CAA-accredited programs elect the academic and practitioner members of the CAA. Each program, whether accredited in audiology or speech-language pathology, may cast one vote for each vacancy on the CAA, regardless of whether the position is in audiology or speech-language pathology. Candidacy programs are not eligible to vote.
Program directors are encouraged to include all faculty in the relevant profession in the discussion regarding the vote to be cast by the program. Programs are encouraged to review the roles and responsibilities of CAA members as outlined in Part 2, Section V: Operation of the Council on Academic Accreditation in the Accreditation Handbook [PDF] when considering the candidates for each position.
The CAA provides the program director for each accredited program in good standing with voting instructions and a link to the election site. Online voting begins Monday, August 28, 2023, and ends Friday, September 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
All candidates will be notified as described in Chapter VI: Nominating Committee of the Accreditation Handbook. After the candidates have received notification, the election results will be announced via appropriate publication vehicles.
The CAA Nominating Committee developed the following slates of candidates to serve on the CAA beginning January 1, 2024. Accredited programs will select from among these candidates to fill the six vacancies.
Department Head/Audiology Program Director/SLP Program Director
Department of Communication Disorders, School of Allied Health Professions
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
I currently serve as Department Head, Audiology Program Director, and SLP Program Director at LSUHSC in New Orleans, LA. In addition to these administrative roles, I teach in the audiology program, supervise audiology students in the clinic, and mentor student research projects.
I have spent most of my career in academia and am knowledgeable of accreditation standards. I have been a CAA site visitor since 2011 and served on CAA council from 2014–2017 (Chair - 2017) and continued as a site visitor since 2018. Serving as Chair of CAA has been the most gratifying experience of my career, thus far. I learned first-hand about the numerous tasks and activities involved in the accreditation process. One of the most important things that I have learned from CAA is the value of each individual program and the review process considering the individual program’s mission and goals.
I have over thirty years of academic education experience. As department head, it is my responsibility to lead and maintain a successful department. It is also my responsibility as an educator and current clinical supervisor to ensure that each student is a competent, independent, and skilled clinician ready for success in clinical practice. Lastly, as a researcher, I recognize the importance of scholarly activity within a department and recognize the need for administrative support for success for junior faculty members.
I believe my knowledge and experience will allow me to be a valuable CAA member. Thank you for your consideration.
Associate Professor
Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences
Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Vanderbilt Wilkerson Center
Nashville, Tennessee
In 2003, I obtained a Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Curriculum Development. I specifically chose this path to gain evidenced-based knowledge and skills in the scholarship of teaching and learning to support my job responsibility of managing the curriculum and student advisement of our undergraduate program in speech pathology and audiology while working at Tennessee State University (TSU).
Additionally, at TSU, I was directly involved in curricular activities and served as Chair of the Curriculum Committee for several years. From 2012–2014, I led the design of a new speech language pathology curriculum to comply with CAA and CFCC standards, which was approved at all levels of the University. Prior to 2010, I collaborated with another faculty member to complete CAA annual reports and site visit reports for the department chair.
As an institution, TSU receives United States Department of Education Title III funds. From 2014–2021, I served as project director for several Title III initiatives. I facilitated the project entitled Increasing Student Learning across the Curriculum. I also coordinated or provided university-wide faculty development offerings in a project entitled Connecting Faculty Learning to Student Learning.
I am passionate about providing professional development opportunities and resources to faculty for student success, especially as we move to competence-based learning. I am confident that I have the experience and background to be an asset to CAA if chosen to join the CAA board.
Professor and Audiology Program Coordinator
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
I have been in academia since 1998, and I’ve been on faculty at five different universities. I have observed many changes to CAA Standards throughout the years. I was Department Chair for two years at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and I’ve been AuD Program Coordinator at Wichita State University since January 2019.
Prior to my stint as Chair at IUP, I was a CAA site visitor for a short period of time (I stopped being a site visitor when I accepted the Chair’s position). Although I only went out on one site visit, I learned a lot from Maurice Mendel who was Chair of our group. As AuD Program Coordinator, I’ve been in charge of updating and changing the curriculum to meet the 2020 Standards. I have helped with the wording for documentation specific to the AuD Program in Annual Reports at three universities. I am an advocate for changing how CSD students are taught at the undergraduate level to make them more prepared for graduate school and beyond.
I currently monitor graduate students’ clinical hours and semester evaluations that are put into the management system we use, and I help schedule clinical placements and activities to get students the experiences they need. As mentioned previously, I work with our students to find externship/residency sites and I make sure the affiliation agreements are updated between sites and our university. I’ve been attending the Audiology Clinical Education Network meetings to learn more about timelines and sites involved with those efforts.
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Grand Valley State University
Grand Rapids, Michigan
My 23 years as a speech-language pathologist have prepared me well for a position on CAA. As a faculty member for 11 years, and the director of an SLP master’s program for 8 years, I have participated in one candidacy and two full CAA site visits, the final two as program director. I have been integral in developing academic and clinical curricula, establishing policies and procedures, recruiting faculty, and each aspect of new program creation. I have participated in completing self-studies, preparing for site visits, and informing colleagues of the crucial aspects of accreditation. I have directed all aspects of program assessment and improvement.
I lead all efforts of clinical education in collaboration with the clinical coordinator and I directly supervise students offsite in their first pediatric practicum. I have taught face-to-face, hybrid, and online academic and clinical courses synchronously and asynchronously and have completed professional development on online pedagogy/andragogy.
While serving as program director, I have held governance positions within my university, including chairing the College Curriculum Committee and College Personnel Committee, and serving as Vice Chair of the University Academic Senate. These experiences have taught me how to craft, implement, and interpret policies and procedures.
I am passionate about ensuring that we prepare students to deliver the highest quality services to their future clients, patients, and students. I would be honored to serve our profession, and ultimately the recipients of our services, as a member of CAA.
Associate Professor
Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Hampton University
Hampton, Virginia
As a former department chair and graduate program director who has experienced three re-accreditation reviews and as a former CAA site visitor, I have seen the workings of the CAA from both vantage points. I understand the roles and responsibilities of programs in completing the accreditation application and preparing for the site visit, and I understand the roles and responsibilities of CAA site visitors in evaluating the evidence the programs provide to demonstrate compliance with the standards. Also, I understand that programs have the autonomy to decide the methods used to comply with the standards and that site visitors have the responsibility to evaluate that evidence using an independent lens rather than a comparative lens.
In 2018, as a member of the Multicultural Issues Board (MIB), I had the opportunity to participate in the development of a list of questions for CAA site visitors to ask in order to assist them with assessing how programs integrate cultural and linguistic responsiveness into multiple levels of training in their graduate programs.
I have worked in higher education for more than 40 years and I fully appreciate the challenges programs face in preparing the next generation of committed, well-trained professionals who are productive, innovative, and who embrace inclusive practices.
Clinic Director
Celebrations Speech Group, Inc.
Brentwood, California
Supervising Speech-Language Pathologist
Antioch Unified School District
Antioch, California
I am excited about this opportunity to join the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) as a practitioner volunteer. If elected, I would contribute over 20 years of hands-on professional experience as a speech-language pathologist working in public schools, private practice, and clinical teaching by supervising graduate students/clinical fellows in public and private practice settings. My expertise is in best practices in public school delivery, regulatory requirements in private practice, and using evidence-based practices in therapy to improve treatment outcomes.
While I may not have previous experience with academic accreditation, as I reflect on my career that began in 2001, I am reminded of how rapidly the populations we serve are expanding and how we continue to make advancements to meet the changing needs of these populations. This inspires me through this volunteerism to ensure that the training and services being provided by future clinicians are standardized and of high quality to continue to meet and exceed the needs of those we serve. Thank you.
Clinical Speech-Language Pathologist II
Texas Voice Center, Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston, Texas
Adjunct Faculty
Vocology Certificate Program
Lamar University
Beaumont, Texas
As a full-time speech pathologist specializing in complex disorders of the voice, upper airway, and swallow function, I believe that I am uniquely qualified to represent the challenge that it is to train and educate clinicians of all levels. I am grateful for my educational experiences as a speech-language pathologist and have served as a clinical supervisor to students of all levels since attaining my licensure. I have served as a graduate clinical extern supervisor for all years in my current position and am currently a supervisor for a clinical fellow in the areas of voice and voice disorders.
I strongly believe in clinical education and the standards that our practice has set. In my experience as a practitioner, I realize that these standards are first set and developed at the graduate education level. I believe in the mission of the CAA and have modeled my career on similar principles. I believe we should promote excellence as we prepare students in the areas of clinical practice, that we have a high duty and responsibility to protect and education the public, and that we can achieve these goals by encouraging collaboration and inspiration through reflection of our current educational practices.
Lead Speech-Language Pathologist (Elementary) and Exceptional Children Specialist
Bartlett City Schools
Bartlett, Tennessee
I have experience working in a variety of settings—acute care, adjunct professor, private practice, and schools. My heart always returns to schools. It is in the schools that I find the opportunity to make the greatest impact on not only the lives of the students on my caseload, but also the graduate students that I interact with as I supervise them in that experience. I serve as a guest lecturer at the local university and provide mentorship to graduate students.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Monroe City Schools
Monroe, Louisiana
I have been a direct service provider with Monroe City Schools for the past year. Prior to that, I spent 6 years in higher education as Clinic Director. In this role, I was directly involved in academic accreditation. I developed and implemented standards in normal times and throughout the pandemic. I have also supervised students in an off-campus capacity so I can offer valuable input from both sides of the table.