Lexi Yannitsaros
SaLT
Hello! My full name is Alexandra, but everyone calls me Lexi.
I graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2020 and returned to my hometown to complete my Community Service Year at Edenvale Hospital. During this time, I worked within a close-knit multidisciplinary team, supporting a diverse caseload of adult and paediatric patients with a range of communication and dysphagia needs. This experience laid the foundation for my passion for collaborative and holistic care.
I’m proud to be part of the Words First team, where clinicians are given the space to share knowledge, develop their practice and stay connected to their passion for helping others. Working within an interdisciplinary environment allows me to keep the child, their family and their wider community at the centre of everything I do.
As Mentor Lead, I feel deeply aligned with the company’s values and am particularly passionate about our onboarding and mentoring programmes. I oversee the development and growth of these programmes, continually looking for ways to improve the experience for both new and existing team members. I find real fulfilment in supporting new clinicians as they begin their journey with Words First, fostering meaningful relationships across the team and contributing to a culture of professional growth, connection and belonging. I also enjoy supporting our mentors, celebrating their successes and watching them flourish in their roles.
Beyond mentoring, I am passionate about creating opportunities for connection across the company. I am actively involved in our locality events and team socials, helping therapists build relationships, network and feel part of a wider community. I love bringing people together, encouraging collaboration and creating spaces where team members can connect both professionally and personally.
Alongside my role as Mentor Lead, I am a Clinical Supervisor and Speech and Language Therapist. I am committed to supporting my colleagues in their professional development, confidence and clinical practice. I currently work within school settings, supporting students with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). I am passionate about making a meaningful difference every day by keeping a child-centred approach at the heart of my work. I value understanding each child as an individual and working collaboratively with families, schools and wider teams to support their communication, participation and wellbeing.
I also enjoy contributing to the creative side of our social media. I support the social media team by capturing authentic, real-life moments and footage that showcase the incredible work happening across the company. I love helping to create content that feels realistic, relatable and reflective of the wonderful people and impact behind Words First.
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me chasing the sun and working towards my goal of visiting 30 countries before I turn 30. I also love trying new things, whether that’s discovering a new restaurant, taking part in a new activity or exploring a different city. My friends would describe me as motivated, hard-working and enthusiastic about both my work and life!
I’m proud to be part of a company that values respect, collaboration and open communication, and that champions an environment where ideas are welcomed and supported. These values align closely with my own professional approach: being child-centred, research-informed, flexible, interdisciplinary and always professional.
