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The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) members have selected Elizabeth (Betsy) Crais to serve on the ASHA Board of Directors as the vice president for academic affairs in speech-language pathology. Her term will begin January 1, 2019, and she will serve a three-year term.

Crais, a longtime member of ASHA and former chair of its academic affairs board, was instrumental in developing two reports, “The Role of Undergraduate Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders,” which focuses on undergraduate education and “PhD Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Innovative Models and Practices,” which focuses on PhD education.

In her new role, she will serve as the liaison to the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Additionally, she will act as liaison and facilitator for the activities of the ASHA Committee of Chairs for Standards and Ethics. She will also gather information and make recommendations for actions to advance undergraduate and graduate education in speech-language pathology.

Sharon Wallace Williams, director of the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, said the profession would be well served by Crais’ leadership. “Her insights and experience will help us move forward with ASHA’s vision of making effective communication a human right, accessible and achievable for all.”

Crais joined the division as a full-time faculty member in 1987. She received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Her research interests include early identification and intervention for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), gesture development in infants and toddlers with typical or atypical communication skills, personnel preparation, and implementation of translational and community engaged research.