Presenters at Dementia: Communication, Collaboration, and Confidence

October 16–November 2, 2026 | Online Conference

Natalie F. Douglas, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a speech-language pathologist. She cares deeply about access to communication across health care settings because it is tied to safety, quality care, and human connection. Her work focuses on people living with dementia, aphasia, and related conditions, as well as people navigating the health care system in languages other than English. Her research happens in real health care settings alongside the teams providing care, with the goal to find strategies that fit into daily routines and help people be understood, included, and safe. She continues to practice PRN in skilled nursing facilities to stay grounded in the realities of care. She also serves as Writer and Evidence-Practice Strategist at The Informed SLP, where she translates research into practical guidance for clinicians and educators.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Supported by funding from National Institute on Aging (NIH) (content in the presentation is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH) and Alzheimer's Association 

Naomi Folder, MSpchLngPath, is a speech-language pathologist and Research Associate with the Graduate School of Health at University of Technology Sydney. With her research team across University of Technology Sydney and University of Sydney, Naomi's PhD investigated communication partner training (CPT) in dementia, identifying the core characteristics of CPT for familiar communication partners and using co-creation and adaptation to create a new, online CPT program with people living with dementia, families, and SLPs. Naomi led the development of the Dementia Practice Guidelines with Speech Pathology Australia and advising on health professional training modules for Dementia Training Australia, and is involved in various special interest and support groups, including the Speech Pathology Australia Dementia Community of Practice, the Australian Association of Gerontology, the Young Onset Dementia Special Interest Group, and the Blacktown Dementia Action Group. She is a passionate advocate for communication intervention and support for all people living with dementia, and for the important role of speech-language pathology in improving social connection, conversation, and quality of life.

Disclosures:

• The research on CPT needs and features presented in this session was supported by the 2022 RM Gibson Grant with AAG and Dementia Australia, as well as the UTS Social Impact Grant
• Author of the "Dementia Reconnect" program (planned to be a free program but may change in future depending on running costs)

Jeanne Gallée, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a clinician-scientist in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Gallée is also a licensed and ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist practicing in the greater Washington state area. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences at Wellesley College in 2016 and Doctor of Philosophy at Harvard University in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (SHBT) in 2021. She has been recognized as a Distinguished Early Career Professional by ASHA (2021) and a Distinguished Scholar by the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia (2025). Her work is dedicated to improving assessment practices and functional outcomes for individuals living with aphasia and rare neurodegenerative conditions.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from the University of Washington
• Supported by various grants, including the National Institute on Aging, the UW ADRC Development Project Award, the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia, and the Outdrive Aphasia PPA Research Grant from the National Aphasia Association
• Early Career Researcher Committee Member for the International SLT/P PPA Network
• Facilitator for the University of Washington PPA/PPAOS Together Community Group 
• Paid presenter for LOGOS Academy Master Class: Assessment of Functional Communication in PPA 

Stephanie Grasso, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the SLHS department at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research investigates neurologically based communication disorders within the context of bilingualism. Additionally, her work focuses on development of treatment approaches for bilingual individuals with aphasia and utilizes neuroimaging to investigate variability in treatment responsiveness.

Disclosures:

• None provided

Esther Kane, MSN, RN-CDP,  joined the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) as its Director of Support and Education in November 2020. Previously, Esther served as Director of Nursing for multiple long-term care facilities, caring for those with dementia. She brings clinical dementia care expertise, along with a passion for quality care for those who are living with neurological conditions. In her work at AFTD, she strives to ensure appropriate care and support is available to every person affected by FTD and educates health care professionals to improve diagnosis and care. Her work reflects a strong commitment to the importance of education and training throughout the spectrum of diagnosis and delivery of quality care.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from AFTD

Becky Khayum, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist who specializes in person-centered care for people living with different types of dementia syndromes, with expertise in primary progressive aphasia (PPA). She has worked across rehabilitation settings over the past 19 years, with a focus upon dementia care. She is the president and founder of Memory and Aphasia Care, a therapy company that provides participation-focused therapy services for people living in the Chicago region, in addition to services that are provided via telehealth around the country. She is also the co-founder of Cognitive Concierge, a digital wellness company that provides support and resources for families coping with dementia. Becky has collaborated on research initiatives focused upon person-centered speech-language treatment for people living with PPA at the Northwestern Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease. She speaks nationally to train health care providers and families on how to creatively utilize person-centered strategies to address common problems associated with aphasia, memory loss, and behavioral challenges.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary as president and founder of Memory and Aphasia Care and Cognitive Concierge
• Advisory Council and PPA Task Force Co-Chair at the National Aphasia Association

Meredith Grant Kinne, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, serving veterans within Home Based Primary Care (HBPC). As chair of the VA HBPC Speech Pathology Workgroup, she champions clinician-driven collaboration to standardize and elevate evidence-based care nationwide. She has led grant-funded quality improvement projects advancing cognitive, communication, and swallowing care for older adults. Her driving focus is advancing the visibility and impact of geriatric speech-language pathology as a specialty.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary for full-time employment at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center
• Part of salary is funded by the VHA Office of Health Equity for QI Project titled Advancing Equity Through Home-Based Dementia Diagnosis: An Interdisciplinary Approach
• Member of ASHA

Alyssa M. Lanzi, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor and licensed speech-language pathologist whose research integrates cognitive rehabilitation, language science, and data-driven methods to improve assessment and intervention for adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentationssa
• Salary from University of Delaware
• Grants from the National Institute on Aging
• TalkBank Board

Paula Leslie, PhD, MA Bioethics, FRCSLT, CCC-SLP, supports clinicians and researchers from the local to international level with complex decision-making, ethics, end-of-life, and vulnerable populations. Leslie is interested in nontraditional routes to advanced clinical training and has designed and directed post-qualification programs in the UK and USA. Leslie is a member of the UK Clinical Excellence Network Palliative and Supportive Care, and the American Society for Bioethics & Humanities, as well as a founding member and past scientific chairperson of the UK Swallow Research Group. Leslie is a Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, an ASHA Fellow, recipient of the SWPSHA Honors of the Association, and recipient of the ASHFoundation Louis M DiCarlo Award for contributions to palliative care and SLP work. Leslie currently works in the national Health Technology Assessment team, Northern Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering Department, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, UK.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Royalties from Northern Speech Services 

Ainsley S. Martin, MS, CCC-SLP, is a medical speech-language pathologist residing in Syracuse, New York. She is the owner of State of Mind Speech & Swallowing, a mobile outpatient practice offering speech therapy for primarily adults and geriatrics, gender affirming voice, public speaking coaching, and dementia education and consulting. She also provides mobile FEES to nursing homes and hospitals across the general Upstate NY area, as well as speech therapy staffing services and CFY mentorship. Ainsley has received training as an independent trainer in Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care and has completed the Train the Trainer SCA course through the Aphasia Institute. Comitted to lifelong learning and professional development, Ainsley is a graduate of the ASHA LDP Healthcare 2021 cohort and has received 14 ASHA awards for continuing education since 2016. Ainsley has also served on multiple leadership positions in both the state and regional speech-language and hearing associations. She is passionate about promoting evidence-based practice and mentoring the next generation of speech-language pathologists, particularly in dysphagia. In addition to her work as a speech-language pathologist, Ainsley is also the owner of life breathes, Death Speaks, where she serves the community as an end-of-life doula and death educator.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Owner of State of Mind Speech & Swallowing a mobile outpatient private practice providing speech therapy services, moblie FEES, and dementia education/consulting services

Kathy Rogers, MEd, began her commitment to dementia when she opened an RSA in Sparks, MD in 2006. Absolute Companion Care catered to the issues of families dealing with dementia. In 2014, at age 47, her husband was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, and her journey into the needs of young onset dementia (YOD) sufferers began in earnest. Throughout her journey, she noted the lack of support for families facing YOD and threw her resources and knowledge into making a change. She met others along the way who felt the same frustrations, and together they formed YES!, Inc., a nonprofit designed to create a community of support for YOD families. Today YES!, Inc. has served the needs of over 250 families throughout the USA. Online and in-person support groups, caregiver wellness retreats, and educational opportunities have been the backbone of their mission to create a community that rallies behind these families as they navigate the unmet and growing needs of the YOD population. Ms. Rogers retired in 2022 and lost her husband in 2023 but remains committed to YOD and continues to promote the mission of YES!, Inc. as their outreach liaison.

Disclosures:

• Board member, Young-Onset Dementia Education & Support
• Honorarium from ASHA for this presentation was donated to Young-Onset Dementia Education & Support

Faith Stagge, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with experience working with adults across the continuum of care. She earned her MA at Saint Louis University in 2018, and her clinical passions then led her to pursue her doctoral studies under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Cohen and Dr. Alyssa Lanzi at the University of Delaware. Her current research interests concern functional assessment and treatment of those with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs). She has focused on developing and interpreting language and communication assessments for individuals with ADRDs, with an emphasis on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and discourse analysis of spoken language (e.g., connected speech and language when storytelling).

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation

Adria Thompson, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, dementia educator, and full-time faculty member in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Eastern Kentucky University. With over a decade of experience working in skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, and home health settings, she specializes in cognitive-communication disorders and person-centered dementia care. Adria is the founder of Be Light Care Consulting, where she provides education and training to health care professionals, caregivers, and long-term care communities nationwide. She is widely recognized for translating complex dementia care concepts into practical, compassionate strategies that can be immediately applied in clinical and caregiving settings. In addition to her clinical and academic work, Adria has built a social media community reaching over half a million caregivers and professionals through educational videos focused on communication, behavior, caregiver support, and improving quality of life for individuals living with dementia. She is a TEDx speaker, recipient of the ASHA Innovator Award, and recipient of Eastern Kentucky University’s Faculty Innovation in Teaching Award. Through her work, Adria aims to help clinicians provide care that preserves dignity and fosters meaningful human connection.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Owner of Be Light Care Consulting
• Salary from Eastern Kentucky University 

Rene L. Utianski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, is Chair and Consultant in the Division of Speech Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She is a Professor of Speech Pathology and Associate Professor of Neurology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. She is an ASHA Fellow. She earned her BA in speech and hearing science and psychology from The George Washington University. She earned her MS in communication sciences and disorders and PhD in speech and hearing science from Arizona State University. Her clinical work in the acute care and outpatient settings, along with her NIH-funded research program, center on improving the differential diagnosis and person-centered management of acquired, degenerative, and functional communication disorders.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Employed at Mayo Clinic, where she sees patients with primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) and a portion of salary is paid for by NIH to study PPAOS
• Grant from NIH on PPAOS
• Royalties from Plural Publishing for book on primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and related disorders, where she authored the chapter on PPAOS

Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). She is an AMI Certified Montessori Practitioner for Dementia and Aging. She has experience working in a variety of settings, including inpatient rehab, post-acute centers, and outpatient facilities. Her interests include implementation of evidence-based, person-centered approaches to improve quality of life.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from A.T. Still University 
• Vice President for Public Relations, South Asian Caucus of ASHA
• 2027 Convention co-chair, Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Anna Volkmer, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Language and Cognition at University College London. She has also worked clinically for almost 25 years and currently works as a Consultant Speech and Language Therapist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. In her clinical capacity Dr. Volkmer supports the diagnosis of dementias in the national cognitive disorders service. Dr. Volkmer's research has focused on the development of interventions to support people with language-led dementias (PPA) and their families. These interventions align with identified priorities by people living with these diagnosis as they focus on maintaining conversations and connections with family and friends and are informed by conversation analysis and behavior change theory.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from University College London 
• Grant from the UK NIHR
• Royalties from books published through J&R Press

Julia Wood, MOT, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist with extensive experience in interdisciplinary care for Parkinson’s disease and related dementias. She earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Minnesota and completed her clinical fieldwork in neurological rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic’s St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. Julia previously served as the lead occupational therapist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center of Excellence, where she continues to support community engagement programs for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners. Currently, Julia is the Director of Professional and Community Education at the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) and serves on the board of directors for the International Neuropalliative Care Society. She has been certification and training faculty for the LSVT BIG® program since 2018 and faculty for the Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training program since 2016. Julia co-authored the first American Occupational Therapy Association Practice Guideline for Adults with Parkinson’s Disease and contributed to the Parkinson’s Foundation Rehabilitation Task Force. Additionally, she serves on the World Parkinson’s Congress Comprehensive Care Subcommittee and is an appointed member of Pennsylvania’s Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Related Disorders Advisory Committee.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from the Lewy Body Dementia Association
• Board member of the International Neuropalliative Care Society
• Advisor on the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee for PA Governor Josh Shapiro

Ardie Zimmerman, MS, CCC-SLP, RAC-CT, VS-CT, is a Clinical Specialist with Broad River Rehabilitation. Ardie is a speech-language pathologist with 17 years of experience: 12 years as an SLP working in the SNF/LTC setting, 5 years as a Regional Director of Recruiting, and 2 years as a Rehab Director. As a Clinical Specialist with the Broad River Team, Ardie educates physical and occupational therapists and SLPs working in SNFs in multiple states.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from full-time position with Broad River Rehabilitation
• Grant from NIH