Sample Course Content, Speaker Biographies, and Their Disclosure Statements

Adventures in Voice

Course Description

The Adventures in Voice course offered a novel approach to voice therapy for children, which, in contrast to the traditional approach, does not discourage children from using loud voice. Instead, Adventures in Voice (AIV) promoted the premise that "children will be children" and, rather than restricting their phonation, the therapist should provide training in how to produce normal and loud voice—safely. This AIV program was appropriate for children with voice problems related to under- or overadduction of the vocal folds.

Biography

The Katherine Verdolini Abbott, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a professor of Communication Science & Disorders in the School of Health & Rehabilitation Services at the University of Pittsburgh. Her current research focuses on the role of vocalization for wound healing in the larynx, motor learning principles applied to models of voice therapy, and clinical trials in voice therapy. She has received numerous research awards from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and she serves as consultant and co-investigator on other research awards from the National Institutes of Health. She developed and conducts workshops on a systematic approach to voice training for adults with hyper- and hypo-adductory vocal disorders: Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Training. She is a Fellow of the American Speech Language Hearing Association and received the Honors of the Association in 2009.

Speaker Disclosure

Financial: Dr Verdolini Abbott is a salaried full professor in Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research is funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. She is co-author of a text on voice and voice disorders—Vocology, for which she receives royalties. She also receives royalties from Plural Publishing, Inc., based on sales of manuals for Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy. She receives an honorarium for continuing education courses and seminars, including this one. Finally, she receives financial compensation for intermittent teaching of voice disorders courses in other venues besides the University of Pittsburgh and or occasional reviews of grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources.

Nonfinancial: In addition to her salaried faculty position, Dr Verdolini Abbott is a non-salaried faculty member in the Department of Otolaryngology and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and in the Center for Neural Basis of Cognition at Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh. She is on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Voice and is an occasional reviewer for several other peer-reviewed journals.

Slides

View the course title and speaker disclosure statement slides [PDF] used in this presentation.

Strategies for Excellence in Stroke Care

Course Description

This course focused on effective stroke care and its early recognition and treatment. With an emphasis on the interdisciplinary team approach to stroke care, this interactive program explained how to pinpoint an area of the brain injury and determine the associated neurological deficits. A better understanding of embolic and thrombotic strokes, as well as subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhages, was provided.

Biography

Kathy Morrison, MSN, RN, CNRN, has been a nurse for over 30 years and has experience in neurological and cardiac critical care, community nursing, case management, and program leadership. She is a certified neuroscience nurse and recipient of the prestigious Pennsylvania State Nightingale Award for Clinical Nursing. In her current role as the stroke program manager for an academic medical center in Pennsylvania, she collaborates with fellow professionals in neurology, neurosurgery, pre-hospital, emergency, radiology, intensive care, rehabilitation, and stroke departments/units to coordinate all aspects of stroke care. She played a pivotal role in helping her employer attain Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification and now provides consultation to hospitals seeking this certification.

Ms. Morrison is an accomplished author whose published works have appeared in nursing journals and neuroscience course curricula. In addition to speaking nationally on stroke-related topics, she is active in her community—participating in stroke screenings, awareness lectures, and a regional stroke survivor support group. Ms. Morrison is a member of the American Stroke Association, the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, and Sigma Theta Tau.

Speaker Disclosure

Financial: Kathy Morrison is receiving a fee for speaking at today’s educational activity. She is employed as a stroke manager at Penn State University Hershey Medical Center. She serves as a consultant to Allergan USA, Inc. She receives compensation as a consultant.

Nonfinancial: Kathy Morrison is an advisory committee member for the American Heart Association.

Slides

View the course title and speaker disclosure statement slides [PDF] used in this presentation.

Wireless Technology Options for Hearing Aids

Course Description

This session focused on today’s variety of wireless technology options available for use with hearing instruments. The presentation addressed questions dealing with the selection, function, advantages, and disadvantages of current technology for hearing aids utilizing near-field magentic induction and hearing aid systems that use readio frequency transmission.

Biography

Dr. Dinnan joined the Phonak team as a customer trainer in 2012. She supports Phonak’s customers in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, as well as North and South Carolina. Her AuD degree is from Salus Univeristy, Elkins Park, PA. ReDora is licensed as an audiologist in Georgia. Dr. Dinnan has previous clinical pediatric audiology and hearing aid retail experience. Having a congential hearing loss, herself, RaDora brings a unique perspective to her Phonak activities, which include presentations at the state and national levels.