Dr. Rhea Paul is the Founding Chair and Professor, Department of Communications Disorders at Sacred Heart University.

Before coming to Sacred Heart, Paul was a research professor at the Yale Child Study Center, where she studied children with autism spectrum disorders. Prior to that, she was a member of the faculty at Southern Connecticut State University in the Department of Communication Disorders.

Paul came to SHU for the opportunity to begin a new program from the ground up, including hiring faculty, designing curriculum and clinical education, developing a program philosophy and using a range of innovative tools for teaching and learning. “I found this opportunity extraordinarily exciting. My discussions with the dean of the College of Health Professions convinced me that Sacred Heart was willing to devote the resources it would take to build a top-notch program, and my interactions with faculty and students persuaded me that it would be a fulfilling place to work.”

Paul holds a Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Brandeis University, a Master’s in reading and learning disabilities from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Doctorate in communication disorders from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.