2026 ANCDS Annual Scientific & Business Meeting

"Motor Speech Disorders Across the Lifespan: From Foundational Perspectives to Practice Innovations"

Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Indianapolis, IN

Schedule | Session Details | ASHA CEU Information | Registration | Business Meeting | Sponsorship

Schedule*

All times listed in EST.

*All session, speaker, schedule, and CEU details are subject to change.

Session Details

9:00 – 9:45 am

Lecture: From Pattern Detection to Clinical Inference: Technical Advances in Motor Speech Assessment

Speaker:

Julie Liss, PhD
Arizona State University

Abstract: Technical advances now quantify acoustic, ASR-derived, machine learning, multimodal, and remote speech data. This presentation examines when detected speech patterns support valid clinical inference, when measures deserve clinical weight, and how AI may augment expert assessment while preserving clinician judgment, interpretability, patient relevance, and attention to boundary conditions.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Distinguish pattern detection from clinical inference in motor speech assessment, including how technical outputs differ from diagnostic conclusions.
2. Evaluate when technical measures deserve clinical weight based on construct validity, interpretability, incremental value, decision relevance, patient-centered relevance, and boundary conditions.
3. Identify appropriate roles for AI-enabled tools in expert assessment, including augmentation of measurement, monitoring, and treatment planning while preserving expert judgment in interpreting meaning and uncertainty.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Julie Liss is Vice Dean in the College of Health Solutions and Professor of Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State University. A certified speech-language pathologist, she is internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of motor speech disorders, clinical speech science, and artificial intelligence. Her research focuses on transforming assessment of motor speech disorders through digital tools that capture clinically meaningful features of speech, detect and track neurological disease, and support more precise, accessible decision-making. As co-founder of Aural Analytics, Dr. Liss has helped pioneer speech-based biomarkers and AI-driven assessment platforms designed to move speech assessment beyond subjective description toward scalable, data-informed clinical measures. Dr. Liss is also a leader in the responsible application of AI in healthcare, speech-language pathology, and scientific publishing. She has served in key leadership roles with ASHA, including as Editor-in-Chief and now Chair of the ASHA Journals Board, where she is helping shape policy around emerging technologies in scholarly communication. In recognition of her contributions to speech science, clinical innovation, and professional leadership, Dr. Liss received Honors of the Association from ASHA in 2025.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Liss receives a salary from Arizona State University. She receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is receiving an honorarium from ANCDS for this presentation.
Non-Financial: Dr. Liss is a member of ASHA. She is Chair of the ASHA Journals Board and Sr. Editor of Registered Reports. Dr. Liss is an unpaid Science Consultant for VitalAudio and Soma (start-ups not related to dysarthria assessment).

CEUs: TBD

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9:45 – 10:30 am

Lecture: Updates in Parkinson's Disease Treatment

Speaker:

Sarah Elizabeth Zauber, MD
Indiana University School of Medicine

Abstract: This course will explore current research, new medications, and surgical treatments for people with Parkinson's disease.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Describe current medicines for Parkinson's disease.
2. Describe current surgical options for Parkinson's disease.
3. Describe future directions for Parkinson's disease.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Zauber is Professor of Neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine, department of Neurology, where she directs the movement disorders section and leads the Parkinson's disease Center of Excellence.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Zauber has no relevant financial disclosures to report.
Non-Financial: Dr. Zauber has no relevant non-financial disclosures to report.

CEUs: TBD

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11:00 – 11:45 am

Lecture: Life Participation Approach to Managing Motor Speech Disorders

Speaker:

Rene L. Utianski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS
Mayo Clinic

Abstract: This course introduces a Life Participation Approach to the management of motor speech disorders (MSDs), emphasizing individualized, meaningful communication goals. Participants will learn strategies such as personalized script training, communication books and supports, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), and technology integration to enhance functional communication, participation, and quality of life.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Apply principles of the Life Participation Approach to develop person-centered management plans for individuals with motor speech disorders.
2. Design individualized communication interventions, including personalized script training and communication supports, that target meaningful participation goals.
3. Select and implement patient-centered outcome measures, including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), to monitor functional outcomes.

Speaker Bio: Rene Utianski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, is a Consultant in the Division of Speech Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she also serves as the Chair of the Division. She is a Professor of Speech Pathology and Associate Professor of Neurology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation. Her clinical work in the acute care and outpatient settings, along with her NIH-funded research program, center around the diagnosis and management of acquired, degenerative, and functional communication disorders.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Utianski is a salaried employee at Mayo Clinic where a portion of salary is paid for by NIH grants. She receives royalties from a book with Plural Publishing. She is receiving an honorarium from ANCDS for this presentation.
Non-Financial: Dr. Utianski is a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation.

CEUs: TBD

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11:45 am – 12:30 pm

Lecture: Treating Acquired Apraxia of Speech: Updates from an ANDCS Systematic Review

Speaker:

Katarina L. Haley, PhD, CCC-SLP
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Abstract: The ANCDS Writing Group on Acquired Apraxia of Speech (AOS) conducted the third systematic review of AOS treatment research, spanning more than 50 years of evidence. This presentation will examine how the treatment literature has evolved over time, with a focus on changes in participant characteristics and impairment profiles, treatment ingredients and delivery formats, levels of practice, speech outcomes, elicitation conditions, and evidence of generalization.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Explain how research designs have evolved over time.
2. List the most common treatment ingredients studied to date.
3. Identify continued research needs.

Speaker Bio: Katarina Haley is professor in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Her research programs focus on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acquired apraxia of speech and on client-centered care across the rehabilitation continuum.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Haley receives salary from UNC Chapel Hill, research funding from the National Institutes of Health, and Royalty from Medbridge. She is receiving an honorarium from ANCDS for this presentation and complementary conference registration.
Non-Financial: Dr. Haley is a member of ANCDS and co-chair of the ANCDS writing group for AOS.

CEUs: TBD

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2:00 – 2:45 pm

Lecture: Treatment Approaches for Speakers with Dysarthria: Bridging Evidence and Clinical Practice

Speaker: 

Kristie A. Spencer, PhD, CCC-SLP
University of Washington

Abstract: This session will provide an overview of contemporary evidence-based treatment approaches for the dysarthrias across acquired and progressive neurologic conditions. Rehabilitation strategies will center on the speech subsystems of respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody, as well as person-centered approaches aimed at improving comprehensibility, communicative participation, and functional communication outcomes. Current research findings will be integrated with practical clinical recommendations to support evidence-based decision-making. Particular emphasis will be placed on evidence-based practice guidelines developed by the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences writing groups, including respiratory-phonatory and velopharyngeal management. The treatment approaches discussed will span restorative and maintenance-focused interventions (e.g., intelligibility strategies, voice amplification), compensatory strategies (e.g., speech-generating applications), complementary supports (e.g., environmental modification, care partner training), and anticipatory interventions (e.g., voice banking for individuals with progressive dysarthria).

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Describe current evidence-based treatment approaches for dysarthria across respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and rate of speech.
2. Identify restorative, compensatory, complementary, and anticipatory intervention strategies designed to improve functional communication outcomes for individuals with dysarthria.

Speaker Bio: Kristie Spencer, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a Professor and Associate Chair for the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington. She is an ASHA Fellow and has published over 70 articles and given over 100 presentations related to neurologic disorders, with a focus on Parkinson and cerebellar disease.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Spencer is a salaried employee of the University of Washington. She receives a royalty from book sales in the Plural Publishing Medical SLP book series. She is receiving an honorarium from ANCDS and complimentary conference registration for this presentation.
Non-Financial: Dr. Spencer has no relevant non-financial disclosures to report.

CEUs: TBD

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2:45 – 3:30 pm

Lecture: Speech Development in Pediatric Dysarthria: Implications for Clinical Decision Making

Speaker: 

Katherine C. Hustad, PhD, CCC-SLP
University of Wisconsin - Madison

Abstract: We translate research findings on speech intelligibility development in children to clinical application. Specifically, we present growth curves for speech intelligibility in typical children and analogous data for children with dysarthria. We describe clinical cut-points for differentiation of typical and atypical speech intelligibility by age. We use case examples, with an emphasis on use of research findings for clinical practice.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Describe growth curves for speech intelligibility in typical children.
2. Identify cut-points by age for typical vs. atypical intelligibility development.
3. Discuss clinical implications of growth curves for intelligibility treatment in motor speech disorders.

Speaker Bio: Katherine Hustad, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and Oros-Bascom Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is also an Investigator at the Waisman Center. Her research focuses on assessment and treatment of motor speech disorders in children, with an emphasis on speech intelligibility. She also studies novel measures for characterizing speech development features in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing children. Her laboratory is home to a 20-year longitudinal study on speech development in children with cerebral palsy, that aims to generate theoretically driven, data-based longitudinal models of speech development in CP that can be used to predict outcomes, test interventions, and guide treatment decisions. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2003. Hustad is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She teaches graduate courses in motor speech disorders, augmentative / alternative communication, evidence-based practice, and grant writing.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Hustad receives a salary from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and grant funding from the NIH.
Non-Financial: Dr. Hustad has no relevant non-financial disclosures to report.

CEUs: TBD

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4:00 – 5:30 pm

Case Studies: Abnormal Tongue Movements in Motor Speech Disorders: Description, Differential Diagnosis, and Etiology

Speaker:

Karen Kluin, MS, CCC, BC-ANCDS
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Abstract: This course will review the various abnormal tongue movements that can occur in motor speech disorders, which are often difficult to classify. Even though abnormal tongue movements rarely occur in isolation, accurate description of the tongue movements based on careful examination is an important part of the motor speech exam and can provide essential information regarding the type of dysarthria and underlying neurological disorder.

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

1. Describe the neuroanatomy of the tongue.
2. Evaluate tongue movements during the motor speech evaluation.
3. Describe and classify the abnormal tongue movements in the following categories: lower motor neuron, upper motor neuron, rest tremor, action tremor, dystonia, myoclonus, chorea, and ataxia.

Speaker Bio: Karen Kluin, MS, CCC, BC-ANCDS, is an American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) certified Speech-Language Pathologist at Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan for 46 years and board-certified from the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences for 32 years. She is a Supervisor in Speech-Language Pathology & Clinical Assistant Professor/faculty appointment in Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan & University of Michigan Medical School. Clinical expertise includes: Neurologic motor speech, language, cognitive-communication & swallowing disorders due, atypical parkinsonism (MSA, PSP, CBS), to Parkinson disease, dystonias, ataxias, Wilson's disease, motor neuron disease-ALS & PLS, neurodegenerative diseases such as primary progressive aphasia, primary progressive apraxia of speech, brain tumor, epilepsy, stroke. Intra-operative testing during DBS surgery for Parkinson disease & essential tremor. Intraoperative & extra-operative brain mapping studies & monitoring of motor speech, language, motor functions during awake craniotomies for tumor, epilepsy. Extra-operative brain mapping of the sEEG depth electrodes during evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Karen is a member of Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan: Movement Disorders Section, Department of Neurology; MSTIM/Deep Brain Stimulation Team, Department of Neurosurgery; Ataxia Clinic, Department of Neurology; Motor Neuron Disease – ALS Clinic, Department of Neurology; Refractory Epilepsy Surgery, Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery; BRITE Clinic/Brain Tumor Clinic, Department of Neurosurgery. Karen has experience in the design of motor speech & language testing protocols for both clinical and research purposes.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Karen is a salaried employee at Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan.
Non-Financial: Karen is a member of the Certification Board Committee of the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences (ANCDS).

CEUs: TBD

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 ASHA CEUs

Live Event Attendees:

Both partial and full credit are available for the live meeting. Attendance will be verified.

Learners will complete a self-assessment to meet learning objectives and receive ASHA CEUs. The program evaluation / request for ASHA CEUs must be submitted by Wednesday, November 25, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST.

Session Recordings:

The recorded version of the Annual Meeting will be available in early 2027. The recorded version will require learners to view all 7 presentations for a fixed total of 0.6 ASHA CEUs; variable credit will not be available for the recorded version. Learners who attended any or all of the live sessions will NOT be permitted to receive any ASHA CEUs for the recorded sessions.

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Registration*

• ANCDS Members: TBA
• Non-Members**: TBA
• ANCDS Student and Clinical Fellow Members: TBA

Registration will open soon.

*Registration fee includes access to all educational sessions and corresponding CEUs, the Annual Business Meeting, breakfast, lunch, and breaks.

**Non-Members: Apply for membership today and receive the discounted member rate! Complete the New Member Application before completing registration for the conference to receive the discounted rate and get access to all the ANCDS member benefits!

View Cancellation Policy

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Annual Business Meeting

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 8:00 – 9:00 am EST

Please join us for the ANCDS Annual Business Meeting! Hear from our ANCDS Executive Board and Committee Chairs about all that the academy has accomplished in 2026 along with goals for 2027.

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Sponsorship

Sponsorship offers an opportunity to:

• Increase brand visibility with a targeted professional audience
• Align your organization with an established, mission-driven professional community
• Showcase your products, services, or support for the field
• Help keep meeting registration affordable and accessible

Download the ANCDS Sponsorship Kit (PDF)

Choose the level of partnership that best aligns with your organization’s goals.

Each level includes valuable visibility and engagement opportunities with a specialized audience.

• Gold - $3,000
• Silver - $2,000
• Bronze - $750

Become a Sponsor

*ANCDS does not endorse specific companies or products. 

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