Kathryn Dorney

Kathryn Dorney is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University (WCU), part of the College of Health and Human Sciences. She joined WCU in 2022 and holds a BA from CUNY Queens College, an MA from Hofstra University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• MA, Hofstra University
• BA, CUNY Queens College

Research Focus: Kathryn specializes in pediatric clinical instruction, focusing on adult responsivity in language intervention for early communicators, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and emergent literacy instruction. Her work emphasizes evidence-based decision-making in therapeutic interventions.

Teaching: She teaches courses related to child language development and clinical practices in communication disorders. Her approach integrates theoretical knowledge with practical clinical skills.

Affiliations: Office located in Room 178 of the Health and Human Sciences Building. Contact: (828) 227-3279 or kdorney@wcu.edu (she/her/hers).