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Spring 2009
Hello from the Newsletter Editor
Since you are reading this article on a computer, you know that our Connections Newsletter has “gone
green.” In an effort to save money and the environment, we are publishing our annual department newsletter
on-line. You may get this as an email or can view it, and down load it, from our department website. Let
us know how you like this new format and please forward it on to a friend who might have graduated with
you. You might also forward it to your colleagues and administrators to tell them about the department from
which you graduated. Spread the good word.
Don’t forget to check out our department cook book, Communicating with Food. Profits from the sales go
to funding students to attend professional conferences. These make unique and economical gifts. Also,
please consider making a donation to the department. University funds have become increasingly limited,
and your help, no matter how large or small, is greatly appreciated and used wisely to support student
activities, in particular.
Let us know what you are doing. Send information to Rosemary Lubinski at cdsrosie@buffalo.edu by
January 31, 2010. Don’t forget to visit our department website for more information about our department:
cdswebserver.med.buffalo.edu/drupal.
Have a great year and keep in touch.
Rosemary Lubinski, Ed.D.
Professor and Newsletter Editor
Chair’s Message:
The Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences has had an exciting year of change during
the 2008-2009 academic year, reflecting a similar theme as we’ve had in the nation. We have a new
faculty member in audiology – Dr. Kristi Buckley who began the year by ordering a new Evoked Potentials
laboratory to study brain plasticity in individuals with cochlear implants. We have a new administration
in the Department as well, with my first year as serving as Chair, and Dr. Kris Tjaden taking over the
Director of Graduate Studies position as well as the role of Associate Chair. Dr. Jeff Higginbotham stepped
in again as the Director of Admissions. We are fortunate to have Dr. Jan Charles Luce staying on as
Director of Undergraduate Studies and Dr. Sue Roberts as the Director of U.B.’s Speech- Language and
Hearing Clinic. Dr. Richard Salvi heads up the Center for Hearing and Deafness which continues to be
a powerhouse of research in areas of noise induced hearing loss, tinnitus, and hair cell regeneration.
We also have been able to add another professional to our department with support from the Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences, Ms. MaryAnn Lamilia Doskocz. She is a seasoned grant administrator
from the Research Foundation and has been instrumental in easing the processes in applying for and
maintaining grant support for the speech-language faculty.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
The purpose of the newsletter is to keep in touch with you and tell you about the many activities and
achievements of our department and of our alumni. Dr. Sussman will tell you about how our department
was under the microscope this year during two national reviews. In addition to numerous articles about
our own clincal, research, and student accomplishments, we feature four alumni this year, two who are
faculty at the University of Wisconsin and two on the faculty at Nazareth College of Rochester, NY. Their
work ranges from basic research, to teaching, to chairing departments, to president of a state speech
and hearing association. We are enormously proud of all of their achievements. Another of our alums
will be the featured speaker at our annual supervisors’ conference in October, 2009. I received an email
from a recent graduate, Kyomi Gregory, who in just a few years post graduation, is working full-time as a
speech-language pathologist in an educational setting in NY City, giving national presentations on pediatric
dysphagia, consulting at and developing programs in long term care facilities, and participating actively in
the United Federation of Teachers Speech Improvement Chapter. This is what you, our alumni, do.
As the Fall semester began, the Department prepared for its first of two external visits. A team of three
experts from Indiana University, the University of Iowa, and Purdue University visited our department for the
Comprehensive Program Review that all undergraduate and PhD. programs in the University participate
1
The Spring semester began with its full complement of courses, clinic, and research and then after Spring
break, a team of visitors from the Council on Academic Accreditation, the credentialing agency for graduate
clinical programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, began their review of the clinical training
aspects of our program. They also met with all faculty, many students, our administration, clinic patients
and families, and outside agency professionals who help to educate our students. They noted the high
quality of academic and clinical faculty as well as the excellent mentoring that students receive in our Clinic
and in the Buffalo community.
The Summer Clinical program is warming up along with our weather with both speech-language and
audiology students preparing for the large Intensive Language program starting in June. Summer course
offerings have increased significantly in 2009 as well with courses in audiology, autism, phonetics, brain
injury, and augmentative communication. Next academic year for the first time, all Audiology students will be
continuing their clinical training at the UB Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic during the summer between
their first and second year to give them a stronger bridge into the second year’s external placements.
Finally, I wanted to provide a last word about the economy and its effects on our Department’s programs.
Although UB tuition has gone up, particularly for graduate students, most do not realize that the University
will only receive 20 percent of the tuition increase which will not make up for the large losses that our
University has incurred during the past year and in the year to come. Thanks to the leadership from the
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, we have been able to preserve the academic excellence of
our Department’s mission, and we appreciate his support. Our Department’s fundraising mission also
continues with the goal of raising money for student scholarships and special equipment purchases for
educational purposes. Your support has been much appreciated, and we are looking forward to another
strong year in Fall, 2009.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
in. The evaluators had already read
the detailed report that we prepared
the previous Spring semester and then
came to talk with faculty, students,
administrators, and professionals who
help educate our students. They wrote
in their exit report, that the Department
of Communicative Disorders and
Sciences was “a well respected and
nationally recognized department” due
“in part to the scholarly achievements of
its faculty and in part for their success
in training clinicians and researchers.”.
We agree with their assessment and
appreciate their careful analysis of
our Department’s strengths. Thus, we
can assure our alumni that the great
education that they received is still
an ongoing process that they can be
proud of. As the Fall semester came
to a close, the University at Buffalo
was able to boast that their Division I
football team became Mid-American
Conference champions and headed off
to their first post-season bowl game since 1958. It was definitely a change in the right direction for the
university athletics program!
Joan Sussman, PhD.
Associate Professor and Chair
2
Faculty News
Dr. Kris Tjaden was promoted to Full Professor (effective September 1, 2009)
during the 2008-2009 academic year. She earned this promotion because of
her international reputation, quality publications, and federally funded grants.
She currently is working on her second RO1 grant from the National Institutes of
Health, entitled: Therapeutic Approaches to Dysarthria: Acoustic and Perceptual
Correlates.
She also serves on the American Speech Language Hearing
Association’s Research and Scientific Affairs Committee in addition to her service
responsibilities in the Department. Congratulations, Dr. Tjaden!
Finally, Dr. Geralyn Timler, assistant professor in CDS, has accepted a new
position with the University of Miami (Ohio) starting in the 2009-2010 academic
year. After finishing up a summer course in Autism for graduate students at U.B.,
Dr. Timler is moving on to a new series of projects in Ohio. The Department held
a going-away party for her at the Indigo Art Gallery in Buffalo. We wish her the
best in her new setting, where we know she will be appreciated by all as she was
by everyone in CDS. The search for a replacement will start in Fall, 2009.
Recognition Celebration Speakers Focus on the Positive
For close to 30 years, our department has celebrated the graduation of our undergraduate and graduate
students with a special program. Our celebration is intended to complement University graduations by
providing an intimate gathering of students, their families, and faculty. Each year students choose a speaker
to add a few words about communication disorders from their own perspectivies. This year we had two
special speakers: Mr. Clifford Neal and Dr. Geralyn Timler.
Clifford Neal, has been an active member in the New Voice Club since 2002. His current positions in the
club include Loan Closet Chairman and Visitation Chairman for various schools promoting the anti-smoking
campaign. Cliff and the New Voice Club were kind enough to donate artificial larynges to the UB SpeechLanguage and Hearing Clinic.
During his speech, Mr. Neal spoke about his life threatening experiences and how everything turns into
something positive. He also left the audience with inspirational quotes including, “life isn’t about waiting for
the storm to pass, but it is about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Same congratulations go out to Dr. Jeffrey Higginbotham who was promoted
last year to Full Professor. He had a very productive year in 2008-2009, working
on his federally funded grants, producing four new peer-reviewed articles, and
working with his doctoral and Master’s students with patients with Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis. This year he was awarded another new grant sponsored by
the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research for the national
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center. He works with professionals all
over the country on optimization of communication for individuals who are not
able to talk verbally.
Dr. Geralyn Timler, from our own department, addressed both the undergraduate and graduate students.
She congratulated the undergraduates on all their academic accomplishments and wished them well in
graduate studies in CDS or other areas. Dr. Timler encouraged graduate students to seek further continuing
education as there are many clinical challenges ahead of them. She left the students with encouraging
words, “You know more than you think you do. Feel confident in your newly learned skills. You are well
prepared.”
3
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
4
CDS “Goes Green” Committee
In response to the current economic times and ecological status of our planet, the Department of
Communicative Disorders and Sciences is pleased to announce the formation of the Conservation
Committee. Its mission is to maximize conservation efforts and to economize while promoting the efficiency
of how the department functions and the ecology of our shared environment. It is the Committee’s intent
to collect and disseminate conservation strategies that may be adopted by faculty, staff, and students to
promote the 3Es (Economy, Ecology, and Efficiency) related to our working environment. For information
on our conservation efforts, please go to: http://cdswebserver.med.buffalo.edu/drupal/?q=node/576
Guide to Cultural Competence Published
CDS Graduate Student Chosen as Scholarship Recipient
Each year the Speech-Language Hearing
Association of Western New York
(SHAWNY) awards scholarships to two
students in the field of speech-language
pathology or audiology, one undergraduate
student and one graduate student.
Eligible applicants must be enrolled in
UB, Buffalo State College, or Fredonia
State College. The scholarship is based
on leadership, community involvement,
clinical experiences (weighed heavier
for graduate applicants), an essay,
academic performance, and additional
experiences.
This year’s graduate
student scholarship was awarded to CDS
second year graduate student Whitney
Hecker at the SHAWNY Recognition
Dinner on May 5, 2009.
Whitney
received $1000.00 to help defray the costs of applications for professional credentialing and student loans.
Whitney is pictured above on the far left with fellow graduate students Fara Ditkowsky (middle) and Lynne
Bona at the Recognition Dinner. Congratulations Whitney.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Dr. Rosemary Lubinski has recently published her sixth book entitled A Guide to Cultural Competence in
the Curriculum Speech-Language Pathology. The text is a guide for academics and others interested in
infusing cultural competence across the speech-language pathology curriculum. It can also be used for
continuing education activities. The text begins with a general introduction to transdisciplinary instruction
for cultural competence. The second section details ways cultural competence can be discussed and
implemented in academic and clinical work. The publication was sponsored by a grant received from the
National Instutite on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S Departnment of Education and is
available from the Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE) at
the University of Buffalo. Email: u-b-cirrie@buffalo.edu or check out the website at http://cirrie.buffalo.edu.
Mary Matteliano, of the Occupational Therapy Department served as co-author.
Lubinski Visits Capitol Hill
Dr. Rosemary Lubinski, Professor, visited Washington’s Capitol Hill in April 2009 as a representative of the
American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Dr. Lubinski met with representatives of NY State
Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Christoper Lee to discuss issues related to
legislation involving Medicare, Tax Credits for Hearing Aids, and Telehealth. ASHA has an active legislative
office adjacent to Capitol Hill where staff members lobby for concerns pertinent to audiology and speechlanguage pathology. See the May 24th issue of the ASHA Leader for more information about national
advocacy.
5
UB Focus on Tinnitus
The Buzz-“I noticed the sound one evening about a year ago. At first, I thought an alarm had been set off.
Then I realized that the noise—a high-pitched drone—was mainly in my right ear. It has been with me ever
since….” By Jerome Groopman, New Yorker magazine.
UB Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic Awarded Grant from the Community
Foundation for Greater Buffalo
The Community Foundation recently awarded the UB Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic a grant
of $16,169.00 to support screening and caregiver training programs at 18 Bethel and CAO Head Start
Programs for the 2009 calendar year. The purpose of the screenings is to identify children who have
speech, language, and/or hearing difficulties and to refer them to appropriate professionals for further
testing. Early identification and remediation of delays in these areas have a high correlation to later
success in school performance. Graduate clinicians enrolled in the UB Clinic program are assigned to work
directly with a clinical supervisor and are trained in administering the screening protocols that have been
established at the Clinic. They also receive in-service training related to the Head Start program and the
cultural diversity that the program represents. Once screenings have occurred at the Head Start centers,
the results are shared with the parents. If a child is determined to be in need of further evaluation, Head
Start works with the parents to make appropriate referrals to pediatricians, local audiologists, speechlanguage pathologists, or the local school district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) if
deemed necessary. If a child exhibits borderline appropriate skills or cannot be tested on a scheduled day,
a follow-up re-screening is recommended and scheduled at a later date. The Clinic also offers training
sessions for parents and Head Start staff related to typical speech, language, and pre-literacy and hearing
development. These in-services give information to parents and Head Start staff to help them recognize
delays and to stimulate speech, language, pre-literacy, and listening skills in everyday life activities. If you
are interested in finding out more about the screening program or donating to support the program, please
contact Donna M. Ringholz, M.S., CCC/SLP at 829-5536 or ringholz@buffalo.edu
Donation from the Schmitt Foundation
Thanks to a very generous donation from the Kilian J. and
Caroline F. Schmitt Foundation, the Adult Room in the Clinic
is now equipped with an LCD TV and a Nintendo Wii. Our
clients have already benefited from using this equipment
as part of their therapy sessions. Pictured is Liz, using her
communication skills (and some hip action) to teach her
mom how to bowl, Wii style. The Clinic sincerely thanks
the Schmitt Foundation for adding this tool to our therapy
program. Please follow this link for information about the
Schmitt Foundation: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/
nanat/schmitt/history.cfm
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
The phantom sound of tinnitus, which affects roughly 12-14% of adults, has become a major area of basic
science research and clinical treatment in UB’s Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences.
Drs. Salvi, Lobarinas, Sun, and Stocking have received major grants from NIH and private foundations to
support this work. Tinnitus, once considered an impossible phenomenon to study scientifically, has begun
to reveal its deep, dark secrets through the use of brain imaging techniques and the development of animal
models. Tinnitus patients once told to “live with it” are now being successfully treated in UB’s Speech and
Hearing Clinic with sound therapy and counseling techniques provided by Drs. Chris Stocking, Susan
Roberts, and Nancy Stecker. This spring, an article by Dr. Jerome Groopman appeared in the New Yorker
magazine describing the research and clinical work being done at UB. Check out the New Yorker web
site for more details. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/02/09/090209fa_fact_groopman Dr. Salvi
was also interviewed about his work on tinnitus by the Washington Post; a link to the article is: http://www.
buffalo.edu/news/pdf/March09/WashPostSalviVetsTinnitus.pdf. Dr. Craig Kasper, an audiology graduate
from the University at Buffalo, was also featured in the article.
6
New Collaboration with the Williamsville School District
In September of 2008, the Clinic began a new collaboration with the Williamsville School District. Clinic
Faculty and graduate clinicians have teamed up to provide speech-language screenings for the children
in the Williamsville Universal Preschool Program and for Williamsville kindergartners. The experience has
been very positive for all involved, particularly for our graduate clinicians who gained valuable experience
in working with young children in school-based settings.
Ritter-Schmidt Earns 7th ACE
Dona Hue Ritter-Schmidt, Assistant Clinical Professor in our Clinic, recently was awarded her 7th Award
for Continuing Education from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Dona joins a select
group of individuals who have made a concerted, personal effort to continue professional learning beyond
an academic degree. You’ll be sure to see Dona at a conference soon – please congratulate her on her
dedication to life long learning.
Dr. Christine Sapienza will be the
featured speaker at the annual
supervisors’
conference
entitled
Respiratory Muscle Strength Training:
Application and Interpretation. The
conference will be held on October
16, 2009 from 8AM-4:30 PM at
the Classics V in Amherst, NY. Dr.
Christine Sapienza received all of
her academic degrees from the
University at Buffalo, including a
PhD in 1993. Since that time, she
has been a faculty member in the
Dept. of Communication Sciences
and Disorders at the University of
Florida, Gainesville. Dr. Sapienza
is Professor and Chair of the
department. Her research focuses
on normal and diordered speech
and voice producdtion in adult and
pediatric populations. A Fellow of
ASHA, Dr. Sapienza is the author
of over 100 publications including
the newly released text Voice
Disorders (Plural Publishing, 2008).
She received numerous teaching
awards, given dozens of national
and international presentations, and
received numerous grants from NIH
and other national and state funding
agencies for her work in respiratory
strength training.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
CDS Alumna Speaks at UB Department Conference
For further information about the
conference email Rosemary Lubinski
at cdsrosie@buffalo.edu or call 716
829 5565. Registration ends October
9th.
7
Sun Receives Tinnitus Grants
Dr. Wei Sun, Assistant Professor in the CDS Department, received two grants to further investigate the
mechanisms of tinnitus. One of these grants was awarded by the American Federation for Aging Research
(AFAR) entitled “How Presbycusis Affects Tinnitus” ($59,775 for two years). This grant is designed to
explore whether and how aging related hearing loss (presbycusis) affects tinnitus. The other grant was
awarded by the Royal National Institution for Deaf People (RNID) entitled “Auditory Cortex Reorganization
Related to Tinnitus and Hyperacusis” (₤134,000 for three years). The goal of this grant is to determine how
central auditory reorganization is related to tinnitus and hyperacusis. The results of Dr. Sun’s studies will
provide important information on central reorganization and how it may contribute to the phantom noises
we perceive as tinnitus.
2009 AAA Convention Open House
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
The UB Student Academy of Audiology held an Open House for alumni, students, and faculty at the American
Academy of Audiology convention in Dallas this April. Along with food and beverages with a Tex-Mex theme,
they raffled off UB souvenir items and Bose headsets (complements of Dr. Salvi). Several alumni were in
attendance including: Michelle Dagonese, Liz Dose, Jennifer Dyche, Alexa Kozak, Danielle Leisner, Steve
Perlow, Kelly Roma, Kristen Schroeder, and Jaclyn Smith. Everyone had a great time Thanks to all the
students for their hard work in putting this all together.
8
1st Student Academy of Audiology President
Congratulations to Virginia Best for being elected the first president of the newly formed Student Academy
of Audiology (SAA), the student organization of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA). Virginia will
begin her office July 1st, 2009 and will be responsible for leading the new national organization and its
board over the upcoming year. Virginia is beginning her fourth year as the first combined AuD/MBA student
in our department. Dr. Nancy Stecker will serve as national advisor to the Student Academy of Audiology
and will be a member of the Board of Directors to the student group. Best of luck to Virginia and Nancy.
From Graduate School to Your Career: A Closer Look at Audiology
VA Provides Externships
The Speech and Audiology clinic from the WNY Healthcare System at the Buffalo Veterans Administration
Hospital has a collaborative relationship with the University at Buffalo, Fredonia State College, and Buffalo
State College. Within this relationship the Buffalo VA provides clinical placements for speech-language
pathology and audiology students. After spending time at the Buffalo VA, many of the students decide
to pursue a career in a hospital setting and specifically in a VA Hospital. We are fortunate to work with
the Buffalo VA as they guide the development of future professionals especially as their training relates
to serving future generations of veterans. For additional information, please contact JoAnn Hammer at
jhammer2@buffalo.edu regarding 2nd and 3rd year audiology externship placements or Dona Hue RitterSchmidt at dhrs@buffalo.edu for speech-language pathology placements.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
During the 2009 Spring semester, as part of an independent study supervised by Clinical Assistant
Professor JoAnn Hammer, AuD, audiology students Anna Hansen, Jessica Loson, and Cherise Silverthorn
created a presentation titled “From Graduate School to Your Career: A Closer Look at Audiology.” The
presentation explained what the field of audiology encompasses and what prospective students could
expect from the graduate AuD Program at UB. The presenters’ goals were, not only to promote the field of
audiology and the AuD Program at UB, but to help undergraduates on their journey through the application
process and to answer questions from a student’s perspective. The students gave their presentation to two
undergraduate CDS classes and to members of the Student Association of Speech and Hearing (SASH).
The AuD students plan to donate their presentation to the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) in hope
that during the upcoming years the board and members of SAA will continue in their footsteps.
9
Fourth Year Audiology Externships
Congratulations to our third year Au.D. students who have received acceptances from the following
audiology externship sites:
Congratulations Dr. Bielefeld
Eric Bielefeld, PhD. received the American Academy of Audiology 2009 New Investigator Research Award
and was honored at the annual convention held in Dallas, Texas in April, 2009. Eric will be starting as a
visiting professor at Ohio State University where his work will focus on developing a behavioral screening
test for noise-induced hearing loss in military personnel. Well done, Eric.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Advanced Hearing Centers, Rochester
Audiology Service Associates, Buffalo
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin Ireland
Boston Medical Center
Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center
Central Michigan University Clinic
Evergreen Audiology, Seattle
Finger Lakes Hearing and Balance Center
Glens Falls Hospital (NY)
Hearing Evaluation Services, Buffalo
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
National Technical Institute for the Deaf - Rochester
James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, TN
Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
Sertoma Speech and Hearing Center, Chicago
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center, Strong Audiology
Yale Hearing and Balance Center (New Haven, Conn.)
10
What’s Judy Duchan Up to Now?
I retired from UB in 2001, a short 8 years ago. I had spent my last year at the university on leave in
London, England, working with a group of innovative speech-language pathologists and researchers at City
University London. The group, like others here in the US, was making a shift in their clinical and research
practices from the medical model to a social model. I was fascinated to see how difficult it was to alter the
medically-based way of doing business. The experience that year made me realize how deeply attached I
was to viewing my myself as a member of a profession whose work was to diagnose and then select and
administer therapy programs to remediate communication impairments. The effort of the group in London
was to shift from focusing solely on remediating impairments. Instead, they worked to support their clients
with aphasia to regain control over their lives. My colleagues and their clients devised many ingenious
ways to obtain access to institutions and social situations.
When not working on Connect projects, I have been writing about the history of our profession. My focus
has been mostly on the US history (see my website for references and writings on this topic). I have
recently begun to branch out and learn and write about work done in Britain—especially by John Thelwall,
the first British speech therapist. Thelwall opened his clinic in London around 1810 and continued it for 20
or so years. Much of my history work appears on a website that I have developed with Alan, my husband,
serving as my webmaster.
Retirement has also provided me with time to have fun and explore those things that I was too busy to do,
when working at my full-time job at UB. My husband
and I spend lots of time going to the coffee houses
in Buffalo, tooting around to see local sites in our red
convertible, and traveling. This last year we spent lots
of time following the election of Obama. This winter
we went to Florida to visit Alan’s sister, and stopped in
Salisbury, North Carolina to see Nan Lund, my former
Buffalo State collaborator. We’re planning a week in New
York City at the end of May, and Nova Scotia in October
to a conference on, of all people, John Thelwall, that
19th century speech therapist who was also a politician
and writer, who hung out with the famous poets Samuel
Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth.
Ahh. The good life.
Judy Duchan
For those interested, my website contains:
My on-line vita lists the articles and books I have
written since my retirement (http://www.acsu.buffalo.
edu/~duchan/vita.html) and my history material (http://
www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~duchan/new_history/overview.
html).
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
I was so challenged by the task that the group in London had set for themselves that I kept going back every
year for two months working on various projects and learning about their struggles and accomplishments.
We began writing about the work, and we have published several books and articles together on the
nature, advantages, and challenges of social-model practices. The group now has its own agency, called
Connect—the communication disability network, whose main headquarters are in London.
You can also take a peek at what is going on at Connect
in London by browsing their website at: http://www.
ukconnect.org
And here is an article on the Connect website about
my work there: http://www.ukconnect.org/opinion_384.
aspx
11
Jim Feuerstein Current NYSSLHA President (PhD, 1988)
I was on the faculty of SUNY Geneseo while working on my degree and continued there until 1993 when
I joined the faculty of Nazareth College as their first full-time audiologist. Since that time I have taught
Hearing Problems and Testing, Aural Rehabilitation, Educational Audiology, and also the undergraduate
Anatomy and Speech Science courses. At a program that, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,
is geared toward prospective speech-language pathologists, it seemed reasonable to design the audiology
clinical experiences to target the skills most useful to those students. Our students currently screen hearing
at multiple Head Start Centers, Canandaigua City Schools, and other locations. In our on-campus audiology
clinic the diagnostic focus is central auditory processing (Surprise, Surprise since Jack Katz was the chair
of my dissertation committee!). About 95% of our diagnostics are CAPD evaluations.
From 1999-2002 I served as an audiology member-at-large of the Executive Council (now Board of
Directors) of the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NYSSLHA). In April 2004 I
received that association’s Distinguished Service Award and, having stepped down as department chair
this past January, I currently serve NYSSLHA as President.
My professional goal at Nazareth is to entice the best and brightest undergraduate students to “turn to the
dark side” and go into audiology. Sometimes I win, sometimes not.
Away from work I’ve been involved with Boy Scouts for many years, co-direct three youth choirs at the
Geneseo United Methodist Church, direct the “Youthful Band,” and serve as a member of the Swain Ski
Patrol. More than anything, I am the proud father of three wonderful boys Chris, Brian, and Dan.
Tom Miller: Academic and Lawyer (PhD, 1983)
Upon completion of my PhD. in 1983 where I was Dr. Lubinski’s first doctoral student, I continued my
position on the faculty of the Speech-Language Pathology Department (now Communication Sciences
and Disorders or CSD) at Nazareth College of Rochester. The topic of my dissertation was “Professional
Liability in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology” and the unique nature of the topic resulted in
numerous presentations and publications concerning professional ethics and liability in regional, state, and
national venues.
Often I heard comments from colleagues that I really should consider going to law school and, in 1989,
I began commuting (again) to the SUNY Buffalo School of Law. Upon graduation, I tried a few part-time
positions at law firms and found that, despite the credential, I really was more of a speech-language
pathologist and academic with legal training than the converse. I have utilized my legal background, though,
in my teaching, scholarship, and as a resource to the professional community. I have presented on topics
such as corporate entities, informed consent, legal aspects of supervision, right to treatment/right to refuse
treatment, liability insurance issues, intellectual property, and others.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Until 2000, when I became chairperson of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders,
I consulted as Coordinator of Industrial Services for the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center, Inc.
My background in industrial hearing conservation reaches back into the 1970’s. In 2002 I authored the
Hearing Conservation chapter for the fifth edition of Katz’s Handbook of Clinical Audiology, and in the
2009 co-authored the revision of that chapter with Marshall Chasin who brought the added perspective
of noise exposure from music. I’ve also taught the Industrial Audiology/Hearing Conservation course for
Syracuse University’s AuD program. Other publications include chapters in a variety of texts at clinical
clinical workshops and convention workshops on a wide variety of topics, and I present regularly at clinical
workshops and conventions.
I was elected to serve on the ASHA Legislative Council from 1998-2000. In 2005, I received the Certificate
of Merit from the Genesee Valley Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
In the fall of 2008, I began my second five-year term on the New York State Board for Audiology and
Speech-Language Pathology. For three years of my first term, I chaired the Education Committee of the
Board coordinating the revision of state license requirements to bring them into alignment with the revised
ASHA certification requirements.
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Over my 32 years at Nazareth, I chaired the department for eight years and have taught all but two
undergraduate courses and two graduate courses in the program. I teach two five-week review sessions
for the PRAXIS exam each year. I have chaired all but one major college committee and have served on all
of the elected committees at least once.
Whenever one is asked to prepare a short bio such as this one, the result is an awful lot of “I’s.” While I
did invest thought, energy, time, money, and emotion into the process of completing a PhD., I would never
have completed it nor had the wonderful career it has afforded me without the support I’ve received from
many others. These include my wife (of 40 years), my children, my four grandchildren, my parents (now
deceased), and my colleagues and students. The advice and support I received from Dr. Mary Mann and
the guidance and persistence of Dr. Rosemary Lubinski were invaluable to me during my doctoral studies.
I will always be indebted to them for their efforts.
Hello from Dr. Susan Thiebault (MA, 1992)
I am very grateful to my start in this field to my advisor when I studied at SUNY Buffalo under Elaine
Stathopoulos, PhD. She planted in me a love for research. I also consider myself very lucky such that I
have great colleagues from my time in Buffalo whom I still see at national meetings – Chris Sapienza and
Christopher Dromey. Lastly, Lyn Turkstra (who is here in Madison, as well) and I often reminisce about our
time in Buffalo.
Hello from Dr. Lynn Turkstra (MA, 1987)
It’s fun to have Susan Thibeault contribute an update in this same newsletter, as we are two of the many
Canucks who graduated from the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences at the University
at Buffalo. After graduating from UB, I returned home to work at Mississauga General Hospital in Ontario
on a newly created neurosurgical unit. It was a great opportunity to apply the neuroanatomy that I learned
from Dr. Mary Mann. After two years, I began a PhD at the University of Arizona. At a NYSSLHA convention
during our graduate program, Elaine Stathopolous had introduced me to Tom Hixon, and when the U of A
was recruiting doc students, Tom contacted me in Mississauga and asked if I might apply to their program.
My geographical sense is pretty awful, so I flew to Arizona not realizing how far it was from home. Oddly
enough, this didn’t discourage my family from visiting often during the winter months.
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
After leaving SUNY Buffalo in 1992, I completed a CFY and worked clinically as a Speech-Language
Pathologist in an acute care hospital and otolaryngology clinic for 5 years. In 1997, I returned to get my PhD
at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the area of voice under the tutelage of Dr. Diane Bless. My major
was in Communication Disorders and Sciences with a minor in Molecular Biology, and I became interested
in the genetic and molecular mechanisms in vocal fold injury and repair. After finishing my PhD, I moved
to Salt Lake City with my husband, who was completing a residency there. I started a Post Doc under the
direction of D. Steven Gray. My Post Doc evolved into a Faculty position after several years. During my 5
years at the University of Utah – Division of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, I developed a keen
interest in research pertinent to Tissue Engineering the Vocal Fold Lamina Propria. Also during my 5 years
in Utah I became a mother. I have two great sons – Jonah (7) and Simon (5). In 2006, I was recruited back
to the University of Wisconsin Madison in the Division of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. I am
an Assistant Professor in Surgery, Communication Disorders and Science, and Biomedical Engineering.
I have an active research program and a laboratory funded by the NIH where our work focuses on tissue
engineering of the vocal fold lamina and on the mucosal immune and bacterial characterization in chronic
laryngitis. I am also the Director of the Voice and Swallowing Clinics – a large, tertiary care, multidisplinary
clinic which staffs over 15 speech-language pathologists.
The doctoral program in Arizona was excellent. The U of A had become a mecca for experts in adult
neurogenic communication disorders, and I was fortunate to be trained by professors such as Jenny Hoit,
Audrey Holland, and Kathryn Bayles, and to be a fellow doc student with Pelagie Beeson, my designated
speech-language pathologist if I ever need one. I owe Kathryn a particular debt because she introduced me
to my husband, Erwin Montgomery, a Movement Disorders neurologist. Small world that it is, Erwin was a
SUNY/AB Med School grad and even worked in the building next to ours on the old Ridge Lea
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Campus. After a few years in the desert, we moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where I began my first tenure-track
faculty position at Case Western Reserve University. In 2003, I joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison
faculty where I’m currently an associate professor in Communicative Disorders and a faculty member in the
Departments of Neurological Surgery and Neuroscience.
Throughout this journey, my research focus has remained where it started when I was an undergraduate
student intern in neurosurgery: on trying to understand the complex interplay between cognitive function
and communication in adolescents and adults with neurological disorders. Most of my research has focused
in the area of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its effects on social communication behaviors. TBI has been
much in the news lately, an unfortunate result of the Iraq war and the conflicts in Afghanistan. While those
of us who work with persons with TBI appreciate the recent media attention, we are reminded that for every
injured soldier there are hundreds of civilians with brain injury. We hope that wartime research will advance
peacetime care for all.
UB Deparment Cookbook, Communicating with Food
Great ideas come from all areas of our department. Linda Mehnert, Secretary to the Chair and Graduate
Secretary, suggested that our department publish a cookbook as a fundraising project to support students
attending conferences. A faculty committee was formed, and almost every faculty and staff member and
numerous graduate students submitted their favorite recipes for inclusion. Communicating with Food
contains over nearly 200 recipes and cooking tips and will be availabe this Fall. These make unique and
economical gifts. For more information see our website or call Linda Mehnert at 716-829-5570 Cost:
$10.00 (US Funds) plus postage.
Support Your Department
Your support as a donor reaches others and changes lives by enhancing the educational experience for the
many students who study within the Department.
To illustrate, money raised through the Annual Fund goes directly to students to help them lessen their
financial burden and focus on their research and academic work.
We gratefully welcome your support for the following special projects, to benefit students in the Department:
____ Departmental Fund for Student Travel and Research
____ Jack Katz Central Auditory Processing Scholarship
____Mary Mann Award to an Outstanding Graduate Student
____CDS Dept. Scholarship Fund for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Students
Please make checks payable to the UB Foundation.Inc. and write “Department of Communicative Disorders
and Sciences” in the memo section:
Name:_________________________________Year of Graduation:___________
Address:___________________________________________________________
Email: ________________________ Place of Employment:_________________
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
I appreciate Dr. Lubinski (who will remain Dr. to me always!) giving me the opportunity to thank the
department for introducing me to a profession that continues to challenge and motivate me every day. If I
weren’t for people like Dr. Katz – who was serving hamburgers to a summer Audiology class when I visited
and made the program look so fun that I decided to apply - and Dee Sciandra – who helped us all navigate
the process of admission to and survival in graduate school – I would have missed a wonderful experience.
Send Checks to:
University of Buffalo Foundation
Center for Tomorrow
PO Box 900
Buffalo, NY 14226
Thank you for your support in reaching others and changing lives!
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Department of Communicative
Disorders and Sciences
University at Buffalo
The State University of New York
122 Cary Hall
Buffalo, NY 14214