Advocacy in Action: Increasing Public Awareness of Dysphagia
This interactive session is focused on building public awareness and dysphagia advocacy. Expert speakers will share how they approach dysphagia advocacy through the media, through patient organizations, and at the state and federal levels. Attendees will then breakout into small group discussions to brainstorm ways in which they might advance advocacy efforts for their patients/institutions/clinical practice. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion between audience and panelists to learn from other groups and continue refining and expanding on ideas in the smaller group
discussions.
Agenda
Setting the Stage: What Does the General Public Know about Dysphagia?
Sonja M. Molfenter, Ph.D. CCC-SLP
Bite-Sized Stories, Big-Time Reach: Media Advocacy for Dysphagia
Richard Harris
Small Fry, Big Impact: Building Grassroots Dysphagia Awareness
Elizabeth Daly, MS, CCC-SLP
Spoonfuls of Change: Stirring Up Dysphagia at the State Level
Kelly A. Caldwell, MA, MS, CCC-SLP
A Seat at the Policy Table: Serving Up Dysphagia at the Federal Level
Farrah Rizwi, MS, CCC-SLP
Breakout Small Group Discussions
All Faculty
Interactive Discussion and Q&A with Faculty
All Faculty
- Participants will learn about recent research comparing public awareness for dysphagia compared to other health conditions like insomnia, vertigo and ataxia
- Participants will understand elements of a strong media campaign to increase public engagement with information.
- Participants will identify small, medium, and large ways to be involved in advocacy efforts at the patient level state level, and federal (ASHA) level
Our Speakers
Sonja M. Molfenter, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Sonja Molfenter is an Associate Professor in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University (NYU). She is also the director of the NYU Swallowing Research Laboratory. Dr. Molfenter’s research specializes in understanding the physiological features of both normal swallowing and disordered swallowing. Her current NIH funded research focuses on naturally-occurring muscle loss in the pharynx as the result of aging. She aims to a) understand the impact of these age-related changes on swallowing function and b) explore methods to prevent or reverse these changes to promote healthy aging.
Financial Disclosures:
- Employed by New York University (salary).
- Receiving a speaking fee from NWIF, Inc. for this educational symposium.
- Receives honorarium from Bracco Diagnostics for teaching and speaking, and grant funding from the NIH.
Non-Financial Disclosures:
- Volunteer member of the Dysphagia Research Society
Elizabeth Daly, MS, CCC-SLP
Elizabeth Daly is a medical speech-language pathologist and the Executive Director of the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders (NFOSD), where she leads national education, advocacy, and patient support initiatives. She is also the co-founder of E2 Scientific, developer of the Tongueometer—a clinical tool for tongue strength assessment in dysphagia therapy. Elizabeth has extensive experience in both clinical care and nonprofit leadership, with a passion for improving quality of life for individuals with swallowing disorders.
Financial Disclosures:
- Employed by the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders (salary).
- Receiving a speaking fee from NWIF, Inc. for this educational symposium.
Non-Financial Disclosures:
- No relevant disclosures exist.
Kelly Caldwell, MA, MS, CCC-SLP
Kelly Caldwell is an accomplished Speech-Language Pathologist with diverse experiences in the field. After earning a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Teaching and teaching band, chorus, and orchestra for six years, Kelly’s career took a new direction into Speech-Language Pathology with a Master of Science from East Carolina University. Her dedication to the profession extends beyond clinical work in the voice clinic and acute care, as she serves the SC Speech- Hearing Association as the Vice President of Government Affairs. She tirelessly advocates for the rights and needs of individuals with communication and swallowing disorders.
Financial Disclosures:
- Receiving a speaking fee from NWIF, Inc. for this educational symposium.
Non-Financial Disclosures:
- Vice President of Government Affairs for the South Carolina Speech-Hearing Association.
Richard Harris
Richard Harris covered science and medicine for National Public Radio for 35 years. He wrote Rigor Mortis, a book about the challenges of rigor and reproducibility in biomedical science, which was published in 2017 (Basic Books). Richard retired from NPR in 2021 and is currently president of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. He has had a personal encounter relevant to swallowing disorders: around New Years 2012, he lost his voice due to vocal fold paralysis (not a good diagnosis for someone who made his living on the radio.) Happily, it proved to be a temporary condition.
Financial Disclosures:
- Receiving a speaking fee from NWIF, Inc. for this educational symposium.
Non-Financial Disclosures:
- No relevant disclosures exist.
Farrah Rizwi, M.S., CCC-SLP
Farrah is a licensed speech-language pathologist with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, specializing in dysphagia, cognition, and geriatric care. She also has a special interest and clinical experience in cleft lip and palate intervention for children. Farrah recently joined Operation Smile and is actively leading efforts to establish the Pakistan Foundation of Operation Smile, expanding access to care for children in need. An advocate for the profession since 2016, Farrah has served on the ASHA Political Action Committee (PAC) Board since 2022. In this role, she helps promote the interests of speech-language pathologists and audiologists through legislative advocacy, political engagement, and support of policymakers who champion communication sciences and disorders.
Financial Disclosures:
- Receiving a speaking fee from NWIF, Inc. for this educational symposium.
Non-Financial Disclosures:
- No relevant disclosures exist.
