Leadership Development Program

Ready, Set, Lead!

What is ASHA's Leadership Development Program (LDP)?

The Leadership Development Program is a year-long program for ASHA members with leadership potential. The program encourages you to develop your leadership skills and give back to the professions through volunteering—whether with ASHA, at your workplace or for a related professional organization.

Here is what current Leadership Development Program participants are saying about the most rewarding aspects of the LDP:

• Collaborating with colleagues
• Learning new ideas/strategies for setting goals, formulating a project and articulating a vision
• Being able to discover my strengths and challenges as a leader and to develop those further along with my colleagues
• Gaining leadership perspective from professionals
• Gaining a leadership support staff of friends

2021 LDP Cohorts

LDP General Cohort – Kicks off April 2021 (CE information, faculty bios, disclosures [PDF])

This is a general cohort for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in any work setting. 

LDP Health Care Cohort – Kicks off July 2021

The cohort kicking off in Summer 2021 is for health care-based audiologists and speech-language pathologists. 

What are the components of the Program?

If selected, you must commit to all program components:

• Participate in a full-day Leadership Development Program face-to-face workshop.
• Participate in scheduled webinars over the course of the next year on selected leadership topics.
• Develop and complete an individual leadership project.
• Actively participate on your learning team.

What is a Learning Team?

Participants are assigned to a learning team made up of other participants. Participants meet/work with their teams in-person at the workshop and virtually throughout the year. A learning team serves as a participant's project advisory group. Teams are meant to be independent and schedule their own virtual team meetings spread over the year. Additionally, they are to provide a venue for deeper interactions and exploration of the content provided by the LDP webinar sessions.

Leadership Projects

Individual learning projects are focused on the workplace or a community or other volunteer organization, with the elements involving leadership activities such as working with a team or gathering the support of stakeholders. Examples include:

• Working on a project for your state association.
• Developing a support group or family training program.
• Working with a team to implement a new clinical or educational program.
• Working to advocate for reimbursement, legislation, or policy change.

Note: While ASHA encourages participants to use their leadership skills to collaborate with various stakeholders associated with their projects to accomplish project goals, participation in the LDP does not imply ASHA’s endorsement or official support of participants’ projects. Prior ASHA approval must be obtained before using ASHA's name on any communications associated with participation in the Leadership Development Program. Please contact governance@asha.org if you have questions about the possibility of using ASHA’s name in your efforts to gain visibility for your project.

What are the dates for the 2021 Leadership Development Programs?

The Leadership Development Program for Audiologists and Speech-language Pathologists will have a virtual kick-off on April 22, 2021.

The LDP Health Care cohort will kick off in July 2021. Location TBD.

Is there a fee to participate?

Yes. If your application is accepted, there is a tuition fee of $350, which covers the face-to-face program, one night's hotel accommodation, program materials, and webinars. If you choose not to use the hotel, the fee is $250. Please contact the Leadership Development Program Team for more information at governance@asha.org.

Who can apply?

The LDP seeks energetic people who are motivated to influence professional issues in speech-language pathology or audiology. Each program accepts 30 participants selected through a competitive application process. Preference is given to members who belong to a Special Interest Group, as well as to past members of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA). You must be an ASHA member to apply. 

LDP for audiologists and speech-language pathologists applicant requirements:

• Current ASHA member.
• No prior participation in a previous LDP cohort.
• No prior service as a chair on an ASHA committee, board, or council. No past, current, or incoming service on the ASHA Board of Directors. Leaders in state associations are welcome to apply.
• Past or present ASHA committee, council, board members (ethics, financial planning, etc.), and SIG coordinating committee members welcome to apply.
• Able to commit to participate in the year-long program and complete all program requirements. 

LDP Health Care applicant requirements: 

• Current ASHA member.
• No prior participation in a previous LDP cohort.
• Employment in a health care setting.
• No prior service as a chair on an ASHA committee, board, or council. No past, current, or incoming service on the ASHA Board of Directors. Leaders in state associations are welcome to apply.
• Past or present ASHA committee, council, board members (ethics, financial planning, etc.), and SIG coordinating committee members welcome to apply.
• Able to commit to participate in the year-long program and complete all program requirements. 

How do I apply?

The application period for the Leadership Development Program for the general cohort has closed. The application period for the next general cohort will open in November 2021.

The application period for LDP Schools will open in January 2022.

The application process is online, and a link will be made available when it opens. 

Questions?

Contact Mike Providence, Volunteer Operations Manager, at governance@asha.org.