Allied Health Professionals Conference | Allied Health Studies

SFA's inaugural Allied Health Professionals Conference will be a high-impact, interdisciplinary event that will bring together health care professionals and aspiring students across occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, dietetics and other allied health fields.

This dynamic conference will feature expert-led workshops focused on cutting-edge, team-based approaches to patient care, with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning and real-world collaboration. Students will engage with leading professionals, gain valuable insights and build meaningful cross-disciplinary connections that will guide their careers for years to come.

Conference Info

Allied Health Professionals Conference
Friday, Feb. 6, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Baker Pattillo Student Center

Registration Costs

Students: Free

Registered Dietitians and Speech Language Pathologists:

$65, early-bird registration before Dec. 31, 2025.
$75, beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
All RD/SLP faculty, all RD/SLP student preceptors and all SLP-As will receive a $20 discount to the overall registration cost at check-out.

Registered dietitians will receive, Continuing Professional Education credits, or CPEs, for attendance (3 to 4 CPEs in total), though some presentations are still pending review and approval from the Commission on Dietetics Registration.

For speech language pathologists and speech language pathologist assistants, the conference is offering up to 4 hours of TSHA Continuing Education, approval pending. If TSHA approval is granted, it does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures.

Professionals not receiving CPEs:

$25 for half-day (includes parking)
$35 for full-day (includes parking and lunch)

Conference Agenda

Please note that the conference agenda is subject to change. Start and end times for the conference will not change, but times and locations of presentations may shift. More presentations may also still be added to the agenda, while others may be removed.

8:30 to 9 a.m.: Registration and sign-in
9 to 9:15 a.m.: Welcome Message – Sarah Drake MS, RD, LD (Location: Twilight Ballroom)
9:15 to 10:15 a.m.: Opening session
- Selective Eating in Autism: An Interdisciplinary Approach *
  - Location: Twilight Ballroom
  - Panelists:
    - Sarah Bullard MS, RD, LD
    - Dr. Lisa McCleary LP, LSP, BCBA-D, NCSP
    - Dr. Celina Hawthorne, OT
    - Layne DeBardelaben, MA, CCC-SLP
  - Description: This panel brings together a therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist and registered dietitian to explore selective eating in autism through an interdisciplinary lens. Panelists will discuss how behavioral, sensory-motor, oral-motor, communication and nutritional factors all influence feeding challenges, with emphasis being placed on collaboration across disciplines with the goal being development of individualized, family-centered interventions that promote food variety, nutritional adequacy and positive mealtime experiences. The discussion will highlight the importance of shared goals, consistent strategies and respect for each professional’s scope of practice to support meaningful and sustainable outcomes for autistic individuals.
10:20 to 10:25 a.m.: Stress break
- Breathing Exercises, Ginger Stephens, LPC
  - Location: Twilight Ballroom
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Breakout sessions
- From Principles to Practice: Implementing Informed Consent for Texture Modified Diets (1 CPEU for RDs and SLPs)
  - Location: Twilight Ballroom
  - Presenter: Hillary Cooper M.A., CCC-SLP, Doctoral Candidate
  - Description: Informed consent is more than a buzzword—it’s a process that ensures adults with dysphagia understand the risks and the benefits behind all of their options for diet texture modifications. Yet, in fast-paced healthcare settings, engaging in and documenting truly patient-centered consent conversations around diet texture modifications can feel aspirational rather than achievable.
    This session offers evidence-informed, easy-to-implement strategies to help clinicians put informed consent for diet texture modifications into everyday practice. Participants will receive practical handouts and tools designed to guide shared decision-making discussions, document patient preferences and empower adults with dysphagia to participate actively in their care. Whether you’re an SLP, nurse, dietitian, physician, caregiver, or person with dysphagia, this session equips you with the knowledge and resources to make patient voice a central part of safe, ethical swallowing care.
- Cleft Speech Assessment (CPEs for SLP - 1)
  - Location: Tiered classroom
  - Presenter: Layne Scull, MS, CCC-SLP
- Strong Through Every Stage: Exercise and Health Across Reproductive, Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Years
  - Location: Multimedia Room
  - Presenter: Dr. Robyn Whitehead
- The Power of the Media Placement: How Getting Featured in the News Can Grow Your Practice & Income
  - Location: Regents A
  - Presenter: Amy Gorin MS, RDN
  - Description: Want to attract more clients, boost your business' bottom line and secure more time freedom? Learn how to get yourself featured in the media––think Time, Newsweek, Everyday Health––in this presentation by Master the Media CEO Amy Gorin, MS, RDN. Amy has been featured in more than 2,000 articles and has a media reach of over 3 billion.
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Vendor expo, academic resources and posters (Regents B); lunch
1 to 2 p.m.: Breakout sessions
- Cleft Speech Treatment
  - Location: Twilight Ballroom
  - Presenter: Layne Scull, MS, CCC-SLP
- Nutrition Program Data Gap and Public Health Issues in East Texas: The Case of the WIC Program
  - Location: Multimedia Room
  - Presenter: Dr. Muswamba Mwamba, DrPh, MS, IBLCL, RLC
- AI & Nutrition: What We Learned in 2025 *
  - Location: Tiered Classroom
  - Presenter: Raul Palacios, MS, RDN, LD
  - Description: Are you overwhelmed by the rapid pace of AI advancement? Do you think that AI is just ChatGPT? Has a client ever asked you about AI? In this session, we will review what we learned about the use of AI in nutrition applications in 2025 and where we are going in 2026. What is still just hype and what is actually working? Is precision nutrition closer than we think? Attend the session to find out!
2:15 to 3:15 p.m.: Closing sessions
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Eating Disorder Management: A Comprehensive Approach to Patient-Centered Care
  - Location: Twilight Ballroom
  - Panelists:
    - Dr. Amy Henke, PsyD
    - Kathy Veath MS, RD
    - Dr. Robyn Whitehead
    - Dr. Tyler Wooten, PsyD
- New Insights in the Management of Obesity (1 CPEU for RDs)
  - Location: Tiered Classroom
  - Presenters: Dr. Lance Sloan; Dr. Katia Sloan, RD

*The CPE activity application for this presentation is pending CDR review and approval for 1.0 CPEU.

Conference Panelists and Presenters

Sarah Bullard, MS, RD, LD

Sarah Bullard is a registered dietitian specializing in pediatric nutrition, family-based behavioral treatment and practical strategies for improving the home food environment. She currently supports telehealth-delivered obesity interventions through Children’s Mercy Hospital and operates UNstuck Nutrition, a virtual practice focused on anti-inflammatory and realistic meal planning content. Sarah brings over 15 years of clinical, research, and teaching experience, translating evidence into simple, sustainable habits for families, including twelve years dedicated specifically to pediatric nutrition, such as early intervention, pediatric feeding disorders, weight management and failure to thrive.

Hillary Cooper, MA, CCC-SLP

Hillary Cooper is an advocate, educator, researcher and self-proclaimed dysphagia geek. She owns North Louisiana Swallow Solutions, providing mobile FEES across North Louisiana and South Arkansas. She co-founded Dysphagia Outreach Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide meaningful assistance to people financially impacted by dysphagia by running the only food/supply pantry in the US for people with feeding and swallowing disorders. She is the 2024-2025 Council of State Association Presidents, or CSAP, treasurer and is a past president of the Louisiana Speech-Language Hearing Association, or LSHA.

Hillary is currently pursuing an EdD in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University. Her research currently focuses on (1) identifying barriers and facilitators to the use of shared decision-making for diet texture modifications in long-term care settings and (2) identifying novel ways to maximize the charitable distribution of dysphagia supplies through organizations such as Dysphagia Outreach Project.

Amy Gorin, MS, RD, LD

Amy Gorin is an award-winning plant-based media dietitian and the founder of Master the Media and Plant Based with Amy.

Gorin has shared her expert commentary with respected outlets including TODAY, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS, NBC, People, HuffPost, Food Network, Prevention, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Well+Good and other outlets. She’s a former editor for Prevention, Health, Parents, American Baby, and Weight Watchers magazine—and is one of the most-quoted dietitians in America, having completed and written more than 2,000 media interviews and bylined articles. Her media reach exceeds 3 billion.

Gorin shares her media knowledge with health professionals and entrepreneurs through the media training and certification program Master the Media. Through this community, her guidance allows professionals to become experts with influence by ethically partnering with media and brands. She also hosts the Master the Media podcast.

A thought leader in the nutrition space, Gorin is a member of the U.S. News & World Report Best Diets expert panel. She is also a member of the Meta Boost Leaders Network, through which she was recently hand-picked as one of two Connecticut-based businesses to meet with Senator Richard Blumenthal’s office and one of six U.S. businesses to meet with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Director of Policy to highlight the importance of digital tools for small businesses across the country.

Gorin has ethically partnered with many brands she loves, including Amy’s Kitchen, Breville, and Panda Express—which she worked with to implement the Panda Promise® that positively impacted the health of millions of Americans by focusing on making the restaurants’ core menu items healthier.

Gorin obtained a Bachelor of Science in journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in visual art studies from the University of Florida, as well as a Master of Science in journalism from Northwestern University. She completed her Didactic Program in Dietetics at New York University and her Dietetic Internship at Utah State University.

Social media links:

Dr. Celina Hawthorne, OTR, OTD, OTA

Dr. Celina Hawthorne is the owner and director of Grace in Motion Rehab, an outpatient clinic in Nacogdoches, Texas that provides occupational, physical, and speech therapy services across the lifespan. With twenty five years of experience in occupational therapy, she is devoted to providing exceptional, holistic care to the clients she is privileged to serve. Dr. Hawthorne earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Baylor University and currently also serves as adjunct faculty in Baylor’s OTD program, where she educates and supports both entry level and post professional occupational therapy students.

Dr. Amy Henke, PsyD

Dr. Amy Henke is a pediatric psychologist at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She completed internship training at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, or LSUHSC, with the infant/child track and specialty training in pediatric health psychology during a two-year fellowship at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Dr. Henke’s clinical interests include evidence-based treatment for eating disorders and she is the only mental health professional in Louisiana certified in Family-Based Therapy, or FBT, for eating disorders. She developed and currently leads the only FBT-based clinic in Louisiana and the greater gulf south. She is also passionate about working with gender diverse youth and advocating for their right to care. Additionally, she has clinical interests in chronic medical conditions such as kidney disease, their long-term impact on functioning and adherence to complex medical regimens.

Outside of her clinical and training interests, Dr. Henke is a strong advocate for Louisiana Psychologists and believes that advocacy is a core part of professional identity and responsibility. She was elected to the Louisiana Board of State Examiners of Psychologists in 2016 and served as board chair from 2020-2021. She has served on the Executive Council for Louisiana Psychological Association is the current president for 2024-2025.

Dr. Lisa McCleary

Dr. McCleary has over 10 years of experience working as a school psychologist and behavior specialist with children, teachers and families. She is a Licensed School Psychologist, or LSP, a Licensed Psychologist, or LP, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with Doctoral Designation, or BCBA-D. Dr. McCleary has extensive experience providing psycho-educational evaluations, school-based behavioral and academic consultation, as well as direct interventions (i.e., therapy and crisis intervention) in a variety of public-school systems both in Tennessee and East Texas. In addition to public school systems, she has provided behavioral health services (i.e., diagnostic assessment and therapy) in a private practice to a wide range of children and adults with disabilities, as well as a clinic providing ABA therapy to children with Autism. Currently, Dr. McCleary is an assistant professor at SFA.

Dr. Muswamba Mwamba, DrPh, MS, IBLCL, RLC

Dr. Muswamba A. Mwamba is an internationally certified lactation consultant, a public health practitioner and a scholar. His research focuses on immigrant health within minority groups in the U.S. health disparity context. Muswamba helps mothers and babies achieve optimal health outcomes by educating fathers to collaborate in removing barriers to successful breastfeeding. As a professor, Muswamba offers a global perspective to enlighten students on key advances and trends in infant feeding, nutrition, and public health leadership.

Muswamba is a lifelong learner. He studied in Belgium, earning a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering and a master's degree in the biochemistry of human nutrition from the Catholic University of Louvain. He also earned a second master’s in food science and technology from Ghent University. After witnessing a significant disparity in his maternal and child health practice, he expanded his understanding of the complexity and scope of public health in the U.S. and beyond. He then earned a master’s degree in public health at the University of North Texas and a doctoral degree in public health executive leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Raul Palacios, MS, RDN, LD

Raul Palacios is a registered dietitian and the director of the didactic program in dietetics at Texas Tech University. A rising leader in the AI and dietetics space, Raul's scholarship and teaching center on how AI can augment, rather than replace, sound clinical reasoning and evidence-based nutrition care to improve nutrition practice in practical ways.

Raul is active in the AI, nutrition and education space, having served on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ AI in Education Workgroup, serving as a guest editor for the International Journal of Obesity’s AI Special Edition, teaching Texas Tech’s AI Fundamentals undergraduate course for future healthcare professionals, and was a founding member of Texas Tech's Human Centered AI, or HCAI, Bachelor's Degree plan.

Dr. Katia Sloan, RD

Dr. Katia Sloan is a professor of nutrition, clinical dietitian and the director of research at the Texas Institute for Kidney and Endocrine Disorders in Lufkin, TX. She also serves as associate editor for the American Diabetes Association journal Diabetes Spectrum and she is a visiting professor at the University of Marilia Medical School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Dr. Sloan graduated in nutrition from the Methodist University of Piracicaba, Brazil; has a MSc in human nutrition from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; PhD in sciences from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; and postdoc in public health and nutrition from the State University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

She was visiting professor at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA and at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, TX.

She was a full-time assistant professor of public health nutrition at Sao Paulo State University, Brazil, with experience in developing and implementing lifestyle changing programs. She was also adjunct professor at SFA. She has published over 80 peer review articles and book chapters, and she has served as a research coordinator for several dozen trials. Her main research interests include the role of lifestyle and dietary intake in obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and metabolic syndrome in adults.

Dr. Lance Sloan, MD

President,
Department of Clinical Metabolism
Texas Institute for Kidney and Endocrine Disorders
Lufkin, TX
Clinical Assistant Professor,
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, TX
Clinical Assistant Professor,
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sam Houston State University
Conroe, TX

Dr. Sloan received his MD from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, which is also where he completed a residency in internal medicine. He completed clinical fellowships in endocrinology, diabetes, metabolism and in nephrology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is board certified in internal medicine; endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism; and nephrology.

He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, or FACP, the American Society of Nephrology, or FASN, Endocrine Alliance Academy, or FEAA, the American College of Endocrinology, or FACE, and the America Society of Preventive Cardiology, or FASPC.

He is also a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, or AACE, the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, Endocrine Society, the Cardio Renal Society, National Kidney Foundation, or NKF, American Society of Nephrology, or ASN and the Renal Physicians Association, or RPA, to name a few. He serves and has served on several committees for RPA, AACE, Texas Diabetes Council and Texas Medical Association. He has served for multiple years in the past as president of the Texas Endocrine Association and Angelina County Medical Society.

His research interests include diabetes, visceral insulin resistance adiposity syndrome, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, inflammation and lipid metabolism. He has served as the principal investigator for several dozen trials and his work has been published in various relevant journals. He is a member of the editorial board of Endocrine Practice, Clinical Diabetes, and Nephrology News & Issues and is a reviewer for several other journals.

Dr. Robyn Whitehead

Dr. Whitehead earned her Doctor of Psychology in exercise and sport psychology from the University of the Rockies (2016) and holds a Master’s in Sports Administration (2003) and a Bachelor’s in Exercise Physiology (2002), both from University of Southern Mississippi. She has been an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, or EP, since 2001 and became a Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, or CWCS, in June 2025. With over 25 years of professional experience across exercise physiology, sport psychology and allied health, Dr. Whitehead brings a deep interdisciplinary approach to preparing future health and performance professionals.

Dr. Tyler Wooten, MD

Dr. Tyler A. Wooten is the Medical Director at the Eating Recovery Center in Plano, Texas. A child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, he has over 25 years of experience in psychiatry and psychotherapy. His journey in medicine began in 1995 with the goal of becoming a pediatric psychiatrist, starting his education at Southern Methodist University on a fine arts scholarship in the Meadows School.

Driven by a desire to understand and explore psychotherapy, Dr. Wooten attended medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. After graduating, he completed his medical internship at the University of Virginia and went on to finish a general adult residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a pediatric psychiatry fellowship at Children’s Medical Center.

Before joining the Eating Recovery Center in January 2016, Dr. Wooten practiced at Uptown Analytic Practices. His work is deeply influenced by his experiences with eating disorders, drug and alcohol addictions, and his time in the juvenile detention system, which have profoundly shaped his clinical approach.

Conference Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

Silver Level Sponsors

Sponsorship Opportunities

SFA's Department of Allied Health Studies invites you to support the inaugural Allied Health Professionals Conference. This event will bring together students and professionals in occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, dietetics and more to help students connect with leaders in the field, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, explore cutting-edge technology and strengthen our regional health care workforce.

Make a difference today by supporting our educators and the Allied Health Professionals Conference through our various sponsorship levels that provide donors with a range of options to fit their budget. Your sponsorship directly supports student education and helps ensure East Texas has the skilled health care professionals it needs

Sponsor the Conference

Contact

To learn more about the Allied Health Professionals Conference, contact Sarah Drake, clinical instructor in SFA’s dietetics and nutritional sciences program, at (936) 468-5560 or drakes@sfasu.edu.