Communication Disorders as a Public Health Issue

Deborah Swain, EdD, CCC-SLP

Dr. Deborah Swain is the clinical director and CEO of The Swain Center for Listening, Communicating and Learning. She holds a significant leadership role as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and previously served as chair of their Government Affairs and Public Policy committee. Her extensive service also includes being the past president of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) and a decade on the CSHA Board of Directors.

Dr. Swain’s clinical background includes serving as the Chief of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where she also held a clinical staff appointment to the School of Medicine. She is a recipient of numerous awards from ASHA, CSHA, and universities for her leadership, advocacy, clinical service, and professional achievements.

An esteemed Fellow of ASHA, Dr. Swain has also served as Editor of the ASHA SIG 17 Perspectives Journal. She is recognized as a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. Her contributions to policy include founding and chairing CSHA’s Early Intervention and International Committees, notably leading the effort to achieve policy change for the use of Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) in early intervention speech-language services in California.

Dr. Swain is a prolific presenter, having delivered hundreds of papers at state, national, and international meetings and conferences. She has authored chapters in various professional books and publications and produced an informational video for physicians, “200 by 2,” focusing on communication development in 2-year-olds. She has also served on ASHA’s Legislative Council. Her recent publication, “Confidence and Joy: Success Strategies for Kids with Learning Differences,” is an Amazon best-selling book.

Her extensive written works include several books and standardized test batteries, such as:

• Auditory Processing Disorders: Assessment, Management, and Treatment (four editions, co-edited with Donna Geffner)
• The Receptive-Expressive Social Communication Assessment-Elementary
• The Auditory Phoneme Sequencing Test
• The RIPA series of tests
• The Listening Inventory
• The Swallowing Ability and Function Test
• Aphasia Rehabilitation: An Auditory and Verbal Treatment Hierarchy
• The Cognitive-Linguistic Improvement Program

Dr. Swain is an internationally and nationally recognized speaker and author. She was inducted into her high school’s Hall of Fame for her outstanding competitive swimming achievements. She continues to lead her clinic in Santa Rosa, California, specializing in early intervention, auditory and spoken-language disorders, learning differences, and cognitive neuroscience.

Akilah R. Heggs, PhD, CCC-A

Dr. Akilah R. Heggs is a public health scholar and audiologist dedicated to advancing equitable, community-based systems of care for children and families impacted by developmental disabilities. With a background in Health Promotion and Behavior, she brings over two decades of experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating public health and clinical programs at federal, state, and community levels.

Dr. Heggs has also spearheaded national health promotion and evaluation initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration. In these roles, she focused on translating research into policy guidance and establishing sustainable community practices. Her scholarship and leadership are characterized by a strong commitment to enhancing workforce capacity, promoting health equity, and fostering community-based partnerships aimed at improving developmental and behavioral health outcomes across diverse populations.

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