Stephanie K. Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Stephanie K. Daniels, PhD, CCC-SLP is a Professor and Vice-Chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Houston, and a research speech pathologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas and her Masters of Science degree University of Texas at Dallas-Callier Center, in Dallas, Texas. Stephanie worked as a hospital-based speech pathologist for 17 years prior to focusing on a research career. She matriculated at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where she received her Ph.D. in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Her research, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is focused on neurogenic dysphagia, primarily in stroke. She has pursued an understanding of the neural underpinnings of swallowing as well as evidence-based evaluation and treatment of neurogenic dysphagia. She has published landmark studies that have linked specific brain regions to a risk of dysphagia in acute stroke patients. Current projects are designed to develop and validate a VA specific swallowing screening tool administered by nurses to identify risk of dysphagia in individuals with suspected stroke, and to determine feasibility of implementation of such a tool in the emergency department.

Dr. Daniels has published extensively in the field including a book, Dysphagia following Stroke. She has mentored many students, and has lectured worldwide. She is a member of numerous professional societies and is the Immediate Past-President of the Dysphagia Research Society.