Spenser Halfyard

Spenser Halfyard

M.Sc., R.SLP, SLP(C)
Speech-Language Pathologist

Spenser began working as a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) in May 2021. She completed her Bachelor of Arts majoring in linguistics, minoring in psychology at the University of Alberta in 2018.

She began volunteering with ISTAR during her undergraduate degree, eventually accepting a position as a Research Assistant in 2017 and 2018. She then completed her Master’s of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Alberta in 2020. During her Master’s degree, Spenser was the recipient of multiple scholarships including the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, Deborah Kully / Alberta Elks Foundation Scholarship, Elks & Royal Purple Fund for Children Susan Lane Scholarship, and E William Kuder Memorial Graduate Scholarship.

As part of her Master’s, Spenser was privileged to work under Clinic Director, Holly Lomheim and Ashley Saunders for ISTAR’s first virtual clinic for her final clinical placement. With this opportunity, she developed valuable clinical skills in specialized fluency assessment and treatment in addition to flexible clinical decision-making to adjust evidence-based programming for each individual client’s needs.   

Spenser is thrilled to be a part of the ISTAR team and community. She is honoured to be part of a research organization that is committed to furthering research in stuttering while continuing to fulfill her passion in helping individuals find their voice. 

Spenser has completed specialized training or holds certifications in the following areas:

  • Lidcombe Program for preschool and school-age children
  • Comprehensive Stuttering Program (CSP)
  • Palin Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Early Childhood Stuttering (Palin PCI)