

My family remains my greatest priority and source of inspiration through it all. There’s a lot on my plate and for that, I am deeply grateful. I love the work I’m doing, I am grateful I can do it all remotely, and hope to continue using it to inspire others to dream bigger, lead authentically, and make a difference in the lives of others.

What would you like to change most in your profession, and why? How would you propose doing so?

There is so much I would love to see change in the field of Speech-Language Pathology:

• One of my biggest frustrations is the ongoing lack of respect and recognition for the value we bring as SLPs to patient care for individuals with communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders. Our profession is often undervalued, which is reflected in inadequate pay, poor reimbursement rates, and limited visibility in healthcare leadership, despite the critical role we play in improving quality of life.
• Another major issue is the constant pressure around unrealistic productivity expectations. These demands often compromise the quality of care we can provide. We need to shift the focus back from metrics to meaningful patient outcomes.
• Finally, I believe our national association (ASHA) could do more to advocate for us at the policy level. We need stronger, louder representation fighting for fair reimbursement, better pay, and workplace conditions that reflect our true value and impact. It’s time for our field to move beyond being seen as ancillary and take its rightful place as a key part of patient care, education, and healthcare innovation.

As part of creating change, I’m launching a podcast called SLPathways soon, focused on showcasing non-traditional career paths for SLPs—to amplify voices, spark new ideas, and expand how we think about our professional potential.

I’m also developing a course at the MGH IHP to help graduate students and clinicians intentionally build non-clinical and leadership skills early on, so we can future-proof our careers and strengthen our profession.

What career advice would you give yourself that you wish you had during school?

If I could go back, I’d tell myself: “Embrace unexpected opportunities, and carve your own path. Careers aren’t always linear, and the best opportunities often come from places you don’t expect. Explore beyond traditional roles, seek out challenges, and step outside your comfort zone. Every experience builds your career capital and opens new doors.”

I would also remind myself to see my diversity and my identity as an immigrant and an SLP in the United States as a powerful strength. The more we lean into what makes each of us different, the greater the impact we can create.

What would you teach to today’s graduate students in your profession, if you had the opportunity?

I would teach them a lesson it took me years to learn: your impact isn’t defined by your job title, a certification, or the setting you work in—it’s defined by how you use your skills and expertise.

Too often, we’re taught that success in our field follows a linear path: earn your degree, gain clinical experience, and move upward within the system. But the truth is, our soft skills—communication, critical thinking, leadership, creativity—are just as powerful as our clinical skills, allowing us to drive change not just at the bedside, but far beyond it.

Whether you stay in direct care or move into non-clinical spaces, your authentic strengths, values, and willingness to lead will empower you to shape the future of our profession.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Do you have any special advice for others who want to follow in your footsteps as COO & Co-Founder?

Whether you stay in patient care, move into academia, consulting, entrepreneurship, or something entirely new, your expertise is valuable far beyond the bedside and clinic. Success outside of traditional clinical roles isn’t about abandoning your clinical identity—it’s about expanding it.

Build new skills. Be endlessly curious. Be courageous enough to step beyond traditional roles when your heart calls you to. Carve your own path, and when you find your path, pay it forward.

Our profession needs more clinicians willing to lead boldly, think differently, and create new spaces for those who come next.