Jerry K. Hoepner

Dr. Jerry K. Hoepner serves as Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire's College of Health and Human Sciences, where he has taught full-time since 2007 after beginning part-time in 2003. His roles include Student Engagement Coordinator and CSD Ambassadors Advisor, with clinical supervision remaining integral to his work.

His educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from UWEC, a B.S. in Psychology from Minnesota State University - Mankato, and an A.A. from Bethany Lutheran College. He holds ASHA Certification (CCC-SLP) and Wisconsin State Licensure.

Dr. Hoepner's research pioneers video self-modeling interventions, counseling methodologies, and healthcare perceptions for individuals with acquired cognitive-communication disorders, particularly traumatic brain injury (TBI) and aphasia. His innovative work encompasses the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp, Thursday Night Poets collective, and TBIconneCT/FUNconneCT social communication interventions. As co-founder of ASHA SIG20 for Counseling in CSD and the UWEC CSD SoTL Lab, he bridges scholarship with clinical practice while editing Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

His publication trajectory reveals intensifying focus on qualitative analysis of patient experiences, project-based rehabilitation techniques, and counseling integration within SLP practice, with recent work examining poetry interventions, telehealth delivery, and sociolinguistic assessment frameworks.

His distinguished recognition includes:

• ASHA Fellow designation (2021)
• UW System Regent's Teaching Excellence Award (2020)
• CAPCSD Distinguished Contribution Award (2023)
• Aphasia Access President's Award (2023)
• Multiple mentoring and scholarly honors

Dr. Hoepner has mentored countless undergraduate research projects and graduate committees while securing federal TBI grants. His clinical leadership extends through Aphasia Access podcast contributions and statewide intervention programs that transform rehabilitation paradigms.

His laboratory initiatives—including the SoTL Lab and project-based brain injury groups—embody his commitment to experiential learning, where students engage in camp immersion, clinical apprenticeships, and community-driven research that reshapes neurorehabilitation practices.