Dr. Emily Plowman is an Associate Professor at the University of Florida in the departments of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and Physical Therapy. Dr. Plowman serves as the clinical translational director for the Center for Respiratory Rehabilitation and Research and Co-Directs the Swallowing Systems Core with Dr. Ianessa Humbert at the University of Florida. She founded and is the Principal Investigator of the Neuromotor Speech and Swallowing Restoration (NSSR) laboratory (www.nssr.lab.org). The mission of her laboratory is to improve and maintain upper aerodigestive tract function in individuals with neurologic disease and the associated processes of speech, breathing and swallowing. Dr. Plowman and her team aim to accomplish this goal through the provision of expert clinical care, patient education and innovative evidence-based research in both translational animal models and human clinical trials. She holds current funding from the National Institute of Health and Veterans Affair to conduct innovative research aimed at developing efficacious therapies for respiratory, cough and swallowing function in Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Dr. Plowman serves on the Board of Directors for the Dysphagia Research Society, is a member of the Northeast Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (NEALS) Consortium Ventilation Committee, the NEALS Bulbar Committee and the Medical Advisor for ‘A Life Story Foundation’ a non-profit ALS patient advocacy group. She was recently recognized with the 2013 American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders Research Award for her scientific efforts in advancing treatments for bulbar dysfunction in ALS.