Renowned Leader in Communications Disorder Field Receives Deserving Honor

Mercy Professor Emerita Helen Buhler, Ph.D. has devoted her entire career to enhancing the field of communication disorders. Now she is about to be recognized for her years of service and leadership in advancing the field through her research, clinical practice, humanitarian efforts and mentorship.

The New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association has selected Buhler as the 2020 recipient of its annual Distinguished Achievement Award. The honor is given for exemplary leadership in the discipline or profession of clinical speech-language pathology practitioners. The award will be presented at the association’s annual Speech-Language-Hearing Conference taking place May 1 through May3 at the Doubletree Hilton in Tarrytown, New York.

Buhler, who recently retired as program director of Mercy’s Communication Disorders Program, is described by colleagues as an outstanding teacher and administrator, as well as a warm, effective clinician.

“Dr. Buhler’s contributions include not only those associated with her clinical work as a speech-language pathologist, but also her leadership in academic programming for pre-professional speech-language pathology students,” said Elizabeth Lanter, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, professor and current director of Mercy’s Communication Disorders Program.

After many years in private practice as a clinician, Buhler joined the communication disorders faculty of Mercy College in 2000, rising to become program director and mentoring countless graduate students. Buhler has presented at dozens of state and national lectures and workshops on her research and about various topics in pediatric speech-language pathology.

Buhler may be best known for her regular practice of organizing medical missions to countries where people with little or no access to healthcare suffer from grave speech, language and hearing disorders. As the founder of the nonprofit Speech Team for Healing the Children Northeast, she led medical missions to Bangkok, Peru, India and Colombia. Her craniofacial cleft lip/palate team, which typically included Mercy students and faculty, provided desperately needed care to children and their families.

Students and faculty wishing to attend the May 1 awards ceremony should contact Dr. Elizabeth Lanter at 914-674-7743 or elanter@mercy.edu.