Lizzette Roman, SLPD

Current Title & Duties

Program Director – Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology & Undergraduate Minor in Speech-Language Pathology Programs

Miami Campus, San Juan Campus, and Mayagüez University Center

As a program director and full-time Faculty member, Dr. Roman provides academic leadership and direction to the program and is responsible for strategic planning, supervision, coordination, and evaluation of departmental goals, programs, and resources, and for providing support to the Faculty and students to achieve the aims and learning outcomes for the program. She designed and developed Albizu University clinical education model for graduate students and oversee clinical education.

In addition, she has more than 9 years of experience developing and teaching face-to-face, distance education, and hybrid graduate level course. Dr. Roman had taught undergraduate and graduate courses: Childhood Voice Disorders & Child with Oral Structure Abnormalities, Anatomy & Physiology of Speech-language-hearing Structures, Dysphagia in Children and Adults, Neurogenic Disorders in Adults, Language Disorders in Adults, Research Methodology, & Ethics & Legal Aspects in Health-Related Professions.

Biography

Dr. Roman has more than 32 years of experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Her extensive clinical experience has been in sub-acute, acute, outpatient rehabilitation centers, private practice, and early intervention settings

Dr. Roman’s clinical experience is with the geriatric population with a focus on dysphagia (swallowing disorders), aphasia, neuro-cognitive disorders, speech sound disorders (apraxia and dysarthria), tele-practice, and bilingualism.

She had conducted speech-language and swallowing diagnostic evaluations and therapy to patients with diseases and disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, aphasia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, dementia, tracheotomy, cerebrovascular accident, trauma, and voice disorder. She assisted & performed Fiberoptic endoscopic assessment of swallowing (FEES). Performed evaluations and provided therapy services utilizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system and devices. In addition, she had provided effective developmental evaluations to infants and toddlers with disabilities, bilingual and monolingual speech-language diagnostic evaluations/therapy to children with limited English proficiency, hearing impairment, and developmental delay.

Research / Research Interests

Dr. Roman had presented in multiple national and international conferences, including the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Health Department of Puerto Rico, Geriatric Division, Alzheimer Society International Congress, and Universidad Oberta de Cataluña, Barcelona.

Her research interests center around the study of neurocognitive-based communication disorders, Voice Transition Services of Transgender Individuals, childhood Apraxia, swallowing/feeding disorders, Tele-practice service, and early intervention.

She is also co-investigator for a study on Dementia in the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico: Findings leading to the progression of Alzheimer Disease, Vieques, Puerto Rico; an Island within an Island: A descriptive study of Cognitive Performance in a sample of people 60 years and older, Alzheimer Dementia Screening in a Puerto Rican Elderly Sample, and Trail Making Test, the Case of the Island of Puerto Rico.

Academics, Education, Certifications

Dr. Roman received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education from the Inter American University in 1983. She then received her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Syracuse University in 1986, and Doctorate in Speech- Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University in 2011.

Dr. Roman had obtained the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) and completed a Post-CFY Internship at R Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD where she obtained speech-language pathology clinical experience working with patients post traumatic brain injury, head and neck cancer, and spinal cord injury.

She is certified in Vital Stim therapy, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, and Speak Out/ Loud Crowd.

Recent Publications

Piñeiro, L., Roman, L., & Reyes, V. (2019). Effectiveness of Coaching Through Tele practice in Puerto Rico from the Parent's Perspective: A Case Study. Poster presented at the 2019 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Orlando, FL.

Ramos-Pizarro, C, Alcaraz, L. (Roman), Piñeiro-Valentin, L., & Cortes-Velez, A. (2018). Barriers to Access Voice Transition Services Faced by Transgender Individuals in Puerto Rico: SLPs’ Perspective. Poste presented at the 2018 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Boston, MA

Alcaraz, L. (Roman), Piñeiro, L., Collado-Lugo, E., Pacheco-Rodriguez, Y., & Díaz-Feliciano, M. (2016). Efficacy of a training method for caregivers in Puerto Rico feeding geriatric individuals with dysphagia. Poster presented at the 2016 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Alcaraz, L. (Roman) & García-Menéndez, S. (2015). Training & self-reported confidence of speech-language pathologists in Puerto Rico assessing children with childhood Apraxia.  Poster presented at the 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Denver, Co.

Alcaraz, L. (Roman), Martínez-Torres, K., Santiago-Rivera, M., & Piñeiro-Molina, D. (2015). Perceptions of physicians toward speech-language pathology dysphagia services & availability of resources in Puerto Rico.  Poster presented at the 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Denver, Co.

Alcaraz, L (Roman)., Cortes-Vélez, A., & Román-Torres, M. (2015). Barriers to speech-language pathology Services access for individuals with neurocognitive-based communication disorders in Puerto Rico. Poster presented at the 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Denver, Co.

Alcaraz, L. (Roman) & Rivera-Pomales, G. (2015). Caregivers’ attitudes toward neurocognitive disorders & its impact in speech-language pathology services. Poster presented at the 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Denver, Co.

Alcaraz, L. (Roman), Cortes, A., & Sánchez-Amaro, I. (2014). Training & self-reported confidence of speech-Language pathologists in Puerto Rico managing individuals with swallowing disorders. Poster presented at the 2014 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Orlando, FL.