EMCI: 2014
Cari Tellis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a Full Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University. Her areas of specialization include voice rehabilitation and training, laryngeal physiology, laryngeal muscle anatomy and biochemistry, voice and speech science, and counseling in speech-language pathology. Dr. Tellis’s primary research interests include motor learning applied to voice rehabilitation, the neuroresponse to learning assessed through functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), acoustic/aerodynamic properties of voice production, as well as counseling, emotions, and interpersonal effectiveness related to speech-language pathology. She earned her undergraduate degree with Shreyer Honor's distinction in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Philosophy from The Pennsylvania State University. She earned her Master of Science and Doctoral degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh. A singer herself, Dr. Tellis has devoted her life to the care, rehabilitation, and training of the voice. Dr. Tellis has authored and co-authored numerous presentations in voice research at international, national, and state conferences, as well as presented at the American Laryngological Association's national conference. She has published her research in the Annals of Otolaryngology, The Journal of Voice, The Laryngoscope, and Neurophontonics. She is a co-author of the textbook and instructional DVD entitled, Your Voice is Your Business: The Science and Art of Communication, 2nd edition (Plural Publishing, 2015) and the textbook entitled, Counseling and Interviewing in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, 2018). Dr. Tellis is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and has over 20 years of clinical experience in voice therapy. She completed her training as a voice specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Voice Center, currently serves as a voice consultant for several professional voice groups, and is the founder of PATAsphere, a nonprofit organization dedicated to training individuals of all ages in aspects of the performing arts including, voice, acting, dance, as well as interpersonal effectiveness and leadership skills. She has led a team of professionals who have created four all-original, full length musicals; with the fifth currently in production. Dr. Tellis has also led a team of songwriters in producing over 100 original songs for these musicals. Dr. Tellis oversees all vocal rehabilitation services at the Misericordia University Speech-Language Hearing Center and is the owner of a private speech-language pathology practice in Wilkes-Barre, PA called PATA Rehabilitation Services. Dr. Tellis is a certified Estill Master Teacher and Estill Mentor and Course Instructor through Estill Voice Training ®.