Anastasia Naylor (Evarts)
'13 BA
Speech-Language Pathologist, Anastasia Naylor Speech-Language Pathology Services
Anastasia Naylor came to Augustana Campus in 2009 from Whitecourt, AB. After graduating with her bachelor of arts in psychology, Anastasia moved to Halifax, NS, to earn her master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Dalhousie University. She then moved back to Alberta and began working as a school speech-language pathologist in Edson, AB, and Edmonton, AB. Most recently, Anastasia has started her own private practice in Leduc, AB.
As a previous Indigenous peer mentor, Anastasia stays involved in her Indigenous community as much as possible. She is a reviewer for the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards, is taking Cree language classes and has started beading.
Anastasia lives with her husband and their two fur babies. She enjoys beading, movie nights and going to the dog park.
Q: Why did you choose to study at Augustana Campus?
A: I chose Augustana because of its smaller size compared to the U of A North Campus. It was also just far enough from my hometown of Whitecourt. I am very happy with my decision. Smaller class sizes allowed me to feel more comfortable asking questions and helped me form relationships with my professors. All the planned events on a smaller campus also helped me make friends easier—I didn’t feel alone.
Q: What is your favourite memory from your time on campus?
A: It is too hard to pick just one favourite memory. I have so many and too many pictures that go with them. First-year dorms are where I met some of my closest friends today. My first year was so exciting—I was on my own for the first time and met so many new people. I just remember so much laughter.
Q: How did you come to find yourself in the community you reside in today?
A: I moved to Leduc to be with my now husband. I lived in Edmonton and he lived in Wetaskiwin, AB, so we met in the middle. Leduc makes you feel like you’re in a small town but with easy access to a large city. I lost my previous job with a school board in Edmonton due to government funding cuts in 2020, and my only option at the time was to start my own practice. It was hard in the beginning, but I am very happy with how everything turned out. Now I have many clients in Leduc and its surrounding rural areas that normally have difficulty finding private services.
Q: Did Augustana prepare you to engage with your community in a meaningful way?
A: Augustana was a very welcoming and supportive community. I felt listened to and cared for, and I try to do the same with others. I think joining clubs and attending events also helped prepare me. I had to step outside of my comfort zone, which was scary sometimes but made me a more well-rounded person.
I think Indigenous Student Services made the biggest impact on what community means to me and how I engage with it. I was like many other Indigenous people who lost their culture and were trying to reconnect with it. Indigenous Student Services connected me with other Indigenous students and helped me find my culture. Later, as an Indigenous peer mentor, I was able to do the same for other students like me. Whether I was making moccasins, bannock or bologna sandwiches, I felt like I belonged and still try to do the same with my community now.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your community interaction/your career?
A: I love my career. The most rewarding part is making connections with the children I work with and their parents. Forming a relationship is the first step before progress can be made. I feel like I’m making a difference.
This Alumni Q&A was originally published in the 2021 Circle Alumni Magazine.