Yvonne Wren is Chief Investigator of The Cleft@18-23 Study and Professor of Speech and Communication at the University of Bristol.

Yvonne’s research focuses on understanding the causes, best treatments and outcomes for individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate and also individuals with persistent speech disorder or communication disability unconnected to cleft lip and palate. Working in partnership with others, she has used a range of research methods across many studies including cohort studies where individuals are observed over time; qualitative research through interviews or focus groups; and intervention research using trials. Yvonne is also Chief Investigator of the Cleft Collective https://www.bristol.ac.uk/dental/cleft-collective/ and Director of Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/bristol-speech-language-therapy-research-unit/about-bsltru. She is also Professor of Speech and Language Therapy at Cardiff Metropolitan University https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/health/staff/Pages/Yvonne-Wren.aspx where she leads the Welsh Government funded Prosiect Pengwin.

Yvonne is senior research advisor to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist (RCSLT) and a member of the International Expert Panel on Multilingual Children’s Speech. The impact of her work includes the development of two sets of guidelines for the transcription and analysis of children’s speech with the Child Speech Disorder Research Network, both of which have been endorsed by RCSLT, and the identification of risk factors for persistent speech disorders, which has contributed to the All Wales Speech Pathway and clinical guidance provided by the RCSLT.