Desiree Rivera, CCC-SLP

About Desiree

Desiree Rivera, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at Campbell County Health (CCH) Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Services. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Desiree's passion for speech-language pathology began through personal experiences with her family. Her grandfather lived with Parkinson's disease, and she witnessed how speech therapy supported his communication, cognition, and swallowing abilities. She also saw her niece gain confidence and improve her communication skills through speech therapy. Combined with her lifelong love of language and storytelling, these experiences inspired her to pursue a career helping others communicate and improve their quality of life.

Desiree works with patients of all ages and has experience treating a variety of communication, feeding, and swallowing disorders. Her areas of focus include adult and pediatric dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), head and neck cancer rehabilitation, neurological swallowing and communication disorders, infant and pediatric feeding, voice and upper airway disorders, and cognitive-communication challenges. She also provides bilingual speech and language services in English and Spanish.

Desiree especially enjoys the investigative side of speech-language pathology, working to understand complex symptoms and identify solutions that improve patients' everyday lives. She finds it particularly rewarding to help families understand feeding and swallowing challenges and guide patients through complex medical conditions.

Desiree believes in providing compassionate, individualized care that encourages collaboration between patients, families, and healthcare professionals. She takes time to listen, explain treatment options in easy-to-understand language, and create a welcoming environment where patients feel heard, respected, and comfortable asking questions.

Desiree was drawn to Gillette by the opportunity to expand access to speech-language services in a rural community, particularly for bilingual patients and families. She appreciates CCH's collaborative approach to healthcare and the opportunity to serve patients of all ages across a variety of care settings while helping them receive specialized services close to home.

Outside of work, Desiree enjoys music and has played the saxophone since childhood. She also enjoys singing and performing locally, following women's basketball, especially LSU and the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, cooking, golfing, building LEGO sets, hiking, fishing, and paddleboarding. Most importantly, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.