About Kelly Nett Cordero, PhD, CCC-SLP
Kelly Cordero, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual (English-Spanish) speech-language pathologist and co-medical director for Phoenix Children's Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Care. She also serves as the manager for Cleft and Craniofacial Rehabilitation Services.
Dr. Cordero studied communicative disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning her bachelor's degree in education in 1996. In the summer of 1997, she completed advanced Spanish coursework in Mexico. The following year, she obtained her master's degree in speech-language pathology with a bilingual specialization from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 2008, Dr. Cordero earned her PhD in speech and language pathology from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Her dissertation was on the assessment of cleft palate articulation and resonance in familiar and unfamiliar languages - English, Spanish and Hmong.
Dr. Cordero is affiliated with and has served in leadership positions with multiple professional organizations, including the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association (ACPA). She is an active presenter and clinical researcher in the area of outcomes for cleft palate speech.
In addition to her practice, Dr. Cordero serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University in Phoenix.
Medical School / Education
(PhD) University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
(MA) University of Texas at Austin, TX
ASHA Awards for Continuing Education (ACE), 2000-2004, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021
Diversity Champion, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2009
Professional Affiliations
American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA)
American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association (ACPA)
Kurnik, N., Weidler, E, Lien, K., Cordero, K., Williams, J., Temkit, M., Beals, Singh, D, and Sitzman, T. (2020) The Effectiveness of Palate Re-Repair for Treating Velopharyngeal Insufficiency" A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 57(7) 860-871. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32070129/
Chapman, K., Baylis, A.L, Trost-Cardamone, J., Cordero, K.N., Dixon, A., Dobbelsteyn, C., Thurmes, A.K., Wilson, K.D., Harding-Bell, A., Sweeney, T., Stoddard, G., Sell, D. (2016). The Americleft Speech Project: Training and reliability outcomes. Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, 53(1), 93-108. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25531738/
Cordero, K.N. (2008). Assessment of Cleft Palate Articulation and Resonance in Familiar and Unfamiliar Languages: English, Spanish, and Hmong. Doctoral Dissertation published by ProQuest/UMI. https://conservancy.umn.edu/items/0d2852d3-7831-442b-91d4-03eb6f4b3c83
1R56DE031253 Nancy Scherer, PhD, CCC-SLP (PI) Validating an objective assessment of speech outcomes of children with cleft palate pre and post-secondary surgery. Goal: To validate the artificial intelligence algorithm developed for assessment of cleft palate speech (Scherer and colleagues 2018-present) on a new speech sample and younger populations. Role: Site PI (data collector)
R01 DE027493 Kathy Chapman, PhD, CCC-SLP (PI) 2018 - 2023 (will be extended) A comparative effectiveness study of speech and surgical treatments using a Cleft Palate Registry/Research Outcomes Network. Goal: To compare speech outcomes from different surgical treatments of cleft palate across multiple clinics in the U.S. Role: Site PI, Collaborator (data collector & expert listener)