ASHA's State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARs)
A State-Based Reimbursement Network
The State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARs) are ASHA-member audiologists and speech-language pathologists who advocate in their states for improved health care coverage and reasonable reimbursement. Their targets are key decision-makers in private corporations, public agencies, and the local legislature. Examples are health care insurance executives, benefits administrators, state insurance department officials, and state congress members. STARs create advocacy strategies and share skills with the state speech-language-hearing associations that appoint them.
STARs form a true network. They link states together and to ASHA through monthly conference calls, a STARs-only e-mail discussion group, and periodic meetings. STARs are individuals who:
- are proactive;
- will eagerly assist colleagues and others with advice and information;
- can help seek solutions when members face challenges to their economic viability; and
- must count on their colleagues (you) to help them effectuate positive changes in private health insurance and Medicaid.
Look for your state's STAR in the roster, below. Communicate reimbursement questions or concerns to your STARs!
Don't see a name for your state? Step up to the plate and get involved! How can you become a STAR? Contact your state association president to volunteer and your nearest STAR for details.
E-mail questions to
reimbursement@asha.org.
STAR Network Roster
Alabama
Hillary Harris (SLP)
hillaryharris@yahoo.com
Alaska
Nancy Lovering (SLP)
nlovering@gci.net
Arizona
Crystal Brooks (SLP)
crystalbrooksaz@gmail.com
Arkansas
Cheri Stevenson (SLP)
cheri@accessschools.org
California
Shellie Bader (SLP)
sbader@speechassociates.com
Colorado
Sarah Edler (SLP)
spedler27@yahoo.com
Connecticut
Meghan Gallagher (SLP)
megkrodel@gmail.com
Delaware
Kathleen Anderson (SLP)
centraldelawareslp@gmail.com
District of Columbia
No representative
Florida
Felice P. Abby (SLP)
Abby-SLP@comcast.net
Georgia
Margaret Ann Parker (SLP)
margaretaparker@bellsouth.net
Hawaii
Eva Koenig (SLP)
evekoenig@gmail.com
Idaho
Tammy Emerson (SLP)
ilvtalk@cableone.net
Illinois
Kim Pritikin (SLP)
kpritikin@therapycare.com
Indiana
Dee Combs (SLP)
dcombs@iuhealth.org
Iowa
Dr. Karen Bryant (SLP)
Karen-bryant@uiowa.edu
Dr. Melodie Maerz (AuD)
melodie.maerz@vgm.com
Kansas
Julie D. Stover (SLP)
hzleyedslp@gmail.com
Kentucky
Renea Sageser
renea.sageser@gmail.com
Louisiana
Cate McDonald (SLP)
caterubba@gmail.com
Maine
Kim Feeney (SLP)
palm073199tree@aol.com
Maryland
Lindsay Knobelauch (SLP)
lindsayslp@gmail.com
Massachusetts
Briana O'Neill (SLP)
boneillslp@gmail.com
Michigan
Tim Weise (SLP)
tweise@gchosp.org
Julie Pratt (SLP)
julie@therapyjackson.com
Minnesota
Sarah Hanson (SLP)
sarahchanson@hotmail.com
Mississippi
Linda Piazza (SLP)
llpiazza@bellsouth.net
Missouri
Heather Lazarides (SLP)
heatherlazarides@gmail.com
Montana
Carol Morse (SLP)
mumsey05@bresnan.net
Nebraska
Jessica Thoene (SLP)
Jessica@alpharehab.com
Cindy Johnson (A)
cyjohnson@childrensomaha.org
Nevada
Joyce Marston (SLP)
Marstonwellsaid@gmail.com
New Hampshire
Mary Carbonneau
mcarb@comcast.net
New Jersey
Barbara Schwerin-Bohus (SLP)
bschwerinbohus@hackensackumc.org
New Mexico
Michael Kaplan (SLP)
stachemannm@aol.com
New York
Amy Bamrick (SLP)
ABamrick@askbhsc.org
North Carolina
Cheryl Stephenson (SLP)
cstephenson@pedtherapy.com
North Dakota
Kitsy Radermacher (SLP)
Kitsy@beyondboundaries.us
Ohio
Terry Wiegel (SLP)
WiegelT@childrensdayton.org
Oklahoma
Teresa Bierig (SLP)
tabierig@yahoo.com
Oregon
Cassondra Quinn (SLP)
cquinn@pdx.edu
Pennsylvania
Kathleen R. Helfrich-Miller (SLP)
kathleen.miller54@verizon.net
Rhode Island
Robyn Earley (SLP)
robyn@massteximaging.com
South Carolina
Andrea Lary (A/SLP)
therapy@atmc.net
South Dakota
Laura Barbera (SLP)
speechgirl@rushmore.com
Tennessee
Bobbie Beckmann (SLP)
bobbie@spset.com
Texas
Shannon Butkus (SLP)
Shannon.butkus@butkusandassociates.com
Utah
Mindalyn Enlow (SLP)
Mindalyn.Enlow@imail.org
Vermont
Linda Hazard (AuD)
Linda.Hazard@vtmednet.org
Virginia
Amie Boone (SLP)
aboone@prfeeding.com
Washington (SLP)
Victor Moses
vmmoses@u.washington.edu
West Virginia
Pat Ford (SLP)
therapyllc@aol.com,
wassonford@aol.com
Wisconsin
Julie Gamradt (SLP)
Julie.gamradt@wisc.edu
Wyoming
Erin Page (SLP)
erinmichel@hotmail.com
The contact information was current at the time it was submitted to ASHA by the network representative.