Overview
In Cleveland Clinic’s Head & Neck Institute, Speech-Language Pathology services are provided through the Section of Allied Hearing, Speech and Balance Services and also through the Voice Center. Our speech-language pathologists — also known as speech therapists or speech pathologists — provide highly sophisticated speech-language pathology care and treatment to children and adults.
Speech-language pathologists within the Head & Neck Institute diagnose and treat communication limitations (speech, language, voice) and swallowing disorders in children and adults, including patients with conditions of the head and neck (head and neck cancer and airway issues) and neurological diseases (stroke, Parkinson’s, ALS).
Fellowships
Leadership
Our Staff
Speech-language pathologists must complete a master’s degree and a 9-month post-master’s supervised fellowship. Once these advanced training goals are reached, they may earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
All speech-language pathologists within the Head & Neck Institute hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence and are licensed by the State of Ohio.
Speech-Language Pathology
Martin B. Brodsky, PhD, ScM, CCC-SLP
Section Head
Speech-Language Pathology - Main Campus
Dr. Brodsky completed both his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees at Michigan State University, a Doctor of Philosophy Degree at the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Science degree at Johns Hopkins University. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. He is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. He joined Cleveland Clinic in 2022.
His clinical areas of interest include swallowing disorders in adult patient populations.
His research areas of interest include studying the effects of critical illness and critical care medicine on swallowing and the airway and their long-term outcomes.
He can be reached at 216.444.6468.
Listen to Part I and Part II of Dr. Brodsky sharing updates in speech-language pathology on Cleveland Clinic's Head and Neck Innovations podcast
Brian J. Hedman, MA, CCC-SLP
Rehabilitation Manager
Speech-Language Pathology – Main Campus
Brian completed his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Connecticut and his Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Kent State University. He joined Cleveland Clinic in 1994.
His clinical interests include speech, language and swallowing problems in adults with neurological disorders, respiratory problems and head and neck cancer.
He can be reached at 216.445.9177.
Rachel Barrocas, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Rachel completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Binghamton University and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Rachel joined Cleveland Clinic in 2016.
Her clinical interests include swallowing disorders in the adult and pediatric populations, as well as rehabilitation of communication in patients with tracheostomy or ventilator dependency.
She can be reached at 216.636.5584.
Emily Fitzpatrick, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Emily completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Washington University in St. Louis and her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at University of Arizona. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 2008.
Emily’s clinical interests include communication disorders in patients with stroke, brain tumor, head injury, neurologic disorders, cognitive-linguistic disorders and adult swallowing disorders.
She can be reached at 216.445.9105.
Beth Hohman, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Beth completed both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Speech-Language Pathology at Bowling Green State University. She joined the Cleveland Clinic in 1992.
Her clinical interests include assessment of adult and pediatric swallowing disorders and laryngectomy pre- and post-operative management.
She can be reached at 216.445.9178.
Joann Kmiecik, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Joann completed her Bachelor of Science at Seton Hall University and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at The Ohio State University. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 1990.
Her clinical interests include laryngectomy rehabilitation with emphasis on surgical prosthetic voice restoration, head and neck cancer rehabilitation, and swallowing disorders in adults.
She can be reached at 216.445.8458.
Kim Lewin, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kim completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at The University of Akron, and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Cleveland State University. She worked at Euclid Hospital under the Cleveland Clinic Health System for 15 years before transferring to Main Campus in 2010.
Her clinical interests include speech, language, cognition, and swallowing impairments in adults with neurological disorders.
She can be reached at 216.445.0115.
Lauren Morse, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Lauren completed her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Case Western Reserve University. Upon graduation, she joined Cleveland Clinic in 2011.
She transitioned to the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in 2016. There, she focused on communication and swallowing disorders in the acute neurologic patient population until her return to Cleveland Clinic in 2019.
Her clinical interests include speech, language, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing impairments in adults with neurologic disorders in the acute and outpatient settings.
She can be reached at 216.444.8713
Madeline Weber, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Madeline completed her Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Case Western Reserve University, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences from The Ohio State University. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 2022.
Her clinical interests include assessment and treatment of adults in the acute care setting with disorders in swallowing, speech, language, and cognition.
Amy Rosneck, MA, CCC-SLP
Senior Speech-Language Pathologist
Amy completed her Bachelor of Science Degree at Ohio University and her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Cincinnati. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 1996.
Amy’s clinical interests include adult and pediatric swallowing disorders and infant feeding evaluation and treatment. Amy primarily sees inpatients in the acute care hospital.
She can be reached at 216.445.9120.
Molly Smeltzer, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Molly completed her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology at The University of Texas at Dallas, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Science and Disorders from Baylor University. Upon graduation from her Master’s program, Molly completed a one-year clinical fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in the acute care hospital. She now works with the head and neck cancer population as an outpatient Speech–Language Pathologist.
Her current areas of interest include head and neck cancer rehabilitation, laryngectomy rehabilitation with emphasis on prosthetic voice restoration, and swallowing disorders in adults.
She can be reached at 216.444.9195.
Michelle York, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Michelle completed her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology at University of Toledo, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Ohio State University. Her clinical interests include swallowing disorders in adults, tracheostomy management, and head and neck cancer rehabilitation, with emphasis on laryngectomy recovery and prosthetic voice restoration.
She can be reached at 216.445.0308.
Voice Center
Claudio F. Milstein, PhD, CCC-SLP
Director, The Voice Center
Dr. Milstein completed a Master of Science at the Medical School, University of Buenos Aires, a Doctor of Philosophy Degree at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and an internship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary. He is an Associate Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and holds an Affiliate Scholar appointment at Oberlin College. He joined Cleveland Clinic in 2001.
His current areas of interest include voice disorders, laryngeal hyper-reactivity, vocal cord dysfunction, and care of the professional voice.
He can be reached at 216.444.8677.
Michelle Adessa, BM, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, The Voice Center
Michelle completed her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology with a concentration in Voice Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in Boston, Massachusetts, and trained at the MGH Voice Center. A former singer and voice teacher, she holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance from Mannes College of Music in New York.
Her current areas of interest include rehabilitation of the singing voice, neurological voice disorders, functional swallowing & voice disorders, transgender voice, laryngectomy rehabilitation and respiratory disorders.
She can be reached at 216.445.9089.
Bethany Beckham, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, The Voice Center
Bethany Beckham completed her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Memphis. She completed her clinical fellowship at UnityPoint Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, with a concentration in neurologic communication and swallowing disorders before completing an additional voice fellowship at the Vanderbilt Voice Center in Nashville, Tennessee. A performer herself, Bethany earned a Bachelor of Arts in music at Elon University before pursuing speech pathology.
Bethany's current areas of interest include evaluation and treatment of the singing and speaking voice, gender affirming voice care, pediatric voice disorders, and upper airway disorders.
She can be reached at 216.559.2276.
Ellen Swain, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, The Voice Center
Ellen received her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh with a clinical voice concentration. She completed her clinical fellowship in voice & upper airway disorders and head & neck cancer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Ellen’s current areas of interest include evaluation and treatment of the speaking and singing voice, neurological voice disorders, gender affirming voice care, dysphagia, and respiratory disorders.
She can be reached at 216.636.3455.
Appointments & Locations
Patients interested in seeing a speech-language pathology expert are urged to check first with their insurance carrier to learn their coverage options for speech-language pathology. A physician’s referral may be needed.
To schedule an appointment with a speech-language pathology specialist at Cleveland Clinic main campus, call 216.444.8500.
Speech-language pathologists in the Voice Center see patients at:
- Cleveland Clinic main campus
- Hillcrest Hospital
- Twinsburg Family Health and Surgery Center
- Westlake Medical Campus Building A.
To schedule an appointment in the Voice Center, call 216.444.8500.
