March 5, 2018
We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Elizabeth Lipton Daly to Executive Director of the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders. Elizabeth joined the foundation almost 4 years ago after graduating with honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a M.S. in Communications Sciences & Disorders. Her initial responsibilities included support for two of our key mission pillars: education and patient support. She took full responsibility for our webinar series (arranging speakers, website registration) and adroitly and empathetically answered the almost daily receipt of emails and phone calls from patients and caregivers looking for support and hope in addressing their swallowing problems. Since joining us, Elizabeth has taken on a much broader task set. This includes raising awareness where she initiated the “dysphagia fact of the day” program in 2016 which reached a quarter million people during June, National Dysphagia Awareness Month. Refinement of this initiative in 2017 lead to reaching 3 times as many people, three quarters of a million people in June alone. She has initiated and executed programs to enhance direct patient support with the formation of two online Facebook support groups, one for adults and the other for our pediatric community. It’s no secret that our patient and caregiver community is challenged in so many ways; these support groups have gained traction and are providing the connection (and answers to questions) that so many have not had up until now. She has continued to build out our webinar series, continues to answer every patient inquiry with thoughtfulness, compassion, and empathy, drawing on the support of board members when needed, has developed policies and practices which further our mission, organized and managed our inaugural full-day educational conference with 12 keynote speakers in 2017, and has full responsibility of our website, social media assets (Facebook and Twitter), and our e-newsletter. She has done all of this while working full time in acute and inpatient care facilities. Elizabeth’s new responsibilities will include expanding her existing patient/caregiver-oriented work while taking on more of the Foundation’s business operations. She has created a strong bond with every NFOSD board and medical advisory member. We couldn’t be more pleased that she has accepted this position and look forward to her impact of moving us even further into achieving our mission of making life better for all those with a swallowing disorder in our life time. Please join me in congratulating Elizabeth on all she has accomplished and her promotion to Executive Director of the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders.
Ed Steger
President, National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders