Leaving Their Marks
This summer saw the retirements of Karen Helfer and Lisa Sommers from Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
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This summer, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) bid farewell to two long-term faculty members with the retirements of Karen Helfer and Lisa Sommers.
Their tremendous dedication, impact, and decades of mentorship have left their marks on generations of students – shaping the educational, clinical, and research landscape of their community.
Karen Helfer
After earning her undergraduate degree at Boston University and a Master’s in Audiology from Indiana University, Karen Helfer began her career as a clinical audiologist at the Keene Clinic in New Hampshire. Her growing interest in research and teaching led her to Northwestern University, where one bold (and only!) Ph.D. application set her on the path to an extraordinary academic career.
Helfer joined UMass Amherst after completing her doctorate and has been part of the SLHS community ever since. Over the next 37 years, she has taught, mentored, led, and researched with energy and vision for her career. On a traditional timeline she earned her tenure, while candidly acknowledging that her promotion to full professor took longer than expected thanks to her early commitments to service and less-than-optimal research training during her Ph.D.
With persistence and mentorship, she secured her first NIH grant, a milestone that allowed her to build a nationally recognized research program. Shortly after this she was promoted to full professor and continued to thrive in building her research program and teaching students.
Her scholarship focused on the effects of aging on hearing and speech perception in complex listening environments. Her lab was among the first to study how middle-aged adults perform in these settings, uncovering subtle differences in how noise versus competing speech impacts understanding. In recent years, they have focused on what happens when people need to listen while balancing or walking. The research shows individuals who are middle age to older adults may be negatively impacted when people simultaneously engage in a demanding listening task. Helfer’s research has unfolded important implications for aging population and led to avenues of research.
Although she once declared she had “no interest in administration,” Helfer served as interim department chair in the Department of Communications Disorders (now Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences) and later accepted the permanent role. To her surprise, she found deep satisfaction in leadership and continued to foster department culture and success. That experience eventually changed her path on campus as she continued her career as a Chancellor’s Leadership Fellow and, most recently, as Associate Dean of Graduate, Postdoctoral, and Faculty Development in the College of Natural Sciences. In this role, she has supported and championed faculty across all stages of their careers.
Nationally, she contributed to her field as a member and chair of ASHA’s Research and Scientific Affairs Committee, where she mentored early-career researchers and led grant-writing workshops that shaped the next generation of scientists. Earlier this year, Karen Helfer and her co-authors received the Editor’s Award from the American Auditory Society, an organization dedicated to research engineering, clinical practice and care, and the audiology industry.
Colleagues know her for her creativity, persistence, and her willingness to propose ideas that ranged from unconventional to groundbreaking. Through it all, she has always emphasized that “it’s all about the people”—a value reflected in her teaching, mentorship, and leadership.
As she retires, Helfer looks forward to new adventures: travel, volunteering, creative projects, and yes—even more pickleball. Plans already include a cross-country road trip and future journeys to Bermuda and Alaska.
Reflecting on her time at UMass, she hopes to be remembered not only for her scholarship and leadership, but also for the relationships she built along the way. Her parting words are simple and sincere: “I am so grateful that you were part of my journey. Thank you.”
The SLHS community wishes Karen Helfer a retirement full of unexplored terrain, patio palomas, and fulfillment beyond measure. Thank you for the countless hours of dedication, collaboration, and impact within and outside of UMass!
Lisa Sommers
After nearly four decades in the field of speech-language pathology, Lisa Sommers is retiring from her role as Clinical Associate Professor and Clinic Director in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her career has been defined by clinical expertise, academic leadership, and tireless advocacy for individuals with communication and swallowing disorders.
Sommers earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, graduating summa cum laude from Bowling Green State University, and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Kent State University. From the start, her work reflected deep compassion, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for helping people with communication and swallowing challenges to take ownership of their recovery, adapt, and thrive.
Her early career included clinical roles in rehabilitation hospitals in New England, as well as starting a private practice in Downeast Maine, showcasing both her entrepreneurial drive and her commitment to expanding access to care in underserved regions. Over the years, she lived in Maine, New York, Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, where she provided clinical services, held rehab management roles, and developed programs for patients with neurogenic disorders, voice and motor speech challenges, and developed an expertise for working with people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
In 2014, Sommers joined UMass Amherst, where she served for more than a decade as Clinical Associate Professor and Clinic Director of the Center for Language, Speech, and Hearing. While there, she prioritized the hands-on clinical training experience for graduate students, ensuring they were well-prepared for professional success. She leaves behind a thriving clinic and an enduring legacy of student-centered leadership, innovation, and compassion.
Sommers’ impact has extended far beyond campus. She has presented nationally and internationally and co-authored the book Make Your Voice Heard! Healthy Communication and Parkinson’s Disease. Her long-standing collaboration with the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA) led to the development of communication and swallowing wellness programs, national presentations, and public education initiatives that continue to benefit countless individuals living with Parkinson’s disease.
At UMass Amherst, Sommers also served on many committees ranging from the HIPAA Council to the SLHS Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, while playing a vital role in coordinating off-campus placements and ensuring all SLP students graduate eligible for endorsement for the Massachusetts Educator License. She coordinated many interprofessional education activities with other healthcare programs, both on- and off-campus. Her leadership ensured that students received exceptional training in diverse settings and were guided by the values of equity, ethics, and excellence.
Sommers holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS), and is trained in LSVT LOUD® and other evidence-based interventions. She has been an active member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, the Massachusetts Speech and Hearing Association, and the Pioneer Valley Interprofessional Practice and Education Collaborative.
Sommers’ retirement from UMass marks the closure of an extraordinary chapter in her career. Her legacy—as a clinician, educator, mentor, leader, and advocate—will resonate for years to come. Her colleagues, students, and the many individuals and families she has served join in celebrating her career and wishing her exciting adventures, unforgettable memories, and great joy in this next chapter.
To commemorate her retirement, Sommers shares her professional background, passions, and immense gratitude in her farewell note to alumni, colleagues, friends, and family.