IDDSI Board of Directors and Staff
The IDDSI Board of Directors is group of volunteers from diverse professions including nutrition & dietetics, medicine, speech pathology, occupational therapy, nursing, patient safety, engineering, food science & technology from around the world who came together to develop international standardised terminology and definitions for texture modified foods and thickened liquids for persons with dysphagia.
Board Co-Chairs
Peter Lam (Dietitian, Canada)
Peter Lam is a Registered Dietitian and Credentialed Food Service Executive in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Peter was the project lead for the Canadian Dysphagia Diet Terminology Standardization Terminology Project.
Dr. Julie Cichero (SLP, Australia)
Julie Cichero is a speech pathologist and specialist in dysphagia research. Julie led the development of the Australian standardised terminology and definitions for texture modified foods and fluids.
Board Members
Dr. Jianshe Chen (Food Scientist, China)
Jianshe Chen is a food scientist specialised in food texture and rheology. He is a pioneer on the integrated approaches to eating and sensory perception studies and is a leading organiser of an international conference on "Food Oral Processing: Physics, Physiology, and Psychology of Eating."
Associate Professor Roberto Dantas (Physician, Brazil)
Roberto Dantas is an Associate Professor of the Department of Medicine at the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil. He is involved in oropharyngeal dysphagia research and trains medical and SLP students.
Janice Duivestein (Occupational Therapist, Canada)
Janice Duivestein is a combined trained therapist (Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist) who has worked for over 25 years with both paediatric and adult population in the area of dysphagia. She is an educator and believes strongly in collaborating with colleagues to improve the safety and quality of life for children and adults with dysphagia.
Dr. Ben Hanson (Engineer, United Kingdom)
Dr Ben Hanson is an Associate Professor (part-time) in Engineering at University College London. He has designed devices to measure rheology (flow properties) of fluids in clinical environments, and carries out research into texture modified food and drinks.
Dr. Jun Kayashita (Dietitian, Japan)
Dr. Jun Kayashita is a professor at the Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan. Jun is a councillor of the Japanese Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Japanese Society of Dysphagia Rehabilitation. Jun was extensively involved with the development of the revised Japanese Dysphagia Diet Standards.
Dr. Luis F. Riquelme (SLP, United States of America)
Dr. Riquelme is the Director, Speech-Language Pathology at Maimonides Health system in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Adjunct Professor at Universidad Católica del Uruguay in Montevideo, Uruguay. He teaches, conducts research and runs an active clinical program. His clinical and research interests focus on pill swallowing, changes in swallow physiology secondary to aging or specific neurological etiologies and on the impact of diet recommendations on pulmonary status and overall quality of life.
Professor Mershen Pillay (SLP, South Africa)
Professor Mershen Pillay is an Associate Professor in speech therapy at Kwazulu- Natal University in Durban, South Africa. Mershen is focused on work in nutrition and disability within population based interventions.
Professor Catriona Steele (SLP, Canada)
Professor Catriona Steele is Senior Scientist and Director of the Swallowing Rehabilitation Research Laboratory at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network, and professor in the department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on swallowing physiology and rehabilitation, with a particular focus on the impact of texture modification on swallowing function.
Dr. Jan Vanderwegen (ENT, Belgium)
Dr. Vanderwegen is an ENT and rehabilitation-physician, working at the University Hospital Saint-Pieter, Brussels, Belgium and Professor at the Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium. He is the president of the Belgian Society of Swallowing Disorders (BSSD) and member of DRS, ESSD and IDDSI. His key clinical activities are Voice and Swallowing and scientific interests are tongue strength, both from a diagnostic and a therapeutic standpoint, FEES-interpretation and Quality of Life.
IDDSI Staff
Kevin Ly - Office and International Project Manager
Kevin Ly is a consultant, mainly focused on marketing, communications, strategy, and business development. Kevin provides executive support to the IDDSI Board and oversees communications, webinars, marketing and website matters.
Past Board Members
We formally acknowledge our past Board members. While they are no longer involved with IDDSI, we wish to recognize their past contributions:
Caroline Lecko (Nurse, United Kingdom)
Caroline Lecko is a registered Nurse with background in Neurosciences and is a patient safety lead in the UK. Caroline led the development of the UK Dysphagia Diet Food Descriptors involving the British Dietetic Association, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, National Association of Care Catering, National Nurses Nutrition Group and Hospital Caterers Association.
Dr. Joseph Murray (SLP, USA)
Dr. Joseph Murray is the chief of audiology and speech pathology services at the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, MI in the United States. Joe is an American Speech and Hearing Association Fellow and is a board-recognized specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.
Sönke Stanschus (SLT, Germany)
Sönke Stanschus is a speech pathologist and specialist in dysphagia service development in clinical care of patients with swallowing disorders. He has an interest in matching results of instrumental exams with diet recommendations.
Foundation Committee
We would like to formally acknowledge our Foundation Committee members who were integral to the commencement of this initiative.