Protected: The 2026 Dysphagia Cafe Virtual Symposium | 10/10/2026 [T]

Dr. Hutcheson is a tenured Professor in the Departments of Head and Neck Surgery and Radiation Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Section Chief of Speech Pathology and Audiology. She is an accomplished clinician and educator who leads an internationally recognized practice-oriented clinical research program in head and neck cancer survivorship funded by the NIH, PCORI, DOD, foundation and donor support.

Financial: Receives research funded grants from NIDCR, MD Anderson Institutional Research Grant, Daneen and Charles Stiefel Oropharynx Program, Department of Defense and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; Receives speaking fees from ASHA and ATOS Medical; Receives an honorarium for this presentation. Non-Financial: Board member for the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance

Catriona M. Steele is Director of the Swallowing Rehabilitation Research Laboratory ( www.steeleswallowinglab.ca ) at the KITE Research Institute – University Health Network, Professor in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto, and Canada Research Chair in Swallowing and Food Oral Processing. She holds research funding from the National Institute on Aging. Her current research focuses on the measurement of swallowing physiology from videofluoroscopy using the ASPEKT Method (Analaysis of Swallowing

Financial: She receives a salary from VUMC. Her research work is funded by the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer's Association, the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and NHLBI. Non-financial: She is an ASHA member and DRS member.

Dr. Rogus-Pulia is a faculty member of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology within the Department of Medicine and Director of the Swallowing and Salivary Bioscience Laboratory. She also serves as Director of the national VA multi-site Intensive Dysphagia Treatment (IDT) Program and Associate Director for Research Training and Career Development for the Advanced Women's Health Fellowship at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.

Financial: Dr. Rogus-Pulia has received grant funding from various sources, including the Veterans Health Administration, the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support her work. Non-Financial Disclosure: No relevant non-financial disclosures

Dr. Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald is a speech-language pathologist, Associate Professor at McMaster University, and an internationally recognized researcher in dysphagia. Her work focuses on improving quality of life and care for individuals living with dysphagia, particularly in frail older adults and those with dementia. Through her work, she explores the intersection of swallowing impairments, quality of life, and health equity. Ashwini is deeply committed to patient and caregiver engagement in research.

Financial: Receiving an honorarium for this presentation; Receives a salary from McMaster University; Grant funding from the Alzheimer's Association, the Alzheimer Society Research Program, Brain Foundation Canada, The Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund. Non-Financial: Board member for College of speech-language pathologists and audiologists of Ontario; Member of the Dysphasia Research Society, EDI committee

Cara W. Donohue is a practicing speech-language pathologist, an Assistant Professor, Director of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Co-Director of the Medical Speech-Language Pathology specialty track, and Director of the Innovative Research in Aerodigestive Disorders (iRAD) Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Financial: Receives a salary from VUMC. Her research work is funded by the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer's Association, the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and NHLBI. Non-financial: She is an ASHA member and DRS member.

Dr. Lisa Evangelista is an Associate Professor and Director of Speech Pathology at the UC Davis Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck. Her academic interests include swallowing physiology following radiation therapy, alaryngeal voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy surgery, and quality of life outcomes following surgical and medical interventions in head and neck oncology. She is involved in global outreach and is a UC Davis Global Affairs Seed Grant recipient for dysphagia education in Kenya.

Financial: Honorarium for NYC Virtual Dysphagia Symposium. Non-Financial: None to disclose

Dr. Rinki Varindani Desai is a speech-language pathologist, board-certified swallowing disorders specialist, digital health consultant, entrepreneur, and educator. She is the founder of healthtech consulting firm Theratactix, and co-founder of the Swallowing Training and Education Portal, a dysphagia e-learning platform. She has co-created the Dysphagia Therapy mobile app, founded the Medical SLP Forum community, and hosts the SLPathways podcast, dedicated to helping SLPs design fulfilling careers. Dr. Desai works as a researcher and educator at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. She is passionate about bridging clinical expertise with digital innovations to empower clinicians and improve patient outcomes. When she’s not working, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband and son. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Financial: Receiving and honorarium for this presentation; Receives a salary and has ownership interest as an Employee of the Swallowing Training Education Portal; Has ownership interest in Theratactix Digital Health Consulting; Receives a salary as an employee, consultant and independent contractor for MGH Institute of Health Professions. Non-Financial: Associate Member, Committee Member and Volunteer for ASHA

Paige DiStefano, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and PhD candidate in the Aging Swallow Research Lab at McMaster University. Her research examines dysphagia in people living with dementia, with a focus on caregiver experiences and health inequalities. Through her work, she aims to identify who is at risk of heightened caregiver burden and where swallowing care systems fall short, supporting the development of equitable knowledge translation resources.

Financial: Receiving an honorarium for this presentation. Non-financial: None to disclose

Jonathan Waller, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a medical Speech-Language Pathologist practicing in Atlanta. He has extensive experience treating patients with head and neck cancer. He has guest lectured at several universities and enjoys training students during their medical externships. His passion for swallowing disorders led to the development of the educational platform, Dysphagia Cafe.

Financial: Receives a salary and is the primary owner of Dysphagia Cafe. Non-Financial: Member of ASHA; Member of DRS.