Charles Ellis, Jr., PhD
Dr. Charles Ellis, Jr., is an associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Ellis’ research emphasizes neurologically based disorders of communication and health disparities and minority health issues. He received his BS and MS from The University of Georgia and PhD from the University of Florida. Dr. Ellis has more than 40 publications related to neurogenic communication disorders and health disparities/minority health issues. Dr. Ellis was awarded the MUSC Foundation Teaching Excellence Award in 2007 and named the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions Outstanding Young Alumnus in 2008. In 2011, he was awarded the ASHA Certificate of Recognition for Special Contribution in Multicultural Affairs.

Joan C. Payne, PhD, ASHA Fellow
Dr. Joan C. Payne is professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard University where she has been an administrator at the Department and School of Communication. She has been an invited lecturer at the University of Maryland’s University Center, the George Washington University Area Geriatric Education Center Consortium, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, the District of Columbia Speech and Hearing Association Winter Workshops, Conventions of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Columbia University, the Third World Congress in Communications in Dakar, Senegal, the University of Vermont, and the International Congress of Logopedics and Phoniatrics in Tokyo, Japan. Her visiting professorships include the Universidade Tuiuití do Paraná in Curitíba, Brazil and Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Paul Rao, PhD
Dr. Paul Rao is the 2011 ASHA President and is the Vice President of Operations at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Washington, DC. Dr. Rao is a Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland, and in 2000, became a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality and a Certified Healthcare Executive. Dr. Rao received his Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, his Master’s in speech pathology from Catholic University in Washington, DC, and his PhD in hearing and speech science from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Dr. Rao has published numerous articles and chapters on such topics as customer service, policy and procedures, supervision, health literacy and management. He serves on the editorial board of Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation and Advance for Directors. Dr. Rao is a Fellow in both ASHA and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Ida J. Stockman, PhD, ASHA Fellow
Dr. Ida J. Stockman, is professor emerita at Michigan State University. Her work has focused on multicultural issues generally and on speech-language acquisition and assessment of African American children, specifically. A founding member of NBASLH, she created its annual scholar-mentor award and student research scholarship award competition. In recognition of her research, teaching and service contributions to the profession, Dr. Stockman has received the teacher-scholar and professional services awards from NBASLH, distinguished faculty awards from Michigan State University and the State of Michigan’s Governing Board of Higher Education, and the multicultural award from ASHA. Dr. Stockman is also an ASHA Fellow and a recipient of the ASHA Honors.

Doanne Ward-Williams, MEd
Doanne Ward-Williams, MEd, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech language pathologist and the director of two private practices in speech pathology. TheraPlay Bilingual Solutions, LLC, focuses on English and Spanish-speaking preschoolers in Wake County in the North Carolina Pre-K Program. Her second practice, Carolina Speech Consultants, PLLC offers services in accent modification and corporate communication training for professionals locally and via web-based videoconferencing. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is board licensed in the state of North Carolina. Mrs. Ward-Williams is a member of the American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology & Audiology, the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), the North Carolina Speech Hearing, and Language Association, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Mrs. Ward-Williams served as past treasurer of NBASLH and currently serves on ASHA’s Political Action Committee Board of Directors.