The PPC Taskforce

The COVID-19 communication materials were created by a team of expert clinicians and researchers in the fields of speech-language pathology, nursing, and psychology who serve patients in acute care hospitals. 

Team Member and Affiliation

Tami Altschuler, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Clinical Specialist in Patient-Provider Communication

Department of Speech-Language Pathology

NYU Langone Medical Center

Tami.Altschuler@nyulangone.org

Sarah Gendreau, MS CCC-SLP

Adult Inpatient Speech-Language Pathologist 

Department of Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders  

Massachusetts General Hospital

sgendreau@partners.org

Jessica Gormley, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

Speech-Language Pathology, Munroe-Meyer Institute

University of Nebraska Medical Center

jessica.gormley@unmc.edu

Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA

Nursing Distinguished Professor of Critical Care Research

Associate Dean for Research & Innovation

The Ohio State University College of Nursing

happ.3@osu.edu

Richard Hurtig, Ph.D., ASHA Fellow

Director, The University of Iowa Assistive Devices Laboratory 

Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders

The University of Iowa

Chief Scientific Officer, Voxello

Sarah Marshall, MA, CCC-SLP

Clinical Speech-Language Pathologist

Communication Aids and Systems Clinic (CASC)

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center Clinics UCEDD

sarah.marshall@wisc.edu

Rachel Santiago, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Clinical Coordinator, Inpatient Augmentative Communication Program

Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement

Boston Children's Hospital

rachel.santiago@childrens.harvard.edu

Stephanie Scibilia, MS CCC-SLP

Adult Inpatient Speech-Language Pathologist 

Department of Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders  

Massachusetts General Hospital

sscibilia@partners.org

Judith A. Tate, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care

The Ohio State University College of Nursing

tate.230@osu.edu

Rachel Toran Towbin, MS CCC-SLP

Adult Inpatient Speech-Language Pathologist 

Department of Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders  

Massachusetts General Hospital

rtowbin@partners.org

Sarah Blackstone, PhD, CCC-SLP
United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC)
Board of Directors/Co-Chair Disaster Relief Committee
sarahblack@aol.com

Harvey Pressman, Director

Central Coast Children's Foundation
USSAAC, Co-Chair DisasterRelief Committee
presstoe@aol.com