Rebecca Alper

REBECCA ALPER

LICENSED SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST/ PROFESSOR

Class of 2022 BEQ Pride LGBTQ Leader Under 40
(She, Her) is 33

What do you believe is your responsibility to this moment in history?

My responsibility to this moment in history is to keep growing in all my roles as an individual and community member. Listen and be heard; observe and be seen; support and ask for help; produce my best work and take naps; reduce short-term harm and advocate for lasting change.

Rebecca Alper is an openly queer, licensed speech-language pathologist and fifth-year assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders within the College of Public Health at Temple University. Her work includes clinical behavioral assessment research, as well as research on the development, implementation and evaluation of clinician and caregiver-mediated early language and literacy interventions. 

The goal of her research program is to improve language, academic and health outcomes of at-risk children from birth to five years old through family-centered early intervention. Rebecca’s clinical–translational research is collaborative and community-oriented. Duet, one of her two funded clinical trials, focuses on developing parent-coaching programs for families from culturally and linguistically (English and Spanish) diverse backgrounds who have historically been underserved. Her approach is human-centered and intentionally antiracist, anti-classist and anti-bias. 

Rebecca promotes health equity by supporting high-quality, caregiver-child interaction. Her research program is thriving at Temple with established community and healthcare (e.g., the Department of Pediatrics) connections. She has obtained extramural federal and foundation funding as a principal investigator (PI) or sharing leadership responsibilities as Co-PI with the total award amount exceeding $1.4 million. Rebecca hopes LGBTQ+/SGL people can devote more time and energy to developing talents and passions rather than fighting against marginalization and discrimination. Rebecca is doing her part.