Hey there, meet Rebecca!

Rebecca Smith is a clinical educator at Appalachian State University in the Beaver College of Health Sciences Interprofessional Clinic. She works in outpatient and acute care settings through ASU and teaches their pediatric dysphagia course in the graduate program. Rebecca is pursuing her Ph.D. in Health Sciences with an anticipated completion date of May 2024. Over the last five years, she has specialized in evaluating and treating infant feeding and swallowing in the neonatal intensive care unit and assessing adult dysphagia in medical and surgical intensive care units. She is a certified neonatal therapist and certified lactation counselor. 

Rebecca has served on various local, state, and national committees. She served on the executive medical committee for Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Special Interest Group 13, Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders Professional Development Committee, Dysphagia Research Society’s Website, Communications, and Public Relations Committee, and Dysphagia Research Society’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. She has presented on numerous occasions through state associations and ASHA on neonatal intensive care and clinical supervision.

• Works with dysphagia across the lifespan (infant-geriatric) but her love is babies-3 years of age!
• Favorite country singer is George Strait.
• LOVES cats.
• Drinks her coffee black.
• Originally from Texas, but currently working in NC for a University.
• Her PhD has a neurologic rehabilitation focus.

• She is 4'11, but rounds it to 5 feet on her drivers license.
• Her dissertation will be focused on provider perceptions of pediatric feeding disorder
• Is a huge scary movie buff, and can watch them any time of year.
•  Hates the cold, and unfortunately NC is cold (who knew?)