Meet Adrianna Salazar of Food is Fun in Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrianna Salazar.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Adrianna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a child, I was around a lot of children. I grew up with a daycare center in my home that my mom ran with a neighbor. I have always loved kids- their openness, their carefree attitudes, their desire for fun! I have always gravitated to them. As I got older, I knew I wanted to get into a field where I worked closely with children. I decided on Speech and Feeding therapy and knew I made the right decision when I started taking classes; I loved it. I received my Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences in 2003 and my Masters in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2006.

I started off working in the schools but I didn’t feel like I was making a big enough impact. I began working at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. I worked there for over seven years. I am truly grateful for that experience and my time there. I learned more from amazing co-workers and doctors than I ever could have learned from a textbook. A few years ago, I realized it was time to go out on my own. I started Food is Fun to bring therapy into people’s homes so families could be more involved in the therapy process. Now, I wake up every day and look forward to going to see “my kids.” It is truly a rewarding field. To hear a child say his/her first word or see them sit down and eat a family meal is priceless. I love seeing how proud the kids are of their gains and I love seeing the families grow closer because of those accomplishments. My favorite thing about my job is getting a picture texted to me of one of my clients eating a burger out with his/her family, drinking milk from a straw cup, or saying a sibling’s name for the first time. It makes my day every time.

Has it been a smooth road?
Figuring out how to start a business was not easy. I was never taught any of that in school. But you learn along the way. Thank goodness for good friends and Google!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Food is Fun story. Tell us more about the business.
My expertise includes working with children with feeding difficulties, early intervention, and a working with a variety of communication disorders. I provide one-on-one therapy in the home. Sometimes when children receive therapy in a clinic or at school, it is beneficial but it doesn’t always carry-over to the home environment easily. Bringing therapy into the home makes for faster progress.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
My field is constantly changing. New research brings new ideas, new therapy techniques, new strategies. New toys!!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://foodisfuntherapy.com
• Phone: 480-707-3322
• Email: slp.adrianna@gmail.com
• Instagram: slp.adrianna

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