The Speech-Language Pathology Distinguished Speaker Series

2025: Enhancing Communication Throughout the Day: Apraxia and Autism - Presented by Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF and Erin Roberts, M.S., CCC-SLP

This workshop will provide the latest research and clinical updates in the areas of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Techniques for differential diagnosis, goal writing and treatment of CAS and enhancing communication in ASD will be presented. All sections of this workshop will follow specific cases in childhood apraxia of speech and autism throughout the day to provide real life illustrations of concepts presented. Age ranges covered will include preschool through adolescence. 

2019: Real Life Solutions to Working with Clients with Fluency Disorders -- Presented by Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP and Glen M. Tellis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP.

Dr. Scaler Scott is a practicing speech-language pathologist, Board Certified Fluency Specialist, and Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Misericordia University. Her research interests are largely in cluttering, atypical disfluency, and clinician training and treatment effectiveness. She is the co-editor of Cluttering: A Handbook of Research, Intervention, and Education (Psychology Press, 2011), co-author of Managing Cluttering: A Comprehensive Guidebook of Activities (Pro-Ed, Inc., 2013), and author of the newly released book Fluency Plus: Managing Fluency Disorders in Individuals with Multiple Diagnoses (SLACK, Inc.). Dr. Scaler Scott has spoken nationally and internationally on the topics of fluency and social pragmatic disorders. She was the first Coordinator of the International Cluttering Association, and is the recipient of the 2018 Deso Weiss Award for Excellence in the Field of Cluttering, and the 2018 Professional of the Year award from the National Stuttering Association.

Dr. Tellis is a Board-Certified Fluency Specialist, completed his doctorate at The Pennsylvania State University and is Professor and Chair of the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. He frequently presents papers at national and international conferences and has published articles that pertain to stuttering. He has received externally funded grants and has conducted numerous workshops in assessment and treatment of stuttering. He has served as an advisory board member of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Stuttering Center of Western Pennsylvania, as a committee member of the National Stuttering Association’s Insurance Advocacy Board, and as a committee member of the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders. In 2014, he received the Honors of the Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association. In 2017 he was named ASHA Fellow.

This workshop provided the busy speech-language pathologist with the tools to determine the most practical and time efficient way to evaluate clients with fluency disorders. Differential diagnosis and matching the treatment approach to specific client and family needs were addressed.

2018: Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Achieving Speech Outcomes - Therapy-Rich and Video Enhanced -- Presented by Dave Hammer, Vice President of Programs for the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA). Prior to joining the CASANA staff in 2014, Dave had 35 years of pediatric clinical experience at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA. His specialty interests have included pediatric stuttering, childhood apraxia of speech, and speech sound disorders. Dave has been invited to present workshops on childhood apraxia and speech sound disorders throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. Dave was a member of the ASHA AdHoc committee on childhood apraxia of speech. He has been involved in the production of a number of apraxia-related DVD's and an innovative children's CD. Dave is known for his practical and therapy-rich presentations.

This hands-on, practical therapy-rich presentation focused on strategies for therapists that facilitate verbal communication for children with apraxia of speech.

2017: What is Functional Language Intervention and How Do I Do It? -- Presented by Robert E. Owens, Jr., Ph.D. ("Dr. Bob") who is a New York State Distinguished Teaching Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at The College of St. Rose where he teaches courses in language development and language disorders.

In 2016 he received the Honors of the American Speech Language-Hearing Association.

He is the author of several books in the filed including Language Development: An Introduction; Language Disorders: A Functional Approach; Early Communication Intervention; Help Your Baby Talk: Introducing the New Shared Communication Method; and Queer Kids: The Challenge & Promise for Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Youth.

The presentation explored functional, innovative means to assess the communication of children with language disorders. The creation of useful intervention techniques from assessment results was emphasized, with a specific focus on functional, curriculum focused techniques and materials. Beginning with a brief rationale, the course explored communicative and conversational assessment techniques and methods manipulating the context to elicit and change a child's communication behaviors. Practice application was the primary focus.

2016: Auditory Processing Disorder and Auditory Challenges in Children -- Presented by Lois Kam Heymann, M.A., CCC-SLP, a leading authority of auditory processing disorder. Author of The Sound of Hope: Recognizing, Coping with and Treating Your Child's Auditory Processing Disorder, which is a

parents' guide to the importance of listening skills development in children from birth to 8 years old.

This presentation was geared to speech-language pathologists, teachers, occupational therapists, parents and caregivers.

Presented by the Autism Center at Misericordia University.

Sponsored by the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Misericordia University.

Co-sponsored by the Hazleton Area School District Early Intervention Department.

2015 Autism: Solutions for Successful Collaboration - Presented by: Robert Bogdan (licensed clinical social worker), Lori Charney (Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy at Misericordia University), Francine Hogan (mother of a 14-year-old child with autism), Barbara Karnafel (Speech-Language Pathologist with more than 32 years experience within the public school system), Amanda Marchese (inspirational speaker who advocates for those with disabilities), Dr. Alicia Nordstrom (Associate Professor of Psychology at Misericordia University), and Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott (Assistant Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University).

This program featured experts in the areas of occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, psychology, social work, and behavior who provided practical information to facilitate collaboration among all professionals working with individuals with autism. Practical solutions for actively involving families in the collaboration process were presented.

This workshop was the second annual multi-disciplinary Distinguished Speaker Series on the topic of autism. The workshop provided anyone who works or lives with individuals with autism, including speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, regular and special education teachers, psychologists, social workers, TSS workers and parents, with innovative solutions for collaborating and working as a true team when managing the care of a person with autism.

Lori Charney, OTD, OTR/L, is an assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at Misericordia University. She has extensive experience working with children with autism in the school based setting and her research interests include pairing sensory techniques and social skills training for children with autism.

Barbara Karnafel, SLP, is a speech and language pathologist with over 32 years experience within the public school system. She earned her specialty certificate in autism from Pennsylvania State University and is currently working as a private contractor in area school systems.

Alicia Nordstrom, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Misericordia
University, teaches courses such as Intro to Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, Child Psychopathology and Child Interventions. Dr. Nordstrom’s current research focuses on mental health in health sciences graduate students and stereotypes and prejudice in college students.

Robert Bogdan is a licensed clinical social worker who earned his master’s degree from Marywood University in 1998. He has been on the Liv with Autism board since the initiation of the foundation until 2014, assisting with growth and promotion of activities. He currently has a private practice in Kingston PA, where he works with a variety of young people with autism.

Amanda Marchese is a Marywood University Student and an inspirational speaker who advocates for those with disabilities. She has spoken to college students and various organizations about her experience being on the autism spectrum to increase sensitivity to the issues of students with autism.

Francine Hogan is the mother of Michael, a 14-year-old boy with autism. Currently, Francine is an ambassador for the Autism Tissue Program, she sits on the Board of Directors of the Autism Coalition of Luzerne County, and is the vice president of the Liv with Autism Foundation.

Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott, CCC-SLP, BCS-F, is an Associate Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University. Her areas of specialization include autism spectrum disorders, child language disorders, literacy, and fluency disorders. A practicing clinician for 21 years, Dr. Scaler Scott has presented numerous papers nationally and
internationally in the areas of social communication disorders, literacy, and fluency disorders.

2014 Autism: Practical Solutions for Complex Problems - Presented by: Robert Bogdan (licensed clinical social worker), Francine Hogan (mother of a 14-year-old child with autism), Amanda Marchese(inspirational speaker who advocates for those with disabilities), Dr. Alicia Nordstrom (Associate Professor of Psychology at Misericordia University), Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott (Assistant Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University), and Dr. Timothy D. Welby (Pediatrician).

This workshop was designed to meet the needs of professionals and parents working and living with individuals with autism by providing them with innovative treatment strategies for everyday functioning in school, work, and life. A panel of experts in the areas of medicine, psychology, social work, and speech-language pathology, examined the multifaceted issues that impact individuals with autism. A college student with autism and the parent of a child with autism also shared personal experiences. Hands-on strategies were shared. Participants were involved in solution-focused discussions of the integration of these multiple issues.

Robert Bogdan is a licensed clinical social worker who earned his master’s degree from Marywood University in 1998. He has 15 years’ experience working with children, adolescents and families with children with social issues and autism.

Francine Hogan is the mother of Michael, a 14-year-old boy with autism. Francine actively participates in Michael’s program development, behavior plan and advocates for him in all aspects of his life.

Amanda Marchese is an inspirational speaker who advocates for those with disabilities. She strives to educate and offer insight on the topic of Autism. She has spoken to college students and various organizations about her experience being on the autism spectrum to increase sensitivity to the issues of students with autism.

Dr. Alicia Nordstrom is an associate professor of Psychology at Misericordia University. She teaches courses such as Intro to Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, Child Psychopathology, and Child Interventions. Her current research focuses on mental health in health sciences graduate
students and stereotypes and prejudice in college students.

Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott is an Associate Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University. Her areas of specialization include autism spectrum disorders, child language disorders,literacy, and fluency disorders. A practicing clinician for 20 years, Dr. Scaler
Scott has presented numerous papers nationally and internationally in the areas of social communication disorders, literacy, and fluency disorders.

Dr. Timothy D. Welby is a general Pediatrician who practices in Dickson City, PA. He is board certified in General Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a longtime partner in Pediatrics Practices of Northeast Pennsylvania, a nine person medical practice in Dickson City caring for infants, children and adolescents.

2013 Successfully Using iPads and iPad apps in Speech and Language Therapy and Education - Presented by: Erik X. Raj, M.S., CCC-SLP

This hands-on course is designed to meet the needs of speech-language pathologists and educators serving school-age children with various communication difficulties by providing them with original and exciting ways to motivate and teach students. Creative ideas were shared on how to put new spins on traditional speech-language therapy by introducing various iPad applications and other Internet-based technologies. Participants were involved in discussions related to skills and foundational knowledge.

Erik X. Raj, M.S., CCC-SLP holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language-Hearing Association and has been a practicing speech-language pathologist working with school-age children with various communication difficulties. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Misericordia University in Pennsylvania. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Raj regularly presents interactive workshops demonstrating how school-based speech-language pathologists can use technology to motivate and teach students on their caseload. In addition to developing numerous top-ranking educational iPad applications for children, he has also directed the DVD component to the award-winning speech-language pathology book titled Your Voice is Your Business by Plural Publishing and has created original video content for such television networks as MTV and mtvU.

2010 & 2012 Estill Voice Training Level One and Two – Presented by: Cari M. Tellis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Department of Speech-Language Pathology – Misericordia University & Kimberly M. Steinhauer, Ph.D.

2011 Read With Me! Stress-Free Strategies for Building Language and Literacy – Presented by: Shari Robertson Ph.D., CCC- SLP – Department of Communication Disorders and Dean’s Associate for Graduate Study and Research - Indiana University of Pennsylvania

2011 The Emotional Roller Coaster of Asperger Syndrome and How to Manage it in the Classroom – Presented by: Timothy P. Kowalski MA, CCC-SLP

Many educators are frequently frustrated when presented with a student who has Asperger syndrome as they often manifest a variety of deficits that are often beyond the scope of many well-intentioned therapists. Techniques that have been successfully used for years with students who struggle in the classroom setting are often ineffective when dealing with Asperger syndrome and leave both the student and educator frustrated. This creates significant stress due to faulty social-pragmatic communication and behavioral issues resulting in emotional outbursts that professionals find extremely difficult to manage. Emotional self-regulation is a major concern for individuals with Asperger syndrome.

This presentation focused on the importance of effective social-pragmatic communication to life success with emphasis on understanding how Asperger syndrome impacts academic performance. Participants learned evaluation techniques that targeted the elusive behaviors of this highly specialized population as well as how using the concepts of Theory of Mind, Executive Functions, Central Coherence and Emotional Intelligence can enhance both diagnostics and treatment intervention. Appropriate goal development suitable for I.E.P.s were also provided. It also described the typical deficits seen in the domain of social-interaction such as tact, proxemics, social rules, egocentricity, naiveté and jocularity. Participants also identified the difficulties these students have with academics, for example: talking off-task, daydreaming, reading comprehension, organization, fine and gross motor skills, procrastination, defeatist attitudes, eye-hand coordination, problem solving, literalism, perfectionism,and hyperlexia.

Timothy P. Kowalski, MA, CCC-SLP has worked in a variety of psychiatric healthcare delivery systems including in-patient and outpatient psychiatric hospitals, and school-based settings. He obtained his Master’s degree in Speech Communications from Case Western Reserve University, Ohio and Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State College, Connecticut. Mr. Kowalski is the author of The Source for Asperger Syndrome, a practical resource for anyone working with this population and Assessing Social Communication in Asperger Syndrome. He is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Council for Exceptional Children, the Council for Behavior Disorders, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, and the Autism Society of America. He is the recipient of the TEAMS 2000 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year award for his work with Autism in the four-countywide greater Orlando, Florida metropolitan area and has served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Orlando Chapter of the Autism Society of America. He presents on a wide variety of issues relative to Asperger syndrome at national and international seminars.

2010 New Directions in Treating Stuttering in Children and Adults: Beyond Fluency Shaping – Presented by: M.N. Hedge, Ph.D., CCC-SLP – Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders - California State University-Fresno.

The purpose of this workshop was to increase the participants’ understanding of the limitations of current stuttering treatment approaches and to help generate clinical skills in applying alternative, evidence-based techniques in treating stuttering in all age groups—from preschool to adult levels. In addition, a new hierarchy of treatment research evidence that is neutral to experimental designs was described along with data from an extensive experimental study on treating stuttering in preschool children. Potentially useful methods of combining alternative approaches with specific aspects of fluency shaping were also described. Continuous data collection methods were described as well.

M. N. Giri Hegde, Ph.D. CCC-SLP, is Professor Emeritus of Speech-Language Pathology at California State University-Fresno. He holds a Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Dr. Hegde is a specialist in fluency and language disorders, research methods, applied behavior analysis, and treatment procedures in communication disorders. He has made numerous presentations at conferences held around the world. Dr. Hegde has published many treatment efficacy research papers and is the author of more than 25 critically acclaimed books in speech-language pathology.

Dr. Hegde has edited more than 25 books as the Singular Textbook Series Editor. He serves as editorial consultant to several U.S. and international journals including the Journal of Fluency Disorders, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis—Speech-Language Pathology and several ASHA Journals including the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research and the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

Dr. Hegde has received numerous awards and honors including the Outstanding Professor Award from California State University-Fresno, Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Southern Illinois University, and the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award from the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association. He is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

2010 Does Napoleon Dynamite have Asperger Syndrome? (Asperger Syndrome for the Educator) – Presented by: Timothy P. Kowalski MA, CCC-SLP

2008 Literacy and AAC: Practical Suggestions to Facilitate the Development of Reading and Writing Skills– Presented by: Karen Fallon, Ph.D., CCC-SLP – Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology, and Deaf Studies - Towson University

2008 Picture It: The Power of Visually-based Language Representation – Presented by: Beth A. Mineo, Ph.D. – University of Delaware