Christina Dastolfo-Hromack, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Human Performance - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Classification:

Faculty

• MS, University of Pittsburgh, 2011
• BA, Alleghany College, 2008

Dastolfo-Hromack C., Bush A., Chrabaszcz A., Alhourani A., Lipski W., Wang D. Crammond D.J., Shaiman S., Dickey M.W., Holt L.L., Turner R.S., Fiez J.A., Richardson R.M. (2021). Articulatory Gain Predicts Motor Cortex and Subthalamic Nucleus Activity During Speech.  Cerebral Cortex, 00, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhab251  

Jorge A., Dastolfo-Hromack C., Lipski W, Kratter I., Smith L., Gartner-Schmidt J., Richardson RM. (2020). Anterior Sensorimotor Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation is Associated with Improved Voice Function. Journal of Neurosurgery. https://doi.org/10.1093/neuros/nyaa024

Chrabaszcz A., Neumann W.J., Stretcu O., Lipski W., Bush A., Dastolfo-Hromack C., Wang D., Crammond C., Shaiman S., Dickey M., Holt L., Turner R., Fiez J., and Richardson RM (2019). Subthalamic nucleus and sensorimotor cortex activity during speech production. Journal of Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2842-18.2019

Lipski, W. J., Alhourani, A., Pirnia, T., Jones, P. W., Dastolfo-Hromack, C., Helou, L. B., Crammond, D. J., Shaiman, S., Dickey, M. W., Holt, L. L., Turner, R. S., Fiez, J. A., & Richardson, R. M. (2018). Subthalamic nucleus neurons differentially encode early and late aspects of speech production. Journal of Neuroscience, 38(24), 5620–5631. 

Dastolfo-Hromack CA, Thomas T, Rosen CA, Gartner-Schmidt J.  Singing Voice Therapy Outcomes.  The Laryngoscope. Nov 2016; 126(11): 2546-2551. 

Gartner-Schmidt J, Hirai R, Dastolfo CA, Rosen CA, Yu L, Gillespie AI. Phonatory Aerodynamics in Connected Speech.  The Laryngoscope.  Dec 2015; 125: 2764-2771 

Dastolfo CA, Gartner-Schmidt J, Carnes O, Gillespie AI.  Aerodynamic Outcomes of Four Common Voice Disorders: Moving Toward Disorder-Specific Assessment.  Journal of Voice. May 2016; 30(3): 301-7.

Zeigler A, Dastolfo CA, Hersan R, Rosen CA, Gartner-Schmidt J.  Perceptions of Voice Therapy from Patients Diagnosed with Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia and Benign Mid-Membranous Vocal Fold Lesions.  Journal of Voice.  Nov 2014; 28 (6):742-752.

Gillespie AI, Dastolfo CA, Magid N, Gartner-Schmidt J. Acoustic Analysis of Four Common Voice Disorders: Moving Toward Disorder-Specific Assessment. Journal of Voice. Sep 2014; 28(5):582-588

Dastolfo-Hromack C, Gartner Schmidt J, Young V, Gillespie A, Pirnia T, Richardson M, Shaiman S. (2018) Acoustic and Aerodynamic Comparison of Vocal Dynamics in Parkinson’s Disease and Vocal Fold Atrophy. Madonna Conference on Motor Speech, Savannah, GA. (Poster)

Lipski WJ, Alhourani A, Pirnia T, Jones PW, Dastolfo-Hromack C, Helou LB, Crammond DJ, Shaiman S, Dickey MW, Holt LL, Litman D, Turner RS, Fiez JA, Richardson RM. (2017). Speech encoding in the human subthalamic nucleus. Society for the Neurobiology of Language, Baltimore, MD. (Poster)

Dastolfo-Hromack, C., & Verdolini Abbott, K. (2017). Effects of Repetition on Phonation Threshold Pressure Task Performance. Fall Voice Conference, Washington, D.C. (Podium)

Gillespie AI, Dastolfo CA, Magid N, Gartner-Schmidt J. Acoustic Analysis of Four Common Voice Disorders: Movement Toward Disorder-Specific Assessment. (2014) Voice Foundation Symposium, Philadelphia, P.A.  (Podium)

Dastolfo CA, Thomas T, Rosen CA, Gartner-Schmidt J. Analysis of Singing Voice Therapy Effectiveness. (2014) The Fall Voice Conference, San Antonio, TX.  (Podium)

Dastolfo-Hromack C., Walsh E. (2020) Chapter 5: Evaluation of Neurogenic Voice Disorders. In D.O. Francis & P. Weissbrod (Eds.), Neurologic and Degenerative Diseases of the Larynx (p. 53-65), Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28852-5

Biography:

Ms. Dastolfo-Hromack joined the faculty at WVU in 2021. She provides clinical service and training for the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology.  Her clinical expertise is in voice, swallowing and adult neurogenic speech disorders.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, vocal performance, and was inspired to become a Speech-Language Pathologist because of her personal voice passion.  She is a recipient of the Audrey Holland Endowed Research Award and the National Institute of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award and is completing her doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Teaching: 

Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing (previously taught)

Current Service: 

Reviewer for Journal of Speech, Language Hearing Research (2019, 2020), Laryngoscope (2019) and Journal of Voice (2016-2019)

Member, ASHA 2020 Committee, Voice and Upper Airway Disorders 

Special Training

• Other Speciality Training, Speech Language Pathology
  University of Pittsburgh, 2011

Dr. Dastolfo-Hromack specializes in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing and voice disorders in adults.  She is a singing voice specialist and is certified in LSVT-Loud training for individuals with Parkinson’s Disorder.

Medical Specialties: 

• Singing Voice Specialist
• Stroboscopic, Acoustic and Aerodynamic Evaluation of Voice 
• Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion Disorder/Vocal Cord Dysfunction Therapy
• Chronic Cough Behavioral Therapy
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Swallowing Disorders
• Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

Special Training:

• Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, LSVT LOUD® trained
• SPEAK OUT! ® trained
• Somatic VoiceworkTM Lovetri Method, Level I certified