General Info

Liza Blumenfeld, MA, is a speech-language pathologist with expertise in managing complex voice and swallowing disorders in a variety of patients, including those with head and neck cancer. She is a board-certified swallowing disorders specialist (BCS-S) whose therapeutic approach integrates science and technology within a multidisciplinary care model. She is dedicated to restoring patients quality of life while they battle the side effects of cancer treatments. Blumenfeld's research interests focus on exploring modalities that increase salivary flow, taste and swallowing function. She is involved in implementing heart rate variability biofeedback for hyper-responsive laryngeal disorders and objectively quantifying fluoroscopic swallowing study findings to drive appropriate and efficient treatment. She has published work in OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery, Laryngoscope, and Dysphagia.She has served in rehabilitation leadership since 1996, providing both therapeutic services and administrative oversight of clinical programs. Prior to joining UC San Diego Health, Blumenfeld was manager of speech-language pathology, audiology and motility at the Center for Voice and Swallowing at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where she was recognized for transforming the center into a regional center of excellence.She earned her masters and bachelor's degrees, both in communicative disorders from San Diego State University and Yeshiva University in New York. Blumenfeld holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a board-certified specialist in swallowing disorders. She is also a national instructor to speech-language pathologists on transnasal endoscopy technique and interpretation. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. UC San Diego Health LinksFor more information, see https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/surgery/otolaryngology/areas-expertise/swallowing-voice/Pages/default.aspx and https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/cancer/programs/head-neck/Pages/default.aspx.