President

Elizabeth Burns, CCC, SLP

Carbaro, NC

Beth Burns received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently the Lead Speech-Language Pathologist for Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, where she has worked for the past thirteen years. She is based at Rashkis Elementary School, where she works with students who have a variety of communication disorders. Beth's past service to NCSHLA includes: Secretary to the NCSHLA Board of Directors from 2002 until 2004 and Assistant Chair and Chair of the NCSHLA Fall Conference from 2005 until 2006. Beth's husband, Keith, is an attorney practicing in RTP. They have an eleven year-old son, David, and an eight year-old daughter, Sarah-Catherine.

Past-President

Mary Ruth Sizer

Boone, NC

Mary Ruth Sizer, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA, received her undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology at Columbia College in Columbia South Carolina, and her master's degree in audiology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently is the director of the Communication Disorders Clinic at Appalachian State University and serves as a clinical audiologist, hearing aid dispenser, and clinical professor in the Communication Disorders Program. Prior to employment with Appalachian State, she worked for the Orange County, Florida public schools as an educational audiologist. In addition to her involvement in NCSHLA, she is a member of the Continuing Education Board of ASHA.

President-Elect

Linda Wortman Lowe

Morganton, NC

Linda currently serves as the Director of the Speech Language Pathology Assistant Program at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Prior to this position she served as the Director of the Early Communication and Learning Lab to provide assistive technology resources to preschoolers and their families. Linda has served NSCHLA as a Board Member- at- Large from 2000-2002 and as a member of the Education and Public Information Committee from 2004 to 2009. Linda is an active member in the North Carolina Association of Supervisors in Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology (NCASSPA) and currently serves as SLP -Assistant Liaison representative. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Speech Pathology from Appalachian State University and has been a career long member of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Secretary

Shawna Pearce

Raleigh, NC

Member-at-Large

Linda S. Bowers

Cullowhee, NC

Member-at-Large

Louise Raleigh

Greensboro, NC

Louise Raleigh is a nationally certified and state-licensed speech-language pathologist. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Assistant Director of the Speech and Hearing Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her areas of clinical and research interest include reading disorders and clinical education and supervision. She has provided speech-language services in a variety of settings to individuals across the lifespan. She is a member of several professional organizations including the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the North Carolina Association of Supervisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (NCASSPA), and the North Carolina Speech, Hearing and Language Association (NCSHLA). She is a past president of NCASSPA and currently serves on the Board of Directors of NCSHLA. In 2008 she was honored as the North Carolina Supervisor of the Year by NCASSPA.

Member-at-Large

Betty L. Smith

Ayden, NC

Member-at-Large

Robin C. Gillespie

Durham, NC

Robin Gillespie, PhD, CCC-SLP received her undergraduate degree in Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her graduate degree in Communication Disorders from North Carolina Central University, and her PhD in Curriculum and Teaching/Cultural Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is currently a clinical supervisor at NCCU where she serves as the supervising clinician for a charter school in Durham, NC. Her research interests include culturally responsive supervision, teaching, research, and service delivery in the discipline of speech-language pathology. She is an Allocations Committee Member for Durham's Partnership for Children as well as a career coach for Futures for Kids (F4K). In her spare time, Robin can be found playing piano, writing, bowling with her daughter Leoncia, watching her son Jharrison play football, or traveling with her husband Harry.

Member-at-Large

Susan Chapman

Membership Chair

Karen Downes

Nominations Chair

Bliss H. Warren

Ms. Warren has been working in the field of Speech Pathology since 1986 and has had experience with both adults and children. She is currently a Clinical Professor in the Communication Disorders Program at Appalachian State University where she provides services in the evaluation and treatment of speech-language disorders in young children. She has been involved with a three year preschool literacy grant at Appalachian State University and the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, Project SIFTOUT/SCRIPT through FRANK PORTER GRAHAM. Bliss serves as a guest lecturer for communication disorders courses and has presented at the local, state and regional levels in her area of expertise. She serves on the Local Interagency Coordinating Council in Watauga County. Bliss has served on various NCSHLA committees for the past several years and is currently the chair of nominations for NCSHLA and NCASSPA.

Education & Public Information Co-Chairs

Colette Edwards

Greensboro, NC

Perry Flynn

Greensboro, NC

Chair of Convention Committee 2010

Pam Holmes

Raleigh, NC

Vice-Chair of Convention Committee

Fran Boyd Mitchell

Greensboro, NC

Chair of Fall Conference - SLP 2010

Tim Harris

Boone, NC

Tim Harris is a professor in the Communication Disorders Program at Appalachian State University. He has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels of the program, and served as a clinical supervisor. Administratively, he has served as director of the ASU Communication Disorders Clinic and as chairperson of the department of Language, Reading, and Exceptionalities. He has been a member of NCSHLA since 1988, and has served NCSHLA in a variety of ways over the years, most recently as SLP chairperson of the 2009 Fall Conference. In his spare time, he enjoys fly fishing with his father, playing music and singing, and spending as much time as he can time with his two granddaughters, Clara and Nora.

Vice-Chair of Fall Conference - SLP 2010

Randi Powell

Vice-Chair of Fall Conference - Audiology 2010

Angela Bright Pearson

Communique Editor - Audiology

Tracie Rice

Cullowhee, NC

Communique Editor - Speech Language Path.

Sherry Curtiss

Sherry Curtiss is a speech language pathologist in Rocky Mount at Nash General Hospital. She graduated with a communication disorders degree from Appalachian State University in 1995 and received her undergraduate degree from UNC at Greensboro in 1993. Sherry has worked in a volunteer position for NCSHLA since 1995 and has served in the past as Spring Convention Chair and Board Member at Large. Regarding NCSHLA, Sherry says, "I can never give back more than I have been given by the wonderful group of people in this organization." She and Philip are the proud parents of two daughters, Eden and Gemma and a few cats and a dog. Sherry invites members to contact her by email and says, "it is an honor to serve as a team leader for NCSHLA.

Planning Chair

Donna Brown

Boone, NC

Donna M. Brown is a clinical professor in the Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Appalachian State University. She is a clinical educator and internship coordinator for the Dept. Her areas of interest are preschool speech and language, Feeding problems in children and Augmentative Communication in children and developmentally different Adults. she has served the sate association in various capacities: Convention committees and convention chair, president of the association, Board member and chair of the Planning committee. She has also been an active member of the following associations serving in many capacities; ASHA, NCSHLA, and NCASSPA. She is a member of SEUCE (Southeastern University Clinical Educators) and CAPCSD (Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders).

Professional Affairs

Sherry Curtiss

Rocky Mount, NC

Sherry Curtiss is a speech language pathologist in Rocky Mount at Nash General Hospital. She graduated with a communication disorders degree from Appalachian State University in 1995 and received her undergraduate degree from UNC at Greensboro in 1993. Sherry has worked in a volunteer position for NCSHLA since 1995 and has served in the past as Spring Convention Chair and Board Member at Large. Regarding NCSHLA, Sherry says, "I can never give back more than I have been given by the wonderful group of people in this organization." She and Philip are the proud parents of two daughters, Eden and Gemma and a few cats and a dog. Sherry invites members to contact her by email and says, "it is an honor to serve as a team leader for NCSHLA.

SEAL

Tomma Hargraves

Raleigh, NC

Tomma has been an educational speech-language pathologist for longer than she wishes to share. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and her master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Her professional experience includes public school systems in East Haven, Connecticut, Fairfax County, Virginia and currently in Wake County, North Carolina where she currently serves as co-lead SLP for the Wake County Public Schools. Tomma has served on several NCSHLA convention committees, including the role as Board Secretary, and additionally as the Treasurer for NCASSPA for 3 years.

AAA-NC President

Will Jones

Greensboro, NC

Dr. Will Jones received his Au.D., Clinical Doctorate of Audiology Degree, from the Arizona School of Health Sciences in March of 2003. Dr. Jones received his Masters of Education degree from the University of Virginia in 1983, and obtained his undergraduate degree in Communications from Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC in May of 1980. He is North Carolina state licensed in Audiology and is a member of the Audiological Resource Association. Dr. Jones is also an active board member of the NC Chapter of the American Academy of Audiology. In addition to working in private practice audiology, Will joined Widex Hearing Aid Company in May of 1991 as their Southeast Regional Manager. He is responsible for consulting with and training other hearing healthcare professionals across the southeast as well as speaking at consumer seminars and events. With over 20 years of experience in the field of Audiology, Dr. Jones has acquired expertise and skills that make him widely respected in the field of Audiology. Dr. Jones resides in Greensboro, NC with his wife and two sons.