May 6, 2025 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo
The daughter of a farmer in rural Illinois, Pamela Hadley had no “schema” for becoming a university professor. But a high school career filled with self-expression helped guide her toward an illustrious academic career that was culminated with a top honor.
Hadley, the head of the Department of Speech and Hearing Science and a professor, was appointed as the inaugural Charles and Kay Stenberg Endowed Professor in Disability Research in a ceremony on April 30.
The appointment is a testament to Hadley’s decades-long dedication to advancing the science of language development in young children, particularly those with developmental language disorder, said Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences.
“Pam Hadley has made significant contributions to language science through highly regarded translational research, mentored numerous students into clinical and academic careers, and benefitted the department, university and profession at large through a variety of service activities,” Hanley-Maxwell said.
The named professorship “is an honor that is accorded to outstanding scholars who have well-established records of excellence in research, teaching, and public engagement,” Hanley-Maxwell added.
The professorship was made possible by a generous endowment from Charles and Kay Stenberg, both Illinois alumni who experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating life with disabilities in an era before the Americans with Disabilities Act. Though they have passed, their legacy lives on through their commitment to disability research and through the continued support of Kay’s brother, Hugh Wishart.
“Chuck and Kay were passionate about accessibility and believed deeply in supporting research that improves the lives of people with disabilities,” Hanley-Maxwell said.
Hadley also expressed deep gratitude to the Stenberg family, colleagues, students, and family members who shaped her journey.
“This is rightfully a shared honor,” she said. “I’m profoundly humbled to be named the Charles and Kay Stenberg Professor. The Stenbergs faced and overcame many barriers, and they endowed this professorship to help others do the same.”
Hadley reflected on a life shaped by both personal experience and professional purpose. Raised in rural Henry County, Illinois, she credited her parents for instilling in her a love for inquiry and compassion. Her father, a farmer, encouraged her to solve story problems at dinner. Her mother, a nurse, brought her along on Saturday visits to residents in a skilled nursing facility. “We’d call that volunteering as a conversational partner today,” she joked, noting it was her first exposure to the impact of communication in caregiving.
Her academic journey took her from Augustana College, where she experienced immersive clinical training, to the University of Kansas, where she joined a research preschool program that would shape her scholarly trajectory.
“It was in that preschool that I first noticed how children with communication disorders were not socially integrated,” she said. That observation led to a research assistantship, publications, and ultimately a Ph.D. in child language under the mentorship of Professor Mabel Rice.
Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell
Dean, College of Applied Health Sciences
Over her career, Hadley has led pioneering longitudinal studies that have reshaped how clinicians and researchers understand early language development. Her work has focused on early identification and intervention for children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)—a condition that affects 7 to 10 percent of school-aged children and often goes undiagnosed until it has already begun to impact learning and social development.
She led a groundbreaking multi-site clinical trial, supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, evaluating a parent-implemented language intervention.
“I’m thrilled to report that the caregiver-implemented intervention resulted in positive effects on vocabulary and grammar,” she said, noting that the professorship would play a critical role in disseminating these findings to clinicians and families.
As head of the Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Hadley led with empathy and pragmatism during the COVID-19 pandemic. She established virtual check-ins, championed remote accessibility, and helped the department resume clinical services quickly and safely. Her leadership style, she said, is grounded in the deep respect she holds for her colleagues and their shared mission: “to promote improved communication and health for individuals with disabilities across the lifespan.”
Throughout the ceremony, attendees were reminded of Hadley’s enduring commitment to education. Undergraduate and graduate students alike benefit from her guidance, both in the classroom and in the lab. As one of the few national experts on early grammatical assessment and intervention, her work translates directly into tools and strategies used by speech-language pathologists and parents.
In concluding her remarks, Hadley acknowledged her most personal source of support—her family. Her husband, Matt Rispoli, a retired SHS faculty member, and their daughters have shared in the journey.
“They’ve always graciously shared me with my students and my work,” she said, adding that the family’s shared love of hiking serves as a cherished escape from her many professional responsibilities.
As Dean Hanley-Maxwell presented the medallion that accompanies a named professorship, she emphasized what the moment represented: a celebration of achievement, but also a reaffirmation of the university’s mission to foster research that has real-world impact.
“Pam, your outstanding work has added to the prestige of this college and university,” she said. “We are grateful for and proud of your commitment to helping children with language disabilities get a better start in life.”
Editor’s note:
To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.
