Denise Cafarelli Dees

Director

Brain First in association with Healthcare Skills International

Biography

Denise began a career in clinical research, service, management and education in the field of communicative disorders at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the USA over 35 years ago. She has worked in both public and private healthcare, the medical device industry and taught at post-graduate degree level, as well as providing professional education. Denise headed the FDA clinical trial for cochlear Implants in Cleveland and again as director of the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre’s contribution to the Department of Health  study.  As Head of the Wessex Regional Audiology service, in the UK,  Denise implemented a large range of new services for both clinical services across the region but also in the development of the clinical teaching of Audiological Scientist on the MSc programme at the Institute of Sound &Vibration Research, Southampton University, where, as the first international  research fellow, Denise had previously researched the different technological innovations for NHS hearing aids.

Denise joined Cochlear Ltd. to lead their clinical trial of Neural Response Telemetry and is co-inventor of a number of patents in this field.

She has also served as an assessor of clinical competence and as an external examiner for professional organisations, hospitals and universities in the USA, UK and Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Australia for surgeons and other clinical team members, as well as device industry professionals.

Denise has worked in close partnership with Healthcare Skills Training International and most recently with Professor Shafi Ahmed in the joint post-graduate course: Digital Health Academy in the delivery of the Digital Health, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology.