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NBASLH Board of Directors Executive Committee Cathy Runnels, Chair, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathology has been a passion throughout my life. While my sole career, I've worked in many area's of the profession providing services in medical, educational and now, in the business sector. As CEO of Accent on Speech LLC, my experiences combine to serve clients seeking therapy along with professional adults and companies seeking training in order to strengthen ways to communicate their brands and services. A little more about me: I grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended Chapman University in Orange California for undergraduate training, and Syracuse University in New York for the Master of Science degree. My first job was at Harlem Hospital in NYC then the University of the District of Columbia when I moved to the DC area. I held various clinical and administrative positions in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. In 2003, I began full-time work in my practice, Accent of Speech, a company based in the Washington DC metroplex with a global reach. Syracuse University honored me as Alumna of the Year (2011) and I have been active in ASHA becoming Fellow in 2014. You can reach me through my website: www.aospeech.com Kia N. Johnson, Parliamentarian, PhD
Kia Noelle Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Director of the Stuttering Research Laboratory at the University of Houston. Dr. Johnson completed her doctoral training in Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN). She received a Master’s and Baccalaureate degree in Communication Disorders from Howard University (Washington, DC) and Truman State University (Kirksville, MO), respectively. Dr. Johnson specializes in Fluency and Fluency Disorders with a focus on children who stutter. Her current research interest is in the examination of speech disfluencies in culturally and linguistically diverse children who do and do not stutter. Aside from teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses, she presents her research at local, national, and international scholarly conferences and has first-authored and co-authored many research publications. Dr. Johnson also holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence as a Speech-Language Pathologist with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and state licensure with Texas. In addition to being a member of the NBASLH Board of Directors and 18-year member of NBASLH, she also contributes service to the profession as the Texas State Representative to the Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Council of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and an active member of ASHA’s Fluency and Fluency Disorders Special Interest Group. Lakieta L. Emanuel, Secretary and PR Committee, Editor Resound, PhD 
Dr. Lakieta L. Emanuel (Dr. Elle) earned her Doctorate of Speech-Language Pathology from Nova Southern Eastern University, in Florida, and wa.s the 2013 recipient of Dissertation of the Year Award. She received her Master's degree from California State University-Fullerton, and her Bachelor's degree from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Elle is the founder and Chief Clinical Director of High Desert Speech and Language Center, Inc, a private speech and language therapy private practice in the High Desert region of Southern California. Dr. Elle serves as the clinical liaison between the nursing staff and the dietary staff at two local hospitals and serves as secretary of her local African-American Chamber of commerce. She belongs to ASHA special interest group for issues of Multiculturalism, actively participates in the California-Speech-language-Hearing Association and sits on the board of directors of 3 Little Words, Inc., a non-profit organization purposed to provide funding for children in need of speech and language services. Dr. Elle is passionate about mentoring future SLPs who are interested in private practice and thrives on providing guidance to young clinicians. In her 14 years of practice, Dr. Elle has served as a mentor to over 60 developing clinicians. In nine years of it's existence, Dr. Elle's facility has served as a clinical practice site for over 50 SLP students. Jonathan Love, Treasurer, M.S., CC-SLP
Remaining Board Members Kyomi Gregory, PhD, Mentor Program
George Castle, PhD
Dr. Castle is generally interested in how people learn and process information. His research interests are in the measurement of cognition and the development of language and literacy in typically developing individuals as well as those with autism spectrum disorder. He has conducted research studies on vocabulary and reading comprehension in typically developing and ASD populations and has received predoctoral translational research funding from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the relationship between pragmatic language, oral language comprehension and reading comprehension. Clinically, Dr. Castle has treated individuals in early intervention (Birth to 3), school-age and adult populations across a variety of disorders. He has also served as an externship and clinical fellowship supervisor for graduate students earning state licensure and national certification. Lastly, Dr. Castle is passionate about the recruitment of underrepresented groups to the field of communicative sciences and disorders. More specifically, he is interested in developing pipelines from high school to graduate school, focusing on mentorship and college and professional readiness.
Kenyatta O. Rivers, PhD, Editor, JNBASLH
Byron Ross, PhD, CCC-SLP, Awards Committee
Arnell Brady, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Linda Redmond Taylor, M.A., CCC/SLP
Linda, a native Jackson, Mississippian, declares that NBASLH has enhanced her very existence as a Black professional, even being instrumental in her writing her third book, Introduction to Ebonics (Professional Publishing House, 2016), on which she has presented locally and nationally. She was honored to be the Donn Bailey Lecturer for NBASLH in 2017, and was awarded the Dr. Jeanette Jennings “Trailblazer” Award by the Ole Miss Black Alumni Association in 2015. Recently, she became certified as a “ProLiteracy and Literacy Mid-South Volunteer Tutor” to tutor adults. Also, she serves on the Board of Directors for Tennessee-based STEP, Inc. (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents), a non-profit program that teaches advocacy skills to individuals with disabilities, and their families. As one of NBASLH’s newest Board members, Linda aspires to be an asset on the Recruitment Committee because she realizes there is a pressing need for Blacks to enter the field of Communication Disorders, and to be retained in the field to be service providers for all who need them, in general, and Blacks. Professionally, she is co-owner of Right Stuff Health in Memphis with her husband, health evangelist, Franco Taylor, N.D. Ultimately, Ms. Taylor seeks to help, mainly, African American Language users/Ebonics speakers, who have never achieved proficiency in English enhance their written and spoken communication skills in order to be more successful in society. Lauren Hastings, M.S., CCC-SLP
She has held various clinical positions in Tennessee and Georgia ranging from rehabilitation centers, school districts, and an Autism center. She enjoys collaborating with a variety of professionals including school psychologists, special educators, occupational therapists, neurologists, and gastroenterologists. Her clinical and research interests include child language disorders, bilingual language development, the impact of socioeconomic status in language/literacy development, feeding disorders, and early intervention. In 2016, Lauren began full-time work in her practice, Hear to Speak, a company based in South Fulton (Atlanta) Georgia which serves the pediatric population using a community-based model. Currently, she serves on the social media team for NBASLH assisting in the maintenance of the Association’s Facebook page.
Lauren Prather, M.S., CCC-SLP, Student Representative 
Lauren R. Prather is a doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She received her Master of Science degree from Tennessee State University in Communication Sciences and Disorders and her Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Memphis in Communications. Before pursuing her PhD in August of 2017, Lauren worked as a Speech Language Pathologist for Cobb Pediatric Therapy Services and Let’s Talk Therapy in Atlanta, GA which is inclusive of her clinical experience in both the school setting (pre-school to high school) and private practice. She has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to address communication, educational, and social needs of students with a wide variety of disability classifications. Lauren has volunteered to serve as a Special Olympics Track Coach with her students in the schools and spearheaded the Speech Summer Camp for Let’s Talk Therapy (2017 and 2018). Currently, she supervises graduate clinicians and SLPAs at the University of Cincinnati and Let’s Talk Therapy (Atlanta, GA). Lauren’s research interest is in language and literacy for underserved populations more specifically focusing on dialect and the black-white academic achievement gap. Her accolades include being selected in the ASHA Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP) in 2013 and was an invited panelist for the PhD Information Sharing Session for the MSLP at the 2017 ASHA convention held in Los Angeles, California. As a current student, Lauren serves as the Vice President of the Black Graduate and Professional Association at the University of Cincinnati. In addition to serving on the social media committee for NBASLH and on the NBASLH board as the student representative.
Katrina Miller, Ed.D, Affiliate Coordinator
Others Darius Thomas-Wallace, M.S., CCC-SLP, Convention Co-Chair
Darius Thomas-Wallace is the founder of Dynamic Therapy, LLC and a speech-language pathologist. Darius holds a unique background in evaluating and treating clients in schools, daycare's, clinics, homes, and via telepractice. He has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to address the communication and educational needs of clients with a wide variety of disability classifications, including autism spectrum disorder, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, speech-language impairment, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Darius has also successfully increased pragmatics, language, articulation, and fluency skills in elementary, middle, and high school clients. In collaboration with families, Darius has provided early intervention therapy services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. Darius has extensive volunteer experience including the District of Columbia Speech-Language-Hearing Association: treasurer (2018 – present) and secretary (2016 – 2018) and the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH): board member (September 2019 – present), convention co-chair (2018 - present), and student representative (2016 - 2018). As student representative of NBASLH, Darius championed the initiative to give the role voting rights on the board. In 2014, he was selected to participate in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Minority Student Leadership Program. Finally, Darius received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Howard University Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. He also holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from ASHA and state licensures with Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. Michele L. Norman, PhD, Praxis Coordinator
During her career, she was a special education teacher in the public school setting for 10 years serving children with learning disabilities and severed communication deficits. Later, Dr. Norman became research faculty in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Medical University of South Carolina, where she was also the Director of the Communication and Aging Research Lab. Most recently, she was a tenured, Associate Professor at Longwood University and Coordinator for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Undergraduate Program. She is a published author who has written articles on various topics and textbook chapters on the evaluation and treatment of persons with dementia and Reminiscence Therapy. Her areas of specialty are neurogenics, orofacial myology, and medical speech-language pathology and their relationships to communication and swallowing disorders across diverse cultures. Clinically, Dr. Norman has been providing services to adults and children with neurologically-based disorders that impact speech, language, communication, and swallowing.
Yolanda G. Fields-Witherspoon, M.S., CCC-SLP, CEU Coordinator Ms. Yolanda G. Fields-Witherspoon has served as a speech-language pathologist for over 30 years. She received a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders at Hampton Institute and a Master’s of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Ms. Fields-Witherspoon served as Manager of Acute Care and Outpatient Speech Pathology Services at CJW Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia for more than 19 years. She has also worked as a Clinical Supervisor at Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia. Ms. Fields-Witherspoon has conducted several in-services for physicians, nurses and other ancillary services as well as seminars, workshops, guest lectures and has published articles in the areas of adult dysphagia and voice disorders. She has also served on the board of the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) for over 6 years and has served as the Continuing Education Administrator for 12 years. Ms. Fields-Witherspoon has provided international speech-language pathology services in Montego Bay, Jamaica as well as Kenya, Africa. In 2007 she was the recipient of “The Frist Humanitarian Award” the highest award of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), The Frist Humanitarian Award. Previous affiliations include private practice, Princeton Medical Center, Princeton, New Jersey, early intervention, long term care, outpatient and home health agencies in the Richmond and Chesterfield Virginia areas.
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Jonathan Love received speech and language services from Arnell Brady at the age of 5 years to address his expressive language/fluency disorder. He was motivated by his success in therapy and the mentoring from Mr. Brady that he became a Speech–Language Pathologist. It was during his own therapy when he realized the mentoring aspect of speech and language pathology. He inspires and motivates his current school and private practice clients that first and foremost, they are amazing with their current delays and therapy is meant to enrich their lives. Jonathan graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans and earned a fellowship to attend University of Northern Iowa for his Master’s Degree. He was awarded a Minority Student Leadership Program opportunity at the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) convention in 2004. This experience propelled him to pursue leadership positions in the school sector. After 11 years as school speech pathologist, he was implored by his principal to get a Masters in Educational Administration. Jonathan graduated at the top of his class and was eagerly sought for a principal position in Dolton, IL. While usually a principal position is given to a candidate with administration experience, Jonathan impressed the Superintendent and School Board with his poise, confidence, knowledge of teaching pedagogy, and answers to case studies and situational scenarios that he was afforded the position. Jonathan is currently using both his speech and language experience and his administrative experience to operate two educational consulting companies. His company serves Illinois and Indiana, with Georgia and Texas on the horizon for 2019. His professional mission is to use his leadership ability to promote the field of Communication Disorders to more high performing high school students, encourage more speech and language pathologists to pursue leadership positions in their respective sectors (schools, SNFs, hospitals, university, etc.), and to implore more speech and language pathologists and audiologists to become more comfortable with entrepreneurship in our field.
Dr. Kyomi Gregory is currently an assistant professor at Pace University in New York, New York. She previously attended Louisiana State University to earn her PhD in December 2015 where she was funded by a National Institute of Health diversity supplement. Her long-term goal is to develop a line of research that will significantly improve assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse children and improve teacher and parent training prevention models focused on early intervening services. Dr. Gregory received her BA in communication disorders from the State University of New York at New Paltz and her masters in speech-language pathology from University at Buffalo. Dr. Gregory was chosen for the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Pathways program and received an award as the "top 40 under 40" at her alma mater SUNY-New Paltz in 2017.
Dr. George Castle is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University (NYU). He received a B.S. in Communication Studies from SUNY Oneonta, M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Hearing & Speech Sciences from Vanderbilt University. He is certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association to practice speech-language pathology.
Dr. Kenyatta O. Rivers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida and an ASHA Fellow. He received his doctorate degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Florida, master’s degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Central Florida, bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders from the University of Central Florida, and Associate of Arts degree from Lake-Sumter Community College. His teaching, research, and clinical interests include language/literacy disorders in children and adolescents, pragmatic language differences and disorders in African American children and adolescents, cognitive-communication disorders in children, adolescents, and adults, and evidence-based practice in schools. Since 2005, he has served as a Mentor for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Mentoring Academic-Research Careers (MARC) program and Student to Empowered Professional (S.T.E.P.) Mentoring Program. He is a past Board Member of the Central and North Florida Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, a Reviewer for Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research, and Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s, an Associate Issue Editor for Topics in Language Disorders, and a Grant Reviewer for the Alzheimer’s Association. In addition, he is a Member of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Trials Research Group – Schools Liaison Group, the ASHA SIG 14 (Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations). He enjoys reading, bowling, watching arena football, and church. 
Byron Ross is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Houston where he serves as the Graduate Coordinator of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. His academic, clinical, and research interests includes child language disorders, pragmatic language disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, and intervention techniques using augmentative/alternative communication. Since 2009 he has served as a Mentor for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Student to Empowered Professional (S.T.E.P.) Mentoring Males (AIMM) program, and he started a peer mentoring program for students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He was also appointed to the advisory board of the Texas Autism Council. He received his B.S., and M.S., from the University of Central Arkansas in Speech-Language Pathology, and his Ph.D., from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Arnell A. Brady, is an American Speech Language Hearing Association’ (ASHA) certified and State licensed (5 States) African American male Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who has owned and operated a pediatric & adult comprehensive stand-alone private practice speech-language pathology clinic (Brady Speech-Language Pathology, Ltd) based in Chicago, Illinois, for 35 years. Mr. Brady was elected to the NBASLH Board of Directors in 2002. He was elected Parliamentarian of the Executive Board in 2007 and Chairman of the Board in 2008, where he served 2 consecutive terms as Chairman. Mr. Brady is a recipient of NBASLH’s “William T. Simpkins Jr. Service Award” and the “M. Eugene Wiggins Leadership Award”. Mr. Brady is an ASHA Fellow and currently serves on ASHA’s International Issues Board and is a past member of the Multicultural Issues Board. He also served on ASHA’s Congressional Action Contact Network (CAC), International Affairs Association, Legislative Council and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Board. While developing his private practice Mr. Brady practiced SLP at 3 local hospitals; University of Chicago Hospitals & Medical Centers (pediatrics and adult neurology) (U of C), Saint Joseph Health Centers & Hospital (Chief Speech-Language Pathologist) and Provident Hospital of Cook County (Chief Speech-Language Pathologist). While at the U of C Mr. Mr. developed an Infant Suck-Suckle-Swallow Bedside clinical Evaluation, a support group for parents with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and an out-patient follow-up dysphagia clinic. He expanded the use of cervical auscultation in assessing swallowing in pediatrics and adults. He also developed a videofluoroscopic swallow study protocol for infants and young children. Mr. Brady added the speech-language diagnosis and treatment protocol to the first center based Early Intervention Program in Chicago. He has been featured on the cover of “Advance” magazine for his work on SLP’s teaching listening skills. Mr. Brady is a long-time member of the International Listening Association and the American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology & Audiology. Mr. Brady helped develop the Braintech International Resource Center an oral language center in Lagos, Nigeria, that focused on Autism which was the nucleus for the annual Autism Conference held in Nigeria to this day. The Brady Speech-Language Pathology clinic specializes in neurogenic communication disorders and has been a resource center for many clinicians starting or developing their own private practice. Mr. Brady earned his undergraduate degree (B.A.) in speech-language Pathology from Saint Xavier College (now university) and his graduate degree (M.A.) in speech-language pathology from Northwestern University.
Linda Redmond Taylor is a speech/language pathologist living in Memphis, TN. She received a B.A. (cum laude) in Communicative Disorders from the University of Mississippi, and a M.A. (cum laude) in Speech/Language Pathology from the University of Memphis (formerly, Memphis State University, where she was the first Black individual to receive the African American Minority Grant offered at M.S.U. for the graduate program in speech/language pathology). She is certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association to practice speech-language pathology, and is licensed to practice in Tennessee.
Lauren Hastings is the Owner and Speech-Language Pathologist of Hear to Speak, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. Lauren received a Masters of Science in Speech & Hearing Science from Tennessee State University and a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology from Andrews University.
Dr. Katrina Miller is currently a Clinical Associate at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Department of Communication Disorders. She especially enjoys working with adult neurogenic populations and is presently the Program Director for the Neurogenic Aphasia Group (NAG) at NCCU. A native of Fort Washington, Maryland, Katrina received her Bachelor of Science Degree and Masters of Arts from Hampton University and furthered her education at Nova Southeastern University with a Doctorate in Education and a concentration in Speech Pathology. She is a Certified Speech Language Pathologist with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She has also worked as a mentor for students in the university, hospital and public school settings.
Dr. Michele L. Norman is an ASHA Fellow who received her PhD from the University of Memphis, MS from the University of the District of Columbia, and BA from Rutgers University-Douglass College. She is the owner of Norman Speech Services, LLC, a private practice in Richmond, VA and the Coordinator of the Intensive Review for Praxis Examination for Speech-Language Pathology for the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing.