Associate Professor and Director of Speech Pathology
To see if Lisa Marie Evangelista is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Dysphagia
Head and Neck Cancer
Laryngology
Swallowing Disorders
Otolaryngology Speech Audio Clinic
2521 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 916-734-5400
Dr. Lisa Evangelista is an Associate Professor and Director of Speech Pathology at the UC Davis Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and is actively involved in clinical practice, academic research and educational training. She is a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders and serves as the chair for Head and Neck Cancer Issues for the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association convention and Executive Board of Directors for the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. She provides comprehensive diagnostics and contemporary management of swallowing dysfunction following surgical interventions and radiation therapy for head and neck cancers.
Dr. Evangelista's research focuses on improving functional clinical outcomes following surgical and medical treatments for head and neck cancers. Her academic interests include swallowing physiology following radiation therapy, alaryngeal voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy surgery, and quality of life outcomes following surgical and medical interventions in head and neck oncology. In addition to lecturing nationally and internationally on diagnostics and therapeutics in swallowing rehabilitation, she has authored peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on dysphagia in head and neck cancers. She is involved in global outreach and is a UC Davis Global Affairs Seed Grant recipient with a focus on establishing a clinical education and research program in Kenya.
Head and Neck Surgery
B.A., California State University, Fresno, Fresno CA 2007
M.A., Speech Pathology, California State University, Fresno, Fresno CA 2009
C.Sc.D., Doctor of Clinical Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 2014
Speech-Language Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh PA 2012-2014
UC Davis Global Affairs Seed Grant for International Activities titled "Developing a Sustainable Community-Based Educational, Clinical, and Research Outreach Program for Swallowing Disorders in Head and Neck Surgical Patients in Kenya", 2024,
American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, Executive Board Member, 2023
American Speech-Language & Hearing Association, Head & Neck Committee, 2020, 2021
Jonas Salk Fellowship Award, 2013
Evangelista L, Nativ-Zeltzer N, Bewley A, Birkeland AC, Abouyared M, Kuhn M, ... & Belafsky, P. Functional Laryngectomy and Quality of Life in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer with Intractable Aspiration. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 2024; 150(4), 335-341.
Colback AA, Arkfeld DV, Evangelista LM, Paydar A, Raslan O, Abouyared M, Cates DJ. Effect of Sarcopenia on Swallowing in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2024.
Zhao NW, MacDonald BV, Pietrowski JR, Laus J, Evangelista LM, Joseph I, ... & Belafsky PC. Clinician accuracy in identifying essential laryngeal landmarks on swallowing fluoroscopy. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. 2023.
Dhar SI, Nativ‐Zeltzer N, Starmer H, Morimoto LN, Evangelista L, O'Rourke A, ... & Belafsky P. The American Broncho‐Esophagological Association position statement on swallowing fluoroscopy. The Laryngoscope, 2023; 133(2), 255-268.
Ramaswamy AT, Cates D, Evangelista L, Srikanth M, & Belafsky P. Tongue base augmentation to improve swallow function in a cadaveric model. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, 2023; 8(2), 505-507.
Evangelista LM, Farwell DG. Swallowing Therapy in Head and Neck Cancers & Late Effects of Therapy in Head and Neck Cancers. Bailey's Head & Neck Surgery Otolaryngology. Book chapter. 2022.
Kuhn MA, Evangelista LM, Belafksy PC. Functional Assessment of Swallowing. Bailey's Head & Neck Surgery Otolaryngology. Book chapter. 2022.
Evangelista LM, Andrews T, Nativ N, Nachalon Y, Kuhn M, Belafsky P. Association of functional outcomes in tracheoesophageal voicing with intratracheal pressures and esophagram findings. JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. 2021; doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2021.2409
Nativ Zeltzer N, Kuhn MA, Evangelista L, Anderson JD, Nolta JA, Farwell DG, ... & Belafsky PC. Autologous Muscle‐Derived Cell Therapy for Swallowing Impairment in Patients Following Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer. The Laryngoscope, 2022; 132(3), 523-527.
Cates DJ, Evangelista LM, Belafsky PC. Effect of Pretreatment Dysphagia on Post-chemoradiation Swallowing Function in Head and Neck Cancer. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 2022; 01945998211009853.