Elizabeth E. Sperry, ScD, CCC-SLP

We've had the privilege of including Dr. Sperry on our team since 2004. Prior to this, she spent four years working as a speech language pathologist for Medical City Dallas Hospital and North Texas Hospital for Children. Dr. Sperry is also an invited instructor at Baylor School of Medicine/School of Orthodontics.

Interests, Techniques and Training

Dr. Sperry has studied extensively to provide accurate evaluation and therapy for children with speech and breathing disorders related to craniofacial syndromes and conditions, especially those undergoing long-term orthodontic and surgical repair of cleft lip/palate.

Assuring children of all socioeconomic groups may receive expert speech diagnostic services/correction as needed, Dr. Sperry has established several contracts and grants enabling the provision of speech therapy in public schools.

Writing and Speaking

Sharing her expertise, Dr. Sperry has given invited presentations, workshops, and lectures for local, state, national and international medical institutions, associations, and conferences. She has published a number of papers, professional journal articles, and book chapters. Topics have covered nearly every area of speech evaluation, surgical correction, development and rehabilitation as it relates to children with craniofacial challenges.

Having written several study guides, Dr. Sperry has served as a critical reviewer of journals, manuscripts, books and videos dealing with communication and stroke/speech disorders, the anatomy and physiology of speech, and software training for speech diagnostic medical instrumentation. She received an award for her work in instrumentation software.

Education

Dr. Sperry earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Kent State University while she was a student Speech-Language Pathology Consultant for the Litchfield Craniofacial Clinic in Ohio. She earned a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from Kent State, and her Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) in Communication Disorders from Boston University (B.U.). Dr. Sperry was awarded a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

While maintaining a private practice, Dr. Sperry served as Advanced Professional Associate, Clinical Supervisor for InSpeech, Inc., at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center in Pennsylvania. In Boston, Dr. Sperry was a lecturer at B.U. and Emerson College, a Clinical Supervisor/Research Assistant at B.U., and a Research Assistant for the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary.

Dr. Sperry went on to serve as Assistant Professor and Director of the Speech Science/Voice Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, after which she worked as Program Professor and Coordinator of the Voice/Resonance Clinic at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Florida. She was also an Invited Instructor in the School of Orthodontics at NSU. Then, Dr. Sperry spent five years as Senior Speech-Language Pathology Consultant to the South Florida Regional Cleft Lip/Palate & Craniofacial Center.

Professional Qualifications

• Member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA)
• Received ASHA ACE Award 1998, 1999 and 2002
• Member of the American Cleft Palate Association (ACPA)
• One of few non-surgeons elected as a member of the International Society of Craniofacial Surgery (ISCFS).