Functional Approaches to Evaluation and Treatment of PFDs

Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, serves as a speech-language pathologist with Wolfe Speech Therapy, LLC, in Staunton, VA, and adjunct professor with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in Durham, NC. Additionally, she is the acclaimed host of “First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional,” a weekly speech therapy podcast that addresses “all thangs” of pediatric speech therapy and is presented by SpeechTherapyPD.com. Michelle authored "Chasing the Swallow: Truth, Science, and Hope for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders." She is an accomplished lecturer, traveling across the nation delivering courses on best practices for the evaluation and treatment of medically complex infants, toddlers, and children with respect to their pediatric oropharyngeal dysphagia, pediatric feeding disorder, as well as language acquisition within the framework of Early Intervention. She currently volunteers as the Topic Chair for the Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders committee for the 2024 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention and volunteers as the co-chair for the Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV) Dysphagia and Pediatric Feeding Disorder Group, as well as a convention committee for the 2025 annual SHAV Convention. She has served as the Treasurer for the Council of State Association Presidents (CSAP), is a Past President of the South Carolina Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (SCSHA), a graduate of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Leadership Development Program (ASHA LDP), a recipient of the Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Champion from Feeding Matters, a recipient of the Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement from the SCSHA, a recipient of the State Clinical Achievement Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Foundation, recognized as an ASHA Innovator in 2023, and eleven-time recipient of ASHA’s ACE Award for continuing education.

Erin Forward, MSP CCC-SLP, CLC is a speech-language pathologist and certified lactation counselor. Erin works as an SLP at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in an outpatient setting. She has advanced training in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, early language, AAC, and trauma, specifically for medically complex children. Erin holds an Advance DIR®Floortime Provider Certification and is a TBRI® Trained Practitioner. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor's degree in CSD and Psychology and graduated from the University of South Carolina with her Master’s in Speech Pathology. She is the regular co-host of "First Bite: A Speech Therapy Podcast" with Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, where she shares her experiences and evidenced-based practices from her time working in early intervention/home health, NICU/PICU, GI clinic, and outpatient clinic settings. For her dedication to the field, she was awarded an ASHA Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate in 2021 and is a graduate of the ASHA LDP program.

Elizabeth (Beth) Halpin is an occupational therapist with 17 years of experience. She has spent the majority of her career (16 years) working in the pediatric setting. Elizabeth has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including, inpatient acute care, NICU, outpatient, school-based and home care. Elizabeth is currently the Primary Feeding Therapist and a founding member of an intensive feeding program in a major metropolitan children’s hospital in Columbus Ohio. Elizabeth has a specialty certification in Feeding, Eating and Swallowing from the American Occupational Therapy Association. Elizabeth has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented on feeding at both a State and National Level.

Dr. Reva Barewal, is a practicing prosthodontist with 20 years of experience working in private practice with adults and children requiring oral reconstruction. Reva is a clinical assistant professor in the department of pulmonology and critical care at Oregon Health and Science University. She serves as a member of the U.S. and Territories IDDSI expert reference group. As an international speaker, lead research investigator in clinical trials related to transitional foods, and oral reconstruction, as well as her background as a French culinary chef, she brings a unique perspective to the eating challenges found across the lifespan with dysphagia and/or chewing related issues. Hearing personal stories of frustration and disappointment with food choices for people with dysphagia, she founded Taste For Life, a company that makes food products specifically geared to solve the nutritional and emotional needs to optimize dining health for people with dysphagia.

Melissa Blandford has over 20 years of experience working with enteral patients in the home setting as well as children with complex medical conditions. She worked with DME companies to assist with billing, insurance, and trouble shooting with enteral feedings in the home setting. She has worked with many families to educate on how to use blenderized enteral nutrition for tube feeding patients in order to provide a natural, whole food diet for this population. Melissa is currently the business development manager for Real Food Blends covering the east coast. She is active with reviewing the latest research on blenderized enteral nutrition and creating continuing education programs for various healthcare specialties.