Christine Murphy Estes, M.M., M.A., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist specializing in voice and upper airway disorders, including phonotraumatic injury, neurologic voice disorders, chronic cough and respiratory issues, and age-related voice change.

As a trained classical singer, Ms. Estes has specialized expertise in the care of the professional voice. She has worked with award-winning singers, actors, voiceover and audiobook performers, comics, podcasters, and student performers with the goal of returning them safely and confidently to performance after experiencing a voice injury.

Ms. Estes recently joined Westchester Medical Center as lead voice specialist, where she is helping expand the Voice & Swallowing Program, the only interdisciplinary laryngologist/SLP program in the Hudson Valley, New York region. Prior to this, she enjoyed an 11-year tenure with Weill Cornell Medical College (NYC), where she was a senior SLP and founding member of The Sean Parker Institute for the Voice, contributing to its reputation as a prominent center for high-quality voice care and research.

Areas of Expertise

• Voice disorders
• Phonotraumatic injury
• Care of the professional voice
• Neurologic voice disorders
• Age-related voice change
• Gender affirming voice care
• Upper airway disorders
• Chronic cough
• Respiratory retraining

Education

• B.M., Vocal Performance, The Crane School of Music, The State University of New York at Potsdam
• M.M., Opera Performance, McGill University
• M.A., Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Hofstra University

Research

Ms. Estes is actively involved in clinical research. She is particularly dedicated to researching behavioral treatment outcomes and using this information to advocate for preventative and supportive care for occupational voice users, including performers, teachers, group fitness instructors, and all professionals who rely on the voice as part of their profession.

Publications

• Rives H, Clark CM, Estes CM, et. al. "Return to Vocal Performance Following Microlaryngoscopy in Singers." The Laryngoscope, 134(1), (2024) 329-334. doi: 10.1002/lary.30887
• Chadwick KA, Simpson CB, McGarey PO Jr, et. al. "Voice Change Following Testosterone Supplementation in Women: A Multi-Institutional Case Series." Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation, 35(6), (2021) 936.e1-936.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.03.008
• Estes C, Sadoughi B, Coleman R, et. al. "Phonotraumatic Injury in Fitness Instructors: Risk Factors, Diagnoses, and Treatment Methods." Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation, 34(2), (2020) 272-279. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2018.10.001
• Estes C, Sadoughi B, Coleman R, et. al. "A prospective crossover trial of botulinum toxin chemodenervation versus injection augmentation for essential voice tremor." The Laryngoscope, 128(2), (2018) 437-446. doi: 10.1002/lary.26911
• Estes C, Sadoughi B, Mauer E, et. al. "Laryngoscopic and stroboscopic signs in the diagnosis of vocal fold paresis." The Laryngoscope, 127(9), (2017) 2100-2105. doi: 10.1002/lary.26570
• Kerwin LJ, Estes C, Oromendia C, et. al. "Long-term consequences of vocal fold hemorrhage." The Laryngoscope, 127(4), (2017) 900-906. doi: 10.1002/lary.26302
• Estes C, Sulica L. "Vocal fold pseudocyst: a prospective study of surgical outcomes." The Laryngoscope, 125(4), (2015) 913-8. doi: 10.1002/lary.25006

View All Publications

Recent Presentations

• Voice Injury in Performers: A Survey Study of Treatment Outcomes (Podium) The Voice Foundation Annual Symposium – Philadelphia, PA – 6/2023
• Application of Motor Learning Principles to Facilitate Transfer of Voice Therapy Goals (Workshop) The Voice Foundation Annual Symposium – Philadelphia, PA – 6/2023
• Comprehensive Management of the Injured Singer: From Strobe to Success (Oral Seminar) ASHA Convention – New Orleans, LA – 11/2022 – moderator and speaker
• Beyond the Straw: Getting Voice Therapy Techniques Out of the Office and Into Real-Life (Masterclass) ASHA Convention – New Orleans, LA – 11/2022 – moderator and speaker
• Steroid Treatment of Vocal Performers: Making Evidence-Based Decisions (Virtual Podium) Performing Arts Medical Association Annual Symposium – 6/2021
• Integrated Care of the Performing Voice (Virtual Panel) Performing Arts Medical Association Annual Symposium – 6/2021
• Scientific Papers: Occupational Voice Injury (Panel Moderator) The Voice Foundation Symposium – Virtual – 4/2021
• Performers' Perceptions of Vocal Function During Steroid Treatment (Podium) The Voice Foundation Symposium – Virtual – 4/2021
• The Bread and Butter of Voice Therapy: Flow, Resonance, and Transfer (Co-Presenter with Doug Roth, SLP) The Voice Therapy Conference – Virtual Conference – 4/2021

Memberships and Affiliations

• Appointee of ASHA SIG3 Professional Development Committee (ASHA PDC)
• Graduate and Alumni Member of the ASHA Leadership Development Program (ASHA LDP)
• Recognized Vocologist, Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA-RV)
• Member of The Voice Foundation (TVF)
• Member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)
• Member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Papers

• Murphy Estes, C, Johnson A. Practical considerations for instrumental acoustic and aerodynamic assessment of voice: Discussion points from an open forum of clinicians. ASHA Perspectives 2023 (in press).
• Murphy Estes C, Flynn A, Born H, Clark CM, Sulica L. Performers with history of voice injury: A survey study of treatment outcomes and vocal function. Journal of Voice 2023 (in press).
• Rives H, Clark CM, Murphy Estes C, Sulica L. Return to vocal performance following microlaryngoscopy in singers. Laryngoscope 2023 (in press).
• Murphy Estes C, Chadwick K, Sadoughi B, Andreadis K, Sussman S, Sulica L. Performers’ perceptions of vocal function during steroid treatment. Laryngoscope 2022 Dec; 132(12): 2434-2441.
• Murphy Estes C, Chadwick K, Sadoughi B, Andreadis K, Sussman S, Sulica L. Prospective evaluation of singing on steroids: Testing the truth of received wisdom. Laryngoscope 2021 Oct; 131(10): 2298-2304.
• Murphy Estes C. Performers who teach fitness: Is the survival job a threat to the career? PAVA InFormant 2021; 2(2).
• Chadwick K, Simpson CB, McGarey P, Estes C, Nix J, Sulica L. Voice change following testosterone supplementation in women: A multi-institutional case series. Journal of Voice 2021 Nov; 35(6): 936e.1-936.e7.
• Estes C, Sadoughi B, Coleman R, D’Angelo D, Sulica L. Phonotraumatic injury in fitness instructors: Risk factors, diagnoses, and treatment methods. Journal of Voice 2020 March; 34(2): 272-279.