Shari DeVeney

Biography

Shari DeVeney, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a state-licensed and nationally-certified speech-language pathologist. Before earning her doctorate in speech-language pathology, she worked as a practicing clinician for 10 years primarily in early childhood and K­-12 educational settings. Her research focus is in child language and speech sound production with the goal of advancing evidence-based assessments and interventions for young children with communication delays. She teaches coursework on pediatric language impairments and speech sound disorders. DeVeney has served as president of the Nebraska Speech-Language-Hearing Association and provides educational and research-based talks about communication disorders for local, national, and international audiences. Her work can be found in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, Topics in Language Disorders, and the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology among other peer-reviewed journals.

Teaching Interests

Pediatric speech sound disorders, childhood language disorders, language-learning disorders like dyslexia, research methods in communication sciences and disorders, and clinical supervision of speech-language pathology graduate student clinicians

Research Interests

Major research interests incorporate the investigation of several aspects related to the early communication development of young children: (1) characteristics associated with early communication delay including potential deficits in speech sound productions, limited expressive language, and play skill development (2) assessment practices for early speech and language concerns including the use of communication samples and informal phonological analyses, (3) individualized early intervention strategies, and (4) influential early factors for infants/toddlers at risk for communication delays.

Service Summary

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE (SELECTED) 2024 - 2025: Guest co-editor, Special clinical forum on “Changemaker sessions at the 2023 ASHA Convention” in Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools; 2023 – 2024: Co-chair, ASHA National Convention, Language in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers topic committee; 2024 - present Editorial board member, Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (LSHSS); 2022 – 2023 Co-chair, ASHA National Convention, Language in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers topic committee; 2021 - 2022: Editorial board member, Journal of Speech, Language, & Hearing Research (JSLHR); 2020 - 2021: Editorial board member (EBM), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (AJSLP); 2020 - 2024: President, Nebraska Speech-Language-Hearing Endowment Fund (NSLHEF) board; 2019 – 2021; 2025: Invited member, ASHA National Convention, Speech Sound Disorders in Normal-Hearing Children topic committee; 2018 - 2024: Member, Nebraska-Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Continuing Education Committee; 2018 - 2021: Invited Reviewer, ASHA Foundation early career, doctoral, and graduate scholarship and research funding applications; 2017 – 2018: Co-chair, ASHA National Convention, Language in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers topic committee; 2017 - 2019: Faculty-Researcher Partner, ASHA PROmoting the next GENeration of Researchers (PROGENY) program; 2016: President, Nebraska Speech-Language-Hearing Association; 2016 – present: Editorial Board Member, Curriculum Teaching, Learning, and Leadership in Education UNIVERSITY SERVICE (SELECTED) 2025: Member (Search Advocate), Kinesiology Faculty Search Committee; 2024: Member (Search Advocate), Counseling Department Faculty Search Committee; 2023 – 2024: Reviewer, Buffet Early Childhood Institute Graduate Fellowship Scholars; 2023 - present: Reviewer, Speech-language pathology graduate program Fast Track applications; 2023: Member (Search Advocate), SECD American Sign Language (ASL) Instructor Search Committee; 2022 - 2023: Facilitator, Spark of Learning Community of Practice Book Discussion; 2021 – 2022: Facilitator, Relationship-Rich Education Community of Practice Book Discussion; 2020 – present: Graduate Program Chair, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders; 2019 – 2022: College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences representative and member, UNO Academic Assessment Committee; 2019 – 2021: Chair, Department Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee for Special Education and Communication Disorders (SECD) Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee; 2019 – 2024: UNO representative and member, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Interprofessional Education (IPE) Curriculum Committee; 2016 – present: Peer research mentor for departmental junior faculty member; 2015 – 2019: Reviewer, College of Education Student Clinical Practicum Awards; 2014 – 2023: Faculty Moderator, UNO Annual Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Selected Publications

Cabbage, Kathryn, Deveney, Shari. 2020. Treatment approach considerations for children with speech sound disorders in school-based settings, Topics in Language Disorders.

Deveney, Shari. 2019. Clinical challenges to assessing toddler speech sound productions., Seminars in Speech and Language.

Deveney, Shari, Cabbage, Katheryn, Mourey, Theresa. 2020. Target selection considerations for speech sound disorder intervention in schools, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Special Interest Group 16 Perspectives on School-Based Issues.

Deveney, Shari, Hagaman, Jessica, Bjornsen, Abby. 2017. Parent-implemented versus Clinician-directed Interventions for Late-Talking Toddlers: A Systematic Review of the Literature, Communication Disorders Quarterly, 39, 293-302.

Deveney, Shari, McKevitt, Brian. 2021. Interprofessional experience for future educational professionals: School psychology and speech-language pathology students.

Externally Funded Research

Early diagnostic signs of autism, NU Collaboration Initiative, State Agencies, 07/01/2017 - 06/30/2018

ASHA Advancing Academic Research Careers Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Associations/Foundations, 09/01/2016 - 02/28/2018

Media Contributions

Internet Publication, Siauliai University Media and Public Relations, Interview with Siauliai University (Siauliai, Lithuania) Media Specialist and Public Relations Director, Modestas Grigaliunas, and Amy Nordness, UNMC MMI Speech-language pathology Services Director, regarding US speech-language issues in early childhood, which was distributed to regional and national audiences interested in speech-language topics on September 13, 2018 https://www.tavovaikas.lt/lt/vystymasis/g-50360-ka-svarbu-zinoti-apie-suletejusia-kalbos-raida-ir-vaiko-kalbos-sutrikimus http://www.bernardinai.lt/straipsnis/2018-09-12-suletejusi-vaiko-kalbos-raida-ka-daryti/171758, 09/13/2018

Magazine, UNO Gateway, Interview with UNO campus newspaper, The Gateway, regarding an ongoing research project and student involvement in research with Hannah Lopez, SLP graduate student completing a thesis, on September 3, 2018 http://unothegateway.com/uno-professor-grad-student-study-early-signs-autism/, 10/01/2018

Newspaper, UNO University Communications, Along with undergraduate CDIS student, DaLeigha Ford, interviewed for "A Chorus of Mavericks" (2021, February). UNO University Communications.https://www.unomaha.edu/news/2021/02/a-chorus-of-mavericks.php, 02/01/2021

TV, News Channel Nebraska (NCN), "Access the Experts," partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and News Channel Nebraska (NCN), where viewers submit questions to be answered by UNO faculty members.DeVeney, S. (2021, April). What's the best way to prepare for raising a child who will likely have a developmental disorder?https://www.unomaha.edu/news/access-the-experts-with-uno/shari-deveney.php, 04/01/2021