understanding dysphagia

Guest: Dr. Kristen West, M.A., CCC-SLP - In today’s episode of First Bite, we are delighted to welcome back Dr. Kristen West, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss her work as an SLP in public schools. Kristen is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania and is currently also pursuing her educational doctorate at Slippery Rock University. In our conversation with Kristen, we delve into the challenges of setting up a program in public schools and how her journey led her to work in that space. We spend some time appreciating the role that advocacy plays when it comes to special education services in schools and how our host Michelle Dawson, in collaboration with Angie Neal, was able to pass a proposal that countless children in South Carolina will benefit from for years to come. Listening in, you'll hear Michelle break down the many aspects of working as an SLP in public schools and what she has learned throughout her career. She expands on the inextricable relationship between nutrition and learning, why cafeterias pose a unique challenge to children with PFDs, and why teamwork between nurses, teachers, and parents is essential. We loved having Kristen back on the show and we know you’ll find the conversation as informative and inspiring as we did! For all this and much more, join us today!

Guests: Jessica Conn and Hilary Cooper - One of our favorite topics is the SLP’s role in advocacy, and today we are joined by some of the fiercest advocates around. Jessica Conn is a Visiting Clinical Instructor at Stephen F. Austin State University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate coursework, including dysphagia and neurogenic communication disorders. She also owns East Texas Swallow Diagnostics, a mobile FEES company serving the broader East Texas area. She is currently the Director of University Relations for the Dysphagia Outreach Project as well. Hilary Cooper, our second guest, is a self-proclaimed dysphagia nerd who has extensive experience with pediatrics and adults in a variety of settings. She owns North Louisiana Swallow Solutions, a mobile FEES company, and is the President and CEO of the Dysphagia Outreach Project. In today's episode, after hearing about how Jessica and Hilary became SLPs, we dive into advocacy. We talk about how it differs from education, the importance of getting involved at state and national levels, and why advocacy needs to be a part of curriculums. We also get into some specific ways that you, as an SLP, can advocate for your patients and their families, who are constantly faced with the injustice and systemic inequality in our healthcare system. To hear more from these inspiring women, tune in today!

The Dysphagia Outreach Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide meaningful assistance to individuals affected by dysphagia. Today on the show we invite Allie Mataras, Amanda Weissberg, Allison Boyer, Jessica Lasky, Hillary Cooper, and Michelle Coffaro from the Dysphagia Outreach Project’s Board of Directors to talk about how they have come together to work on this project as volunteers and the great things they are doing for the community. The original idea came from Hillary and she kicks things off by talking about how she was disturbed by a general lack of access to supplies experienced by patients and how she wanted to take the initiative to fix this. Hillary teamed up with Michelle and Jessica and our next two guests weigh in on the contributions they made to get the idea off the ground. Jessica speaks about the role she plays in the organization in the fields of education and advocacy and the Michelle shares her responsibilities as VP of operations. Michelle runs the food bank in Cincinnati and we hear about the incredible wealth of supplies they distribute. From there, we hear from Allie and her work as Director of Fundraising before getting to know Amanda and the contributions she has made on the social media front as Captain of Instagram for the public relations team. Wrapping up, we meet our final guest, Allison Boyer, who manages the DOP Facebook page where she helps assemble literature reviews of the most current research in the field to be distributed freely to all who are interested. So for all this and more about an amazing project that stands testimony to the power of purpose-driven teamwork, tune in today!