John Edward "Jay" Riski Jr. was born: June 19, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois, and passed away
December 23, 2023 in Sandy Springs at the age of 75.
Anyone who met Jay knew of his love for his family, the outdoors, and his immense passion for
his patients and colleagues. Jay leaves a powerful legacy in the Speech Pathology community
and continues to be a part of our world. He will be missed beyond measure.
Jay is survived by Maureen Cassidy Riski, his wife of 31 years, his two daughters Madison
Camille Riski and Meredith Cassidy Riski. Other survivors are Jesse I Wood IV, son-in-law,
Janice Eleanor Bennafield, sister, Suzanne Camille Chandler, sister, Eveann Marie Mcbride,
sister, Mercita Adrienne Ramos, sister, Gregory Thomas Riski, brother, as well as a multitude of
nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, John Edward Riski Sr., and Virginia May
Riski. Jay is also predeceased by Jerome Nicholas Riski, brother and Virginia May Cadenhead,
sister.
Jay began his education in the primary school, Christ the King, and graduated from Tampa
Catholic High school, both in Tampa, Florida. He began his higher education at St. Petersburg
Jr. College (Florida), then earning his M.S. at the University of South Florida (Tampa), then his
Ph.D. at the University of Florida (Gainesville).
His career lead him to Duke University, Medical Center (1978 - 1994) then Children's
Healthcare of Atlanta, Scottish Rite , where he was Clinical director of the Craniofacial center
(1994 - 2022). Some of his many work highlights were Contributions to ACPA, Team
Coordinators Forum Committee. 1980-1982, Interprofessional Programs Committee, 1981-1982,
Task Force in Financial Resources of Cleft Lip and Palate Patients, 1982-84, Editorial Consultant
to Cleft Palate Journal, 1983, Velopharyngeal Competence, Symposium Co-chair, 1987-1988,
Time and Place Committee, 1985-87, Symposium Committee, 1986-88, Interdisciplinary
Advisory Board, 1988, Audio-Visual Committee (Chair) 1989-1991, Editor Search Committee
1990, Program Committee (Chair, Study Sessions) 1991-1994, Symposia Committee,
1991-1993, Continuing Medical Education Committee, 1992-1995, Education Committee, 1994,
Executive Council. 1993-1996, Database Committee (Member), 1991 – 1995, Board of Directors
(Committee Member), 1995 – 1996, Vice President, 1997 – 1998, Management and Finance
Committee (Member), 1999 – 2000, Co-Chair, Local Arrangements Committee (2000 Meeting),
President-Elect, 1999 – 2000, President, 2000 – 2001, Education Committee, Committee
Member, 1992 – 2001, CPCJ Editorial Board, Section Editor, Speech Pathology, 2000 – 2001,
Infrastructure Task Force (Committee Member), 2001-2002, Past-President, 2001-2002, Honors
and Awards Committee, (Committee Member), 2001 – 2002, Clinical Outcomes Research
Council (Member), 1997 – 2003, Database Committee (Chair), 1995 – 2005, Preconference 2008
Faculty (Member), 2008, Clinical Trials/Outcomes Studies Task Force, Member, 2004 – 2010,
Database Committee, Member 2006 – 2010, Preconference 2011 Faculty (Member), 2011, Data
Standards Committee (Member). 2009 – 2012 and Parameters Committee (Member), 2011 –
2014.
Other leadership and service contributions of Jay's were North Carolina Speech, Hearing and
Language Association, Professional Standards and Review Organization Committee, 1980-1983,
Convention Planning Committee, 1981 and 1982, Parliamentarian, 1981, Research Committee
(Chair), 1985-86, Finance Committee, 1988-89, Convention (Vice-Chair) 1988-89, Convention
(Chair) 1989-90, Finance Committee, 1990-1991, Membership Committee (Chair) 1990-1991,
President Elect, 1990-1991, President, 1991-1992, Past-President, 1992-1993, Velocardiofacial
Syndrome Educational Foundation, Board of Directors, Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing
Association, Taskforce on Treatment Effectiveness (Co-chair) 1995 – 1999, and Legislative
Committee, 1996 – 1997. He also provided Service to the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association with these contributions: Program Committee, Speech Disorders-I subcommittee,
1984, Congressional Action Contact, District 4, North Carolina, 1978-1982, Congressional
Action Contact, District 2, North Carolina, 1983-1988, Educational Technology Committee,
1981-1985, Program Committee, Speech Disorders-I subcommittee, 1986, Congressional Action
Contact, Senator Terry Sanford (D), North Carolina,1988-1992, Congressional Action Contact,
Senator Lauch Faircloth (R), North Carolina,1993-1994, Program Committee, Speech
Disorders-Il subcommittee, 1993, Special Interest Division 3: Voice, Special Interest Division 5:
Speech Science and Orofacial Disorders, 1996, Present Chair Special Interest Division 13:
Dysphagia Special Interest Division Consensus Conference on Medical Speech Pathology (7/95),
Section Editor for Voice and Resonance, and American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
1996 -1999.
Editorial Responsibilities for Jay were: Section Editor, Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, Speech
Pathology, 1999-2000, Section Editor, American Journal of Speech Language Pathology,
1996-1999, Associate Editor, NC Speech Hearing Language Assoc. Communiqué and
Newsletter, 1981-85, Section Editor, American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Editorial
Consultant and Book Reviewer to Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, Section Editor for Speech,
Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 2000, Reviewer and Discussant, Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery Journal, Reviewer, Journal of Medical Speech Language Pathology, Reviewer, Language
Hearing and Language Services in the Schools. Jay earned the following awards and honors:
Clinical Achievement Award, North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, 1985,
Fellow, American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1992, Clinician of the Year Award,
Georgia Speech Language and Hearing Association, 2005, Visiting Speech Pathologist and
Lecturer, Smiles International Foundation, 2016, and he evaluated over 17,500 individual
children at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 1993 – 2021.
Jay found time for his hobbies and activities, such as, work in the yard, play with his beloved
yellow lab Jerry, coach his girls in softball, spend time with Maureen and smoke a nice cigar and
watch any college sporting event.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 11AM in the funeral home chapel. The family will receive friends from 10AM until the time of service at Northside Chapel Funeral Directors. The service will be livestreamed via the funeral home website https://www.northsidechapel.com/obituaries/John-Riski/#!/TributeWall . The Riski family will have a reception after the service at their home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations me made to the ACPA John Riski Speech Scholarship Fund: https://acpa.app.neoncrm.com/forms/15