About Us

Heather Starmer is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Speech and Swallowing Rehabilitation Center. She is a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. in 2023 she was awarded the prestigious Fellow designation by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford University, Professor Starmer served as the lead of the head and neck cancer rehabilitation program at Johns Hopkins University. She graduated from California State University at Long Beach in 1998 with a BA in Communicative Disorders and earned her MA from the University of Pittsburgh in 2000. She has pursued doctoral studies at the University of Liverpool with anticipated completion of her PhD in Applied Health Research in 2024. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the assessment of head and neck lymphedema with a particular emphasis on the patient experience and quality of life. Professor Starmer specializes in the rehabilitation of speech, voice, and swallowing in patients with head and neck cancer. She has particular interest in prevention of communication and swallowing disorders associated with radiation and chemotherapy. She has a strong interest in head and neck cancer survivorship and helping patients to accomplish their personal goals and to optimize their quality of life long term. Professor Starmer's academic goals include improving communication and swallowing outcomes following a diagnosis of head and neck cancer through clinical research. She was a key member of a collaborative research group at Johns Hopkins resulting in multiple publications and presentations on strategies to minimize speech and swallowing difficulties. Recent advances in pain management during radiation therapy developed by this research collaborative have already shown great promise in protecting patients from potential swallowing difficulties during and after their cancer treatment. She works closely with colleagues in surgery, radiation oncology, and medical oncology to tackle the often difficult problems encountered by patients with head and neck cancer. She has particular interest in investigating the role of innovative surgical techniques such as Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) in minimizing long term functional deficits. She regularly collaborates with colleagues around the globe to develop innovative solutions to challenges encountered by head and neck care teams and the patients they serve. Professor Starmer is involved in the education of future speech pathologists as well as residents and fellows in the Otolaryngology program. She regularly lectures on issues regarding rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer locally, nationally, and internationally. She teaches a graduate level course in swallowing and swallowing disorders at the California State University East Bay. She is a member of multiple professional societies including the American Speech Language Hearing Association, the Dysphagia Research Society, the American Head and Neck Society, and the American Bronchoesophagologic Society. She serves on the boards of the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing disorders (ABSSD), American Head and Neck Society (AHNS), Dysphagia Research Society (DRS), and the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA).

Theresa Jingyun Yao, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a senior speech-language pathologist currently working at the Head and Neck Cancer Speech and Swallowing Rehabilitation Center. She is a board certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. She received her clinical and research training at California State University East Bay, Stanford University, and the University of Hong Kong. Her clinical and research interests include head and neck cancer rehabilitation, dysphagia, and voice disorders.