meet sylvia

Sylvia Rotfleisch is a LSLS Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist and licensed audiologist who has been in private practice in the Los Angeles area for over 3 decades. Receiving a Master's degree from McGill University, there she had the opportunity to train closely and be mentored by Dr. Daniel Ling. Dr. Ling, the world renowned authority in the field, author and originator of the Ling Six sounds and the globally practised speech protocol for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Dr. Ling’s Master’s program taught a unique curriculum with strong foundational skills which Sylvia has honed over the decades to become a globally respected professional and thought leader in the field. With an undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy, Ms. Rotfleisch brings a constellation of skills to her work with families of children with hearing loss and additional disabilities.

Experiences in classroom work at the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, in clinical teams in a medical model while at the House Ear Institute and in consultation for multiple schools and programs, have given her a perspective across the field which enhances her provision and success with services for children learning to listen and use spoken language. Ms. Rotfleisch has published several articles and book chapters and is well know for her article Soda Bottles and Submarines which colleagues use regularly. As a lecturer at University of Southern California's John Tracy graduate training program, including their Distance Education program as well as at California Lutheran University School of Education she has contributed to advancing the field through training the next generation of professionals.

Sylvia is an engaging speaker and trainer who presents internationally at conferences and conventions on Auditory-Verbal Therapy, teaching speech through listening, and speech acoustics to both professionals and families. Her expertise is sought out to provide in-service training programs throughout California, to school district personnel who strive to improve student outcomes through listening and spoken language for their deaf and hard of hearing students.

Considered a subject matter expert and a thought leader in the field, she has served on numerous committees related to the areas of education for the hearing-impaired individuals. Volunteering in the field, she has served several terms as the President of California Chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf as well as other executive positions on the board and as a general Board Member. She has been, and continues to be, actively involved in the A. G. Bell Academy of Spoken Language certification processes and various aspects of the certification exam.