Anthony DeFeo, PhD

Anthony B. DeFeo was Clinic Director for the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences for over 25 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Montclair St. College, where he studied speech pathology as well as theater. His passion for helping people led him to Northwestern University, where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Speech and Language Pathology. He joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in 1981.

Tony was a master clinician, bringing his intellect, creativity, compassion, and humor to all that he did in the classroom and in the clinic. His teaching methods were legendary. Students especially recall learning from Dr. DeFeo about the diagnosis and treatment of syndromic and atypical clinical cases. He was a voracious consumer of the scientific literature and contributed his own insight and unique methods for diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders. Among his memorable contributions to the University of Arizona was his leadership in establishing the Grunewald-Blitz Children’s Clinic supported by the generous gift from the Abbey Grunewald Foundation.