Bess Sirmon-Taylor has been appointed chair of ETSU’s Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
Sirmon-Taylor joins ETSU from the University of Texas at El Paso, where she served as associate dean for academic affairs.
“I was very motivated to come here,” said Sirmon-Taylor. “It’s a dream job. There’s a great reputation of this program on a national level.”
A licensed and nationally certified speech-language pathologist, Sirmon-Taylor earned a doctorate in linguistics from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in psychology from Georgia College and State University, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in audiology and speech-language pathology at Florida State University and an associate degree from North Florida Community College. She credits her extensive education in giving her the opportunity to be in a position of service to others.
“Yes, I can say I have done stuff, but the bigger deal for me is to be part of something bigger than myself,” said Sirmon-Taylor.
She said she has always been fascinated with language, particularly enjoying English classes when she was in school. She later paired this with science, which led her into the field of audiology and speech-language pathology. She worked as a clinical practitioner before beginning her full-time academic career at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Throughout her clinical and academic career, Sirmon-Taylor’s main area of research has been concussion management and ethics in health care and other professional disciplines. At the University of Texas at El Paso she collected and studied data about student athlete concussions. She also has an interest in policy and legislation and has conducted an analysis of concussion legislation in all 50 states.
Outside of work, Sirmon-Taylor is involved with From the Heart Animal Rescue, a charity organization based in Texas that aims to provide homes for abandoned, orphaned, abused, injured and special needs dogs. Along with her husband, she has fostered five dogs from the organization.
“In other circumstances, these are dogs that would have been put down,” she said.
Sirmon-Taylor succeeds Brenda Louw, who served as chair for 11 years before stepping down to focus on her research and teaching in the speech-language pathology master’s program and various personnel preparation grants.
“[Dr. Louw] did a great job,” said Sirmon-Taylor. “I have had the great fortune of becoming part of a system that is already in place and running very well.”
Heading into what will be a challenging and unpredictable first semester at ETSU due to Covid-19, Sirmon-Taylor finds inspiration in a quote from famous philosopher and psychologist William James.
“William James said, ‘It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which more than anything else will affect its successful outcome,’ ” she said. “I’m just so thrilled to be here, and my plan is to enjoy every minute.”
