Member Milestones

Robert M. DiSogra, AuD, NJSHA Life Member, has been appointed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Diabetes Management Collaborative Committee (DMC) representing the profession of Audiology. The CDC DMC refers to a range of programs and initiatives, like the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and state and local funding efforts, that bring together public health organizations, community groups, and healthcare providers to present, treat, and manage diabetes. These collaborations focus on expanding access to evidence-based interventions, addressing social determinants of health, and using data to improve outcomes for people at risk of or living with diabetes.

Robyn Merkel Walsh has published a paper in the IJOM through MDPI . She was also a speaker at The American Laser Study Club Breathe and Thrive Symposium in February where she presented on the impact of ankyloglossia on airway, swallowing, speech and structure.

Merkel-Walsh, R., Carey, D., Burnside, A., Grime, D., Turkich, D., Tseng, R. J., & Smart, S. (2025). Effectiveness of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for Speech Sound Disorders in Children: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 51(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijom51010004

Barbara Anthony retired from the Holmdel Township School District in January, after a 36-year career as a speech-language pathologist. It was a job that was truly a labor of love.

Alan Gertner, PhD, forensic audiologist and retired executive director and professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Kean University, testified as an expert witness on several high-profile legal cases in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The proceedings, involving alleged faulty ear protectors developed and sold by the 3M Company, which supposedly caused military personnel to develop hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and other blast related auditory injuries, have been reported on television and news outlets. In addition to these high-profile military cases, Dr. Gertner has been retained by defendants of medical malpractice; over neighbor disputes of excessive recreational noise; and over carbon monoxide poisoning that resulted in hearing loss and brain injury due to faulty apartment heaters. In addition to practicing forensic audiology, Dr. Gertner continues consulting to professionals and families, from across the country, about neuroauditory and listening disorders.

Karen J. Kushla, ScD, CCC-A/FAAA, was reelected as Member-at-Large for ASHA Special Interest Group 19 Speech Science; her term will run from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027. She was appointed by NJSHA President Donna Spillman-Kennedy to the NJSHA Ethics Committee and will serve as vice-chair. She was invited to be a subject matter expert at ASHA’s Working Group to develop competency frameworks for both audiologists and speech-language pathologists. This conference will take place at ASHA headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, from November 6-10, 2024.

Robert M. DiSogra, AuD, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of The Audiology Project (TAP) – a non-profit organization that promotes audiology-based medical management of chronic diseases. Dr. DiSogra was part of the initial research team that led to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officially recognizing audiology as one of the recommended specialties in diabetes management (along with Podiatry, Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry). For more information about the TAP current activities visit www.theaudiologyproject.com.

Robyn Merkel Walsh has been published in The International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy.

Robyn Merkel-Walsh, MA, CCC-SLP/COM, was appointed as an adjunt professor at Brescia University in Kentucky. In addition, she was a keynote speaker at the International Consortium of Oral Ankylofrenula in Cleveland, Ohio, and was published in the International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy entiltled Clinical Perspectives on Post-Operative Care for Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs).

Linda Tucker-Simpson, MS, CCC-SLP, was recently awarded the status of an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Fellow. The status of Fellow is one of the highest honors ASHA bestows. It recognizes professional achievement and is given to a member who has shown outstanding contributions to the professions that are significant and by virtue of the quality and amount of the contributions, distinguish themselves sufficiently to warrant recognition of election to Fellow in ASHA.

Sabrina Gamutan, MS, CCC-SLP, from Wantage Elementary School, part of the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District, was nominated by her colleagues and awarded Educational Service Provider (ESP) of the 2023-2024 school year. She was the only one awarded ESP in the school district out of three schools.

Karen J. Golding-Kushner, PhD, FASHA, was interviewed on Sirius XM Dr Radio (Channel 110) on May 1, 2024. She was interviewed by Dr. Max April, ENT, along with Dr. Zahrah Taufiq about VPI, VCFS/22q, and related topics. The Otolaryngology Show typically includes 30-minute interviews, but, in an unusual fashion, this was a two-hour interview. The recording is available on demand to Sirius subscribers: look for The Otolaryngology Show (May 1, 2024).

Susan M. Pattay, EdD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, completed her Doctor of Education in December 2023. Dr. Pattay is an adjunct professor in communication disorders at Monmouth University teaching dysphagia, voice disorders and neurological language disorders.

Robert M. DiSogra, AuD, will present a program at the American Academy of Audiology annual meeting in Atlanta in April titled COVID-19 Audiology Update.

Robyn Merkel-Walsh, MA, CCC-SLP, COM, was recently published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitaion with coauthors Dr. Baxter, Lisa Lahey, Chad Knusten and Dr. Zaghi entitled “The buccal frenum: Trends in diagnosis and indications for treatment of buccal-ties among 466 healthcare professionals.”

Susan M. Pattay, EdD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, completed her Doctor of Education in December 2023. Dr. Pattay is an adjunct professor in communication disorders at Monmouth University teaching dysphagia, voice disorders and neurological language disorders.

Karen Golding-Kushner, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, received two awards at the ASHA Convention in Boston including the Frank R. Kleffner Lifetime Clinical Career Award by the ASHA Foundation, for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Human Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in Clinical Achievement. This award, given this year for the first time, recognizes clinical achievement in “direct clinical service provision; development of new and innovative therapeutic and/or service-delivery models, material, and products; research and publications; evidence-based program development and/or continuing education activities; and/or advocacy and outreach.”

Karen L. McQuaide, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA, was appointed to be the vice chair of the ASHA Committee of Ambassadors for 2024 and chair of the ASHA Committee of Ambassadors for 2025. She is also the New Jersey audiology ambassador for the ASHA Committee of Ambassadors through 2025.

Kate Nealon, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, was recently awarded Board Certification in Child Language (BCS-CL).

Kathleen H Palatucci, MA CCC-SLP, is one of 14 invited authors who contributed to Teaching Chemistry to Students With Disabilities, 5th Ed. Communication Impairments, Ch. 9, 2023. This collaborative project was spearheaded by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Committee of Chemists with Disabilities. The goal of the committee is “to promote and advance the full participation of students with disabilities”. This is the inaugural edition to include communication impairments. Kathleen also presented at two symposia to introduce this resource to educators at the ACS convention in San Francisco and at the CUNY Graduate Center, NYC.