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This is another in a series of occasional ASHA Executive Director updates. These updates are intended to provide ASHA members with a more in-depth view of various National Office units, their key member services and the names and roles of ASHA staff in those units. Information about staff changes and ASHA National Office recognitions/awards is also included.
Many thanks to those of you who have provided feedback regarding the previous updates (posted on the ASHA Web site) or suggestions for future ED updates
This update focuses on the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association - on the occasion of it's 35th anniversary - Happy Anniversary!
A complete schedule of NSSLHA's 35th anniversary activities is available on the NSSLHA Web site.
Since the early 1970s, students have belonged to the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (and for decades before, NSSLHA's predecessor Sigma Alpha Eta), which has served as a pre-professional bridge to countless careers in audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech-hearing science.
NSSLHA's Mission
As the pre-professional membership association for students interested in the study of communication sciences and disorders, NSSLHA's mission is:
- To advocate for students at the national, state, and local level;
- To forge professional relationships between audiologists and speech-language pathologists;
- To provide resources to prepare students to become efficient professionals, and;
- To provide an entry into the professions and to facilitate the successful transition from NSSLHA membership to professional association membership.
National membership is available to any full-or part-time student enrolled in a bachelors, masters, or doctoral program and who has not obtained certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
NSSLHA is an autonomous student-run association governed by a 15 member board (the "Executive Council") composed of 10 students (representing graduate and undergraduate programs and both disciplines of speech and audiology) and 5 consultants.
The NSSLHA Executive Council meets twice a year to establish organization policies for our 13,000 members and 306 local chapters, to advocate for student issues, to award grants and honors to members of the association and to recognize ASHA members who have been instrumental in the academic success of students. The Council also provides oversight of NSSLHA's 15 national programs and member benefits:
- Advocacy Program for Students
- CSD Career Awareness Month
- CSD Student Survival Guide
- Graduate School Fair
- NSSLHA Day at the ASHA Convention
- NSSLHA Honors Program
- "NSSLHA Loves" Campaign
- McKinley Regional Project Grants
- Community Service Grants
- NSSLHA Member Community (Members Only)
- CICSD Mentoring Program
- NSSLHA Scholarship Fund
- NSSLHA Now!
- Contemporary Issues in Communication Science and Disorders
- NSSLHA Day Ambassador's Program (Members Only)
NSSLHA's Regional Councilors also serve as student representatives on ASHA's Board of Division Coordinators, Legislative Council, Multicultural Issues Board and the Council for Clinical Certification. NSSLHA's Convention Consultant is a member of ASHA's Scientific and Professional Educational Board.
NSSLHA's national office operations are managed by a full-time director of operations and part-time administrative assistant. The NSSLHA team works collaboratively with ASHA staff to ensure that NSSLHA members receive prompt customer service. They also focus their work on communicating NSSLHA member benefits and keeping students informed of opportunities.
NSSLHA uses two electronic publications to communicate with its national members - "In the Loop" and "NSSLHA Today."
"In the Loop" is a monthly e-zine available to national members of NSSLHA.
"NSSLHA Today" is a monthly e-zine available to the local chapter advisors and officers.
ASHA Boards, Committee, and staff interested in communicating with students are encouraged to use these resources at no cost. Submissions may be sent to nsslha@asha.org and are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dawn Dickerson, Director of Operations
ddickerson@asha.org
Blanca Mikesell, Administrative Assistant
bmikesell@asha.org
Happy 35th Anniversary NSSLHA from all of us at the ASHA National Office!
National Office Staff Updates
The following individuals are new to the ASHA staff since February 2007:
- Jerome Abellano, PC Support Specialist
- Brian Deenihan, Director, Assets and Corporate Partnerships
- Leigh Deussing, Assoicate Director, Special interest Division Programs
- Irina Plotnikova, Professional Development Program Assistant
- Kris Weaver, Business Analyst
- Jingfen (Jennifer) Wu, Programmer Analyst
- Yasha Zislin, Network Engineer
The following staff has changed positions within ASHA:
- Natasha Taylor, Registration Manager, (formerly Action Center Specialist)
The following individuals have left ASHA to pursue other opportunities:
- Angie Kennedy (retired), Sr. Administrative Assistant for Office of Multicultural Affairs
- Iris Smorodinsky, Librarian
- Jennifer Thomas, Administrative Assistant for Science and Research
Recent ASHA and ASHA National Office/Staff Awards
The following ASHA staff members were recently recognized for their years of service:
- 20 Years - Michelle Ferketic, Claudette Quashie
- 15 Years - Leah Byndon, Bruce Fagin, Maureen Thompson, Manny Torres, Mona Thomas
- 10 Years - Janet Brown, Roseanne Clausen, Chuck Cochran, Eileen Crowe, Maggie Del Pino, Vic Gladstone, JoAnn Janhunen, Doris Johnson, Nina Kranz, Connie Maynard, Sharon Moss, Rob Mullen, Rosemary Okafor, Michael Shapiro
- 5 years - Michael Cannon, LaTonya Davis, Marni Gronski, Taniza Holmes-Craggette, Kristin Howard, Mike Jeffries, Ingrida Lusis, Lisa Rai Mabry-Price, Pat McGrory, Deedee Moxley, Parrish Swann, Natalie Wilson
Next Executive Director Update: Survey and Information Unit.
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