Education
- MS, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1993
- BS, Pfeiffer University, 1986
- Graduate Certificate, Global Public Health, UNC-CH, 2016
Personal Statement
I am a clinical associate professor and clinical education coordinator for the MS program in Speech-Language Pathology. I began my career in the home care setting, where I served families and homebound children and adults with communication disorders. This broad foundation in multiple areas of the speech-language pathology scope of practice prepared me to facilitate students’ exploration of various client populations and settings.
I have longstanding interests in English as global language of communication and in bilingual individuals with communication disorders. I coordinate an annual conference focused on best practice for serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations. I also direct a community-based learning program in Guatemala, with a focus on technical assistance, program development and long term sustainability. My research interests include improving speech intelligibility and enhancing social communication, especially in bilingual populations.
I currently serve members of the UNC community (faculty, staff, students, visiting scholars) with communication enhancement goals, including academic English pronunciation. I am a member of ASHA Special Interest Groups in Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Related Disorders; Cultural and Linguistic Diversity; and Administration and Supervision.
Courses Currently Taught
- SPHS 521: Human Communication Across the Lifespan (Experiential Education)
- SPHS 751: Communication Disorders: Global Service Learning
- SPHS 762: Language Impairments in School Age Children
- SPHS 774: Professional Development in Speech-Language Pathology
- SPHS 778: Culturally and Linguistically Responsive SLP Practices
Clinical and Research Interests
Global English pronunciation
Bilingual speech and language development and disorders
Functional goals and outcomes, quality of life measures
Recent Presentations
I have given numerous local, state, national and international presentations related to working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, assessment and treatment of unintelligible speech, and task-based functional outcomes that enhance quality of life. I have presented on these topics to local school systems, the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association (NCSHLA), Southeast University Clinical Educators (SEUCE), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Universidad Rafael Landívar (Guatemala) and Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (Portugal).
Professional Organizations
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association (NCSHLA)
American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP)