President, Matt Cuddington, M.A., CCC-SLP

Matt is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Educator in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with over 14 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist. He supervises first-year graduate students in an off-campus clinical placement serving early elementary–aged children and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNCG. Prior to joining the faculty, Matt worked as a speech-language pathologist in the Guilford County Public School System, with clinical expertise in school-based service delivery. His professional interests include clinical supervision, speech-sound disorders, and fluency disorders in school-aged populations.

President-Elect, Summer V. McMurry, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Summer is founder and CEO of Carolina Pediatric Therapy, an interprofessional private practice serving children and families across Western North Carolina since 2002. She also serves as lead volunteer speech-language pathologist for the Western North Carolina Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic. With over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, education, and organizational leadership, Dr. McMurry is dedicated to strengthening the profession through clinical education, mentorship, and collaborative leadership while promoting sustainable practice environments that support clinician well-being and high-quality care. Her advocacy includes working with state leaders to address reimbursement and protect access to care. She serves NCSHLA as President-Elect and as a member of the Professional Affairs in Private Practice Committee.

VP of Finance, Sarah Hopkins, M.A., CCC-SLP

Sarah Hopkins, M.A., CCC-SLP, serves as Vice President of Finance with NCSHLA. She is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Educator in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she teaches undergraduate courses and supervises graduate clinicians. Her clinical work focuses on early intervention and community-based speech and language services for preschool and school-aged children. Sarah is committed to supporting the sustainability and continued growth of speech-language pathology and audiology across North Carolina.

VP of Membership & Recognition, Chrystal Williams, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, ASDCS, CBT

 VP of Public Relations & University Affairs, Mariam Abdelaziz,

Mariam is affiliated with North Carolina Central University, with professional interests in pediatric bilingualism, language and literacy development, and school-based practice. She serves as Vice President for University Affairs and Public Relations with the NCSHLA, where she is committed to supporting student engagement and professional growth. Mariam is passionate about strengthening connections among students, faculty, and the broader community while advocating for the continued advancement of speech-language pathology and audiology in North Carolina.

VP of Professional and Governmental Affairs, Tracy Barnes

Tracy is a speech-language pathologist who owns and operates Capitol City Speech Therapy, PLLC, serving clients from infancy through adulthood. Over the past 30 years, her clinical work has spanned a range of settings, including hospitals, a federal medical center, schools, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and home health. This breadth of experience across the county, state, and federal levels has driven her commitment to advocacy for patients, SLPs, and our broader community. She currently serves as Vice President for Professional and Governmental Affairs with NCSHLA, collaborating with NCSHLA leadership, the association's lobbyist, and professionals across the state to advance ongoing advocacy efforts for the profession.

Sheridan is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Educator in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she supervises graduate students in the school-based setting. Believing that lifelong learning is vital to the development of sharp clinical skills, she is deeply committed to supporting Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologist by expanding their access to high-quality professional development. This passion drives her service as the Vice Present of Continuing Education for the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, where she worked to ensure practitioners have meaningful opportunities for clinical growth. Prior to joining the facility, Sheridan gained diverse clinical experience working across private  practice, early intervention and skilled nursing settings. Her professional interests include childhood apraxia of speech, augmentative and alternative communication, and speech sound disorders.