President's Initiative 2023: ASHA Innovators

Throughout 2023, we celebrated innovation by recognizing ASHA Innovators on social media, an initiative envisioned by 2023 ASHA Board President Robert M. Augustine, PhD, CCC-SLP.

Robert defined innovation as "the courage to pursue change when conditions present opportunities," and these 74 members from across the country embody that idea.

See how these members are making their mark on the field of communications sciences and disorders.

On this page:

Northeast Innovators

Sheeva Abolhassani

Sheeva Abolhassani

Massachusetts
Founder/Speech-Language Pathologist

Dawn Cotter-Jenkins

Dawn Cotter-Jenkins

New York
Director of Clinical Education and Services

Cate Crowley

Cate Crowley

New York
Professor of Practice

Shruti Deshpande

Shruti Deshpande

New York
Associate Professor & Director, AuD Program

Jorie Foer

Jorie Foer

Rhode Island
Speech-Language Pathologist

Catherine Fredericks

Catherine Fredericks

New Jersey
Speech-Language Pathologist, ATP/CAS

Gabriella Gizzo

Gabriella Gizzo

New York
Speech-Language Pathologist

Farwa Husain

Farwa Husain

New Jersey
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist

Andrea Liacouras

Andrea Liacouras

Maryland
Owner/Audiologist

Stephanie McMillen

Stephanie McMillen

New York
Assistant Professor

Erin Milewski

Erin Milewski

Pennsylvania
Speech-Language Pathologist

Susan Ostrowski

Susan Ostrowski

Connecticut
Reading2Connect, Co-Creator/Owner

Diane Reid

Diane Reid

Maine
Speech-Language Pathologist

Sulare Rose

Sulare Rose

Washington D.C.
Speech-Language Pathologist

Alexandria Russell

Alexandria Russell

Pennsylvania
Speech-Language Pathologist

Nancy Steinbock

Nancy Steinbock

Massachusetts
Speech-Language Pathologist

Corinne Zmoos

Corinne Zmoos

Maryland
Speech-Language Pathologist

Southeast Innovators

Lauren Abremski

Lauren Abremski

Florida
Speech-Language Pathologist

Rachel Archambault

Rachel Archambault

Florida
Speech-Language Program Specialist

Sydney Bassard

Sydney Bassard

North Carolina
Speech-Language Pathologist

Judy Batista

Judy Batista

North Carolina
Speech-Language Pathologist

Michelle Dawson

Michelle Dawson

South Carolina
Speech-Language Pathologist, SLP Podcaster, Author, Adjunct Faculty

Deanna Gray

Deanna Gray

Mississippi
Speech-Language Pathologist

Joselynne Jaques

Joselynne Jaques

North Carolina
Speech-Language Pathologist

Sucheta Kamath

Sucheta Kamath

Georgia
Founder/CEO ExQ

Carol Koch

Carol Koch

Alabama
Graduate Program Director/Professor

Jessica Lenden-Holt

Jessica Lenden-Holt

Tennessee
Chief Clinical Officer, Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist

Leslie Lopez

Leslie Lopez

Louisiana
Assistant Professor

Laura McWilliams

Laura McWilliams

North Carolina
Supervising Acute Speech-Language Pathologist, Rehab Leader

Shae Morgan

Shae Morgan

Kentucky
Associate Professor

Mariah Morton

Mariah Morton

Alabama
Speech-Language Pathologist/PhD Candidate

Lauren Schwabish

Lauren Schwabish

Virginia
Speech-Language Pathologist/Owner of Neuro Speech Services

Carla "Brandi" Smiley

Carla "Brandi" Smiley

Georgia
Mobile Audiologist

Grace Sturdivant

Grace Sturdivant

Mississippi
Founder, OtoPro

Jaimee Szymanski

Jaimee Szymanski

West Virginia
Speech-Language Pathologist

Adria Thompson

Adria Thompson

Kentucky
Speech-Language Pathologist

Rinki Varindani Desai

Rinki Varindani Desai

Mississippi
Medical Speech-Language Pathologist

Courtney Willis

Courtney Willis

Texas
Owner/Director

Southwest Innovators

Jennifer Casteix

Jennifer Casteix

Arizona
Clinical Professor

Barbara Fernandes

Barbara Fernandes

Texas
Founder and CEO of Smarty Ears and Smarty Symbols

Laura Green

Laura Green

Texas
Professor

Averie Hinchey-Lucas

Averie Hinchey-Lucas

Oklahoma
Speech-Language Pathologist at Oklahoma ABLE Tech

Nancy Kuhles

Nancy Kuhles

Nevada
Speech-Language Pathologist/Educational Consultant

Nathalie Lebrun

Nathalie Lebrun

Texas
Owner & Founder of LifeSpeak, LLC

Ana Paula Mumy

Ana Paula Mumy

Texas
Program Director & Associate Professor

Ingrid Owens-Gonzalez

Ingrid Owens-Gonzalez

New Mexico
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist

Alayna Townsend

Alayna Townsend

Texas
Clinical Educator and Lecturer

Western Innovators

Jennie Bjorem

Jennie Bjorem

Colorado
MA, CCC-SLP

Anna Black

Anna Black

California
Teleaudiology Program Manager

Kristina Blaiser

Kristina Blaiser

Idaho
Professor

Melissa Fryer

Melissa Fryer

Oregon
Clinical Assistant Professor

Jovany Gonzalez Estrada

Jovany Gonzalez Estrada

California
President of J&S Pediatric Therapy

Adriana Lavi

Adriana Lavi

California
Director

Kelley O'Toole

Kelley O'Toole

Montana
Speech-Language Pathologist

Amy Pace

Amy Pace

Washington
Assistant Professor

Kim Reddig

Kim Reddig

Nevada
Speech-Language Pathologist

Shirley Sigmund

Shirley Sigmund

California
Speech Pathologist

Amanda	Stead

Amanda Stead

Oregon
Associate Professor

Rebecca von Duering

Rebecca von Duering

Washington
SLP - Clinical Lead

Theresa Jingyun Yao

Theresa Jingyun Yao

California
Senior Speech-Language Pathologist (Stanford Health Care) and Adjunct Professor (San Jose State University)

 
 
 

Midwest Innovators

Sarah Baar

Sarah Baar

Michigan
Speech-Language Pathologist

Hannah Boeck

Hannah Boeck

Kansas
Speech-Language Pathologist, Marketing Director

Krista Davidson

Krista Davidson

Iowa
Clinical Associate Professor

Meaghan Foody

Meaghan Foody

Iowa
Clinical Assistant Professor/Speech-Language Pathologist

Naomi Gurevich

Naomi Gurevich

Indiana
Associate Professor

Mary Huston

Mary Huston

North Dakota
Department Chair, Program Director, Associate Professor

Ellen Mackowiak

Ellen Mackowiak

Ohio
Speech-Language Pathologist

Danielle Osmelak

Danielle Osmelak

Illinois
Assistant Professor

Louise Pinkerton

Louise Pinkerton

Iowa
Clinical Assistant Professor

Whitney Postman

Whitney Postman

Missouri
University Researcher

Dani Scott

Dani Scott

Minnesota
Assistant Professor

Chisomo Selemani

Chisomo Selemani

Ohio
Associate Professor

Preeti Sivasankar

Preeti Sivasankar

Indiana
Department Head and Professor

Mandy Williams

Mandy Williams

South Dakota
Speech-Language Pathologist and Associate Professor

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