Meet the Cast
It has been a two-year adventure adapting Dr. Blom’s previous in-person training into this digital format. This project has proved to be more challenging and more rewarding that we initially had planned for and we are pleased with the outcome. The following group of individuals will play a key role in your training and cannot be thanked enough for their generous offerings.
Byron J Kubik, MS, CCC-SLP
Byron is a speech pathologist and independent filmmaker with a BA in Linguistics from Brigham Young University and an MS in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2011 he was invited to take over Dr. Blom’s clinical practice and join him in 2012 to help teach his voice restoration course. Byron has managed hundreds of voice restoration patients from straight forward changes to the most difficult cases.
In 2020, Byron began work on this project to provide Dr. Blom’s training despite the limitations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Byron served as the writer, producer, director and editor of this project.
Financial Disclosures: Byron is the owner of Kubik Medical, LLC and draws a salary
Non-Financial Disclosures: Byron is colleagues with Dr. Eric Blom and has worked with him teaching this course since 2012.
Eric D Blom, PhD
Dr. Blom has dedicated the majority of his life to voice restoration. Together with Dr. Mark Singer he introduced what has now become the gold standard for voice restoration around the world. As an educator he has formally trained thousands of medical professionals on tracheoesophageal puncture voice restoration and has received more awards and honors than one can count.
Dr. Blom provided countless resources for this project including his first-hand account of the evolution of voice restoration which is now available for generations to come. As the person that has seen more voice restoration patients than anyone else on the planet, he has made an unparalleled contribution.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Dr. Blom is the co-inventor of the Blom-Singer® voice prosthesis
Stephen B Freeman, MD, FACS
Dr. Freeman has had a storied career as a Head & Neck surgeon in voice restoration. His first encounter with the technique came as a medical student watching Dr. Blom hand-make voice prostheses. He would later be formally trained by Dr. Ron Hamaker during his Head & Neck fellowship and eventually became partners in the practice with Dr. Blom. He has supervised the training of dozens of Head & Neck fellows and much of his practice has revolved around cancer management and voice restoration.
Dr. Freeman has been very generous with his time and support for this project and has been key in providing wonderfully instructive clinical and surgical images. His surgical perspective offers insights for any professional seeking to improve their own skills with this technique.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Dr. Freeman worked with Dr. Eric Blom at CENTA prior to Dr. Blom retiring at the end of 2011
Sandra Gregg
Sandra is a retired English teacher who can be found gardening at home if she is not off traveling the world. Along with her husband, Sandra has opened her home and her heart to the laryngectomy community. She has participated in many educational and outreach efforts and has assisted on occasion with the in-person voice restoration training course. She has been a great asset in the production of the digital version of this course and her experience with total laryngectomy and voice restoration will inspire all that hear it.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Sandra has undergone TEP voice restoration
Gretchen Lautzenheiser
Gretchen is a loving wife and mother who enjoys music, poetry and is about as nurturing as they come. Since her total laryngectomy, she has been a staunch advocate for new patients and is an active part of her local laryngectomy support group. Gretchen and her husband have been very generous with their time in the production of this training and offered encouragement when it was greatly needed. Her unfailing optimism comes through in this training and we hope it spreads to all that participate.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Gretchen has undergone TEP voice restoration
Vernon Turner
Vernon is an avid outdoorsman with quite the eye for photography. He spends most sunny days with his walking stick out on the trail, enjoying the fresh air and looking for visual treasures. He is the type of guy that will give you the shirt off his back which he did everything but in helping with the production of this training. His straightforward candor and advice will be beneficial for surgeons, speech pathologists and patients alike.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Vernon has undergone TEP voice restoration
Marianne Wright
Marianne is the matriarch of a large family with an even larger heart. As a professional teacher she loved watching her students learn and grow. Following her total laryngectomy she applied her teaching skills to instructing clinicians and surgeons in the “hands-on” portion of this course. Marianne passed away during the production of this training and will be greatly missed.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: Marianne has undergone TEP voice restoration