Dissertation proofreader

Can't give you place-specific advice since I assume you are in the US but I would hazard a guess that most proofreaders have an academic degree, so you won't need an 'academic' proofreader per se. So, Google?

That said, walking around my campus I always see ads for proofreading services. If there are none, you could send an email to your department admin. Alternatively, if your uni has an accessibility/disability department, they probably cater to dyslexic students, and could point you to their contacts.

There are lots of academic proofreaders. The biggest challenges are going to be cost and quality. Simply put, at the level you're at, most proof-reading services aren't going to be very good. A service that is aimed primarily at undergraduates just won't cut it, nor will a service that is aimed primarily at people in fields where writing quality isn't always the expectation. You need someone who has a PhD in a humanities field. There are people out there, but they tend to be pretty expensive ($30 an hour at the low end but likely more). While she doesn't do dissertations anymore, TS Mendola notes on her website that she will refer to editors who do. It might be worth asking for such a referral.

Also, there is a big difference between proofreading and editing. A proofreader is really only necessary at the final stage, when the content is in solid shape. But it sounds like you are earlier than that, perhaps that you have a full draft but your committee isn't happy with it for various reasons. While an editor may be able to get you to a draft that you are happy with, they can't make your committee happy if they are insane (and it sounds like they might be). Sympathies, and I hope you find what you're looking for.

I meant to add the link to TS Mendola's page: http://www.tsmendola.com/editing-services

Sara Saylor copyedited my dissertation in Comp lit. She’s incredible: https://www.sarasaylor.com

There are many academic proofreaders for you to choose from. Always get a free sample edit on a paragraph of your document before agreeing to have a paper proofread or submitting payment. Many people have hired a proofreader who didn't do the work as expected or who didn't finish the proofreading by the deadline. If you choose an editing and proofreading services company, make sure you check the reputation of the company by looking for third-party ratings and reviews. Some editing and proofreading services companies assign a proofreader to your dissertation, while others require you to choose your proofreader. In either case, you want to get a free sample edit so you understand what you can expect from the service.

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