In January 1979 she founded the Kazoo Speakeasy, Kalamazoo, MI. Soon after her surgery she began speaking to Elementary School Health classes about laryngectomy and the importance of a healthy life style as the best way to survive serious illnesses like cancer.

A Mayo Clinic Laryngectomee Rehabilitation Seminar in June 1979 led her to participate in several more Mayo Clinic Seminars to improve her own rehabilitation skills, and learn to teach others what she had learned over several years. In 1981 she attended her first IAL AM, followed by her first IAL Voice Institute in 1982. She has been listed in the IAL Directory of Alaryngeal Speech Instructors since 1984.

Her years of service include: the IAL BOD from 1983-1986, and 1996-2005. Elizabeth was appointed as IAL Vice President in August 2001 due to the death of Howard Moore, IAL VP. She was elected IAL President in 2002 at the Vancouver, B.C. Annual Meeting.

During her 20 years in California Elizabeth was a member of the Lost Chord Club of S. CA, better known as the "Hollywood" Club, and the Orange County Lost Chord Club. She also helped establish two new clubs: Nu Voice Club of the Valleys and Culver City New Voice Club. She was very active with CAL (California Association of Laryngectomees), and elected President twice for 2 year terms, 1989-90 and 1998-2000.

During her tenure with CAL she planned and executed several CAL annual meetings, and hosted the IAL Annual Meetings in Reno/1999, and in Anaheim/2004 as a member of the Orange County Lost Chord Club.

Some will remember Elizabeth, as they comment so often "you’re the woman that swims!" Returning to the water as a swimmer, boater and avid "fisherwoman" was another important goal, after eating and speaking again, of course. She learned about the Larkel during her pre-op counseling, and agreed to a fitting and training session with Dr.Damste, from the Netherlands, in the pool at the June, 1979 Mayo Seminar. In 1981 she became the U.S. Distributor for the Larkel for a few years. Traveling was enjoyable to various Clubs, State and Regional Annual Meetings to demonstrate and train laryngectomees and SLPs how the device should be used for safety. Unfortunately, the Larkel is no longer sold in the USA due to the fact that any legal issues must be settled in German Courts. Elizabeth began swimming without the Larkel years ago by occluding her stoma with her thumb, as an emergency measure just in case she fell overboard.

Since moving to Arizona in January 2005, Elizabeth has been active in the Nu-Voice Club of Southern Arizona, in Tucson, and the Phoenix Speakeasy. She has remained a member the Orange County Lost Chord Club, and stayed in touch with several other Clubs in S. CA. Recently she planned a Conference on the Queen Mary, in Long Beach, CA for the Orange County Lost Chord Club. As a volunteer for two IAL Committees in 2006-07 she was in involved in projects concerning the Clubs in the SW Regional States.

Elizabeth was returned to the IAL BOD with her election to a one year term. She is serving as Chair of the Public Affairs Committee, and the Prohaska Medical Financial Assistance Fund. Her other committee assignments include the first Executive Director Search Comm., Voice Institute Director Search Comm., and Speech Standards.

Elizabeth is the mother of six children; 4 sons & 2 daughters (age 50-36). They live in MI, OR, TN, and AZ. She manages to visit with each of them and her nine grandchildren as often as possible. Her hobbies include: writing articles and essays, reading, travel, cooking, knitting, container gardening, boating and fishing.