Jennifer Kizner

Candidate Statement: My name is Jennifer Kizner, and I am running for the CSHA chair-elect position. Currently I am the clinical specialist in the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Oncology Clinic at Stanford Healthcare.

I was a clinical leader in Stanford’s Rehabilitation department for 10 years, managing a staff of 25 employees working in Critical Care and Neurology units. I assisted in bringing Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) into Stanford Healthcare and chaired a committee to revamp the oral care practices as part of a Stanford’s Clinical Fellowship Program. I co-chair an annual FEES course which includes using the Stanford Simulation Lab to allow clinicians to practice a new skill in a safe environment. I was the clinical education coordinator at Stanford and coordinated all rehabilitation interns for the year.

I have participated in multiple CSHA committees. I am a member of the CSHA education counsel, which assisted in organizing talks around the state on a variety of topics to meet the needs of all practice providers. I am a peer reviewer for CSHA convention proposals in the areas of medical speech pathology. I am the current CSHA State Medicare policy representative (StAMP) and meet monthly with all state StAMPs to discuss current Medicare issues that affect SLPs. I am a member of the CSHA Governance Committee as the medical representative currently focusing on removing barriers to perform FEES. I have learned so much about issues in other realms of our practice and enjoy advocating for SLPs to be able to perform our roles best to help our patients, clients and students. I am the current CSHA District 4 Director and member of the Board of Directors and have really enjoyed learning more about CSHA’s current goals to improve our representation of the diverse SLPs working in all practice areas.

I have also participated in two ASHA Convention planning committees in the areas of dysphagia and practice policy.

I have the competencies to be a leader within CSHA because I am passionate about our field and want to ensure that our members feel supported in their practice areas. I have had many leadership roles, taken multiple leadership courses, and had experience making changes within my facility to better meet the needs of clinicians. I believe those skills will translate to the board chair role. The two priority impacts for CSHA’s strategic plan include fiscal sustainability and diversity, inclusion and culture. I have the skills to assist with both priorities from my prior leadership roles.

We need to increase our membership to have a larger impact on the licensed speech pathologists and audiologists in our state. I have already advocated to my SLP colleagues on the importance of becoming a CSHA member now. It’s surprising to hear that only 3,000 out of 30,000 California licensed SLPs and audiologists are CSHA members. We can improve this number by showing the value of having a state association advocating for you and your clinical needs to better perform your job duties.

Elisabeth (Lisa) D’Angelo

Candidate Statement: I have been a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist for 32 years in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, early intervention, and university clinics. I received a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from UCSB, an M.A. in Communication Disorders and Sciences from SJSU, and a Ph.D. from UC Davis in Human Development, emphasis in Language and Cognition. I am currently an Assistant Professor at California State University, Sacramento, where I teach and mentors students especially in neurological areas: development, assessment, treatment, and research. My research focus is on therapy for cognitive-communication deficits after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Concussion or Mild TBI, and Dysphagia across the lifespan. Throughout my entire career, I have been in the medical setting, and I continue to work as a Per Diem SLP, at Mercy General Hospital, where I work primarily on the acute medical floors. Additionally, I am a Dysphagia/Feeding Specialist for Davis joint Unified School District, where I previously worked for 17 years as an itinerant SLP. I have presented locally, nationally, and internationally, and published articles about TBI cognitive communication intervention, Pediatric TBI, and school-based Dysphagia services, as well as a book chapter relating to cognitive-communication deficits in concussion/Mild TBI.

Trisha Thapar Jordan

Candidate Statement: I am seeking this position to help affect change on a larger scale. I want to be part of the growing movement to make this field a more inclusive and informed one. I want to raise public awareness of our profession and to help advocate for our SLPs to receive the recognition, compensation and acknowledgement they deserve. I hope to identify the issues that are important to my community and take action to address them.