Shelagh Davies, MSc’75 (Left) accepting her UBC Alumni Builder Award at the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 13, 2019.
Knowing that we’re stronger together, a small group of UBC’s first graduates formed alumni UBC on May 4, 1917. Now we’re more than 348,000 strong, spanning over 148 countries.
The Alumni Builder Awards were established as part of alumni UBC 100, the alumni association’s centennial, to recognize alumni who, in their own way, have made important contributions to the success of UBC and its alumni community. The awards are presented by alumni UBC on the recommendation and in partnership with UBC’s faculties, advisory councils, and other leadership groups.
Shelagh Davies, MSc’75, is awarded an Alumni Builder Award for her outstanding contributions to the field of speech-language pathology education and research and to the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences within the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Shelagh’s impact stretches far and wide.
Throughout her career, Shelagh has been passionate about vocal rehabilitation for performing artists. This led her to develop the Sound Voice Workshop, which ran for over 20 years. The program provided cost-effective voice therapy for performers and much-needed voice placements for students from the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences.
Shelagh has been internationally recognized for her work in the field of transgender voice. She is first author of a document written for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Published in 2015, this document summarizes current practice and evidence-based approaches to transgender voice therapy and has been viewed over 16,000 times.
In 2004, Shelagh developed the “Changing Keys” program, which provides voice and speech feminization for transgender people. Now in its 19th year, the program is still running, still free of charge, and now is offered throughout British Columbia.
To measure treatment outcomes for the Changing Keys program, Shelagh created an informal questionnaire which formed the basis of the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire, Male to Female. The TVQMtF, developed in a collaborative project with Australian colleagues, has since been translated into 13 languages with 6 more pending.
Shelagh with her family at the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences 50th Anniversary Celebration
At UBC, as a Clinical Assistant Professor, Shelagh has given clinical instruction and mentoring to students and other speech-language pathologists wishing to learn more about the field of voice. From students, to performers, to the gender diverse community, her work has truly changed lives and serves as an inspiration to all.
Please join us in recognizing Shelagh for her service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. Tuum Est!
In all, 13 Alumni Builders are being recognized this year. A complete list of recipients can be found at www.alumni.ubc.ca. Recipients will be recognized throughout the year at a host of alumni programs and special events.
To learn more about alumni UBC, Alumni Builder Awards Program and other initiatives, we invite you to visit the www.alumni.ubc.ca
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