Convention Presenters

Meg Adkins, AuD, FAAA, is a clinical audiologist and the Cochlear Implant Director at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the Eastern Kentucky University Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program in 1995, her Master of Arts in Communication Science (Audiology) from the University of Connecticut in 1998 and her Doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences (Arizona) in 2007. Meg is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) and a member of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACIA) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She worked in a variety of settings while living in New England, including an ENT practice, a rehabilitation center and an audiology private practice. In 2003, Meg returned to Kentucky to teach undergraduate audiology at Eastern Kentucky University for three years. She then went to work with the University of Kentucky in 2006. Meg’s professional passions are pediatric cochlear implant habilitation, adult cochlear implant and bimodal rehabilitation and promotion of the profession of audiology.

John R. Ashford, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the education director and co-owner of SA Swallowing Services, Nashville, Tennessee.
He served the Department of Veterans Affairs as a medical speech-language pathologist for 28 years, Tennessee State University as a tenured associate professor, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as an adjunct assistant clinical professor, and Dar Al-Hekma University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as guest professor. He is published. Professional interests include understanding factors associated with pneumonia development in patients with dysphagia and educating and training providers of FEES services.

Theodora Bowman, AuD, CCC-A, received her Bachelor of Health Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida, and her Doctorate in Audiology from The Ohio State University. She is currently a clinical audiologist at the University of Kentucky. Her clinical interests involve audiologic care across the lifespan, tinnitus, and psychosocial impacts of hearing loss.

Jeffrey Bracken, MA, was born with profound bi-lateral hearing loss which went undetected until he was two and a half years old. After getting fitted with his first set of hearing aids and attending the Lexington Hearing and Speech Center, his speech rapidly developed and he enrolled in mainstream education. Jeffrey persevered through various trials throughout his education and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a double major in history and social studies with a concentration in secondary education. Just a few years into his teaching career, he discovered the explanation to his hearing loss with an Usher Syndrome diagnosis Type 2 (A genetic mutation that is the leading cause of deaf/blindness). Through relying on community support and adapting, he continues to teach and serve in his local church, and take on new challenges (like cycling across America). He is also wrapping up work on publishing his first book Redemptive Suffering: How to Play the Cards You’re Dealt. Rounding out the joys of his life are UK basketball, Calvin and Hobbes comics, cycling, axe throwing and his family. He enjoys watching his 13 year old son’s involvement in sports and his 10 year old daughter’s involvement in theater and loves doing it all with his wife by his side.

Gerry Brooks, MA, has been an educator for 20 years, beginning as a third-grade teacher in Palm Bay, Florida. He earned his master’s in administration and has been an elementary principal for 12 years. Originally using humorous videos to encourage his staff, Gerry has become a national encourager for teachers through social media and speaking events. He is a voice for teachers, but his passion is leading others to be responsible for their own personal climate and culture in the workplace. His book, Go See the Principal, outlines strategies for taking on this responsibility. Gerry and his wife, Kelly, have three adult children and live in Lexington, Kentucky.

Brittany A. Brose, AuD, has been an audiologist for 11 years. She currently works for University of Louisville Physicians and University of Louisville. Brittany is the current audiology clinic director at University of Louisville Physicians. She is an adjunct professor at University of Louisville where she teaches the vestibular assessment and management, medical audiology, amplification II and Intro to audiology courses. Her interests include vestibular assessment and management, adult and pediatric diagnostic assessments and hearing aids.

Kelsey Brown, MS, CCC-SLP, is a neurodiversity-affirming, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), gestalt language processing (GLP) and early language development. ​She currently works as an outpatient SLP/AAC specialist at University of Kentucky Healthcare, with previous experience in school-based, private practice and early intervention settings. Kelsey completed her master’s degree in communication disorders at Emerson College, where her interests included AAC, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), medically complex children and youth, and early intervention. Kelsey’s experience includes working with and learning from the folks at Easter Seals DMV, St. Coletta of Greater Washington, Fayette County Public Schools, Boston Children’s Hospital, the Access Champions podcast, Imagination Stage, Soaring Starts Early Learning & Arts, and Camp Twin Lakes. Kelsey uses her theatre and teaching artist background to help to inspire fun and motivating client-centered sessions. Kelsey completed the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at Georgetown University, where her interdisciplinary team project on sexual education for individuals with disabilities was awarded a ribbon for excellence. Kelsey has also demonstrated mastery in working with children who communicate with delayed echolalia (scripting) by completing the Meaningful Speech course and exam in gestalt language processing and the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework. She has presented at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference and provided clinic, school and daycare-based trainings. Her time at Imagination Stage inspired Kelsey to write a children’s book, which was released in May 2019. Come On, Calm! is a whimsical picture book encouraging readers of all abilities to self-regulate through sensory and breathing tasks.

Matthew L. Bush, MD, is professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. He holds the University of Kentucky, College of Medicine Endowed Chair in Rural Health Policy. He earned his medical degree from Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia. He completed otolaryngology residency at the University of Kentucky. He completed a post-doctoral research fellowship and his otology, neurotology and cranial base surgery fellowship at The Ohio State University. He also completed a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical and translational science in 2017 and an Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2020, both from the University of Kentucky.

Felice Clark, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with more than 17 years of experience working in the school setting, serving students across various ages and treatment areas. She loves helping hard-working SLPs manage their caseload with practical therapy ideas, how to implement collaborative services and planning engaging lessons for their mixed groups.

Caitlin Conley, MEd, is a developmental interventionist for the Kentucky Early Intervention System. She has been working with young children and their families for more than ten years. She is the founding chair for the Kentucky Early Intervention Providers Association (KEIPA).

Jasmin Cummins, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is an acute care speech-language pathologist at UK Healthcare in Lexington, Kentucky. She provides clinical services to inpatient adults with swallowing, cognitive, speech and language deficits. In 2018, she obtained board certification as a Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. Jasmin’s interests are in post-surgical dysphagia. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky in 2009 and 2011, respectively.

Jill Ligon Davis, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and received her master’s degree in communication sciences from the University of Louisville. In graduate school, she developed a particular interest in neurorehabilitation and has specialized in this since 2012. Jill went into private practice in 2022 and is one of the owners of Blossom Neuro Speech & Wellness. She loves helping people to learn more about their own thinking and communication skills. Jill has a special interest in mindfulness, breath work and yoga, and uses these tools to support individuals in reaching their cognitive and communication goals. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Yoga Baum in Louisville, Kentucky. She is also certified in Love Your Brain Yoga for health providers and has completed Certified Brain Injury Specialist training. Jill is on the board of the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky and loves to join in the amazing work this organization does. When not in the clinic, you can find her playing outdoors, curled up somewhere with a book, in the yoga studio, or scouting out some delicious local food.

Tyler Dorsey, CALC, ACC, is a transformational speaker, coach and consultant. She has a unique vision that she strives to spread through her work; those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can do more than just survive; they can thrive. As a successful business owner with ADHD, Tyler received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Thomas More College), Master’s in Educational Psychology (University of Northern Colorado) and became a certified ADHD Life Coach (iACT Center). Tyler began her career at Lexington Catholic High School as their ADHD Life Coach, which sparked her passion for beginning Focus Forward in 2014. Tyler has a unique perspective. She has been a failing student with ADHD who appears lazy, but is struggling on the inside. She has been a faculty member at a school where she sat in on classes to assist teachers in creating classroom environments that invited success for all students, regardless of their learning needs. She is the business that brings together the student’s team – school, family, therapist and tutors – to create a path to success. Tyler’s mission is to help those struggling with ADHD learn how to turn their ADHD from their kryptonite to their superpower. This is done by providing key resources, education and support to schools, students with ADHD and their families.

Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP, is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in private practice in the Kansas City, Missouri area. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1993 and her master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1995. Cari is a therapist, consultant, author, product developer and nationally recognized speaker who gets paid to do what she loves most—TALK! She has an animated personality and this translates to a high-energy speaking style. Most importantly, Cari has an autistic son, allowing her to engage audiences both as a professional and as a parent of a neurodivergent child.

Kellie Ellis, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a professor and the chair of the Department of Clinical Therapeutic Programs at Eastern Kentucky University. She teaches coursework in child language and speech sound disorders. Her research interests include early language and literacy development, dyslexia and professional issues in educational speech-language pathology. Kellie is a former chair of the Kentucky Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, former president of the Kentucky Speech-Language Hearing Association and former chair of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Governmental Relations and Public Policy Board. She currently serves as the Governmental Relations/PAC chair of the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a site visitor for the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and is a Governor appointee on the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

Amy Engelhoven, PhD, CCC-SLP, CBIS, is an assistant professor and director of the Community for Aphasia and Related Disorders (CARD) Lab at Western Kentucky University. Amy is also the primary clinical speech-language pathologist and grant administrator for the Kentucky SPEAK OUT! Therapy and Research Center at Western Kentucky University. She has extensive clinical experience in acquired adult neurogenic communication disorders. Her academic teaching experiences include neuroanatomical bases for speech, language and hearing, adult language disorders, motor speech disorders, dysphagia, and voice disorders. Her research interests include the psychosocial implications and complementary interventions for acquired neurogenic communication disorders, caregiver quality of life, and evidence-based treatment.

Marc Fagelson, PhD, CCC-A, is professor of audiology at East Tennessee State University and has provided tinnitus management services at the James H. Quillen VAMC, since 2001. He published/contributed to more than 50 articles, co-edited three texts and provided more than 100 presentations at national and international meetings. He currently chairs the American Tinnitus Association’s Scientific Advisory Committee.

Darla Gardner, MS, CCC-SLP, is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas. She has worked in the public school setting since 2002, with the last 11 years primarily serving 3-6-year-olds in early childhood center. Darla’s passion is working alongside classroom teachers, helping them realize their full potential as early language interventionists in the classroom. Through her collaboration with classroom teachers and learning about the state standards for academics, she has uncovered the key language requirements and language prerequisites necessary for meeting state standards. By using themes in therapy, activities can easily be aligned with classroom instruction throughout the year as well as state standards for the classroom. Through the education of administrators, peers and parents, her campus has developed a strong pre-referral intervention process that now results in a teacher-led intervention program and valid, justifiable referrals for special education.

Karah Gottschalk, AuD, PhD, is currently a research audiologist at the Mountain Home VA in Tennessee. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Florida and her doctorate of audiology (AuD) from the University of Louisville. After completing her AuD studies, she started an audiology department in a hospital in upstate New York. During this time, she decided to pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy in gerontology at the University of Kentucky. She sees patients clinically at the VA for hearing, tinnitus and vestibular issues. Her current areas of research interest include aging, cognition, vestibular function and dysfunction and tinnitus.

Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP, F-NAP, is an associate professor in communication sciences and disorders at the University of Kentucky. Her research interests in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) include how to support language development when using multiple modalities of speech, gestures, low-tech and hi-tech AAC. She is a member of interprofessional AAC teams including Teaching Age Appropriate Learning through Communication (TAALC) and the ECHO in AAC.

Marie Ireland, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, an adjunct research associate at Charles Sturt University, is a board-certified specialist in child language and language disorders. She has 25 years of experience in public education focusing on dynamic assessment, cultural and linguistic differences and child language. She served as ASHA’s Vice President for SLP Practice (2018-2020) and has won multiple editors awards for her research publications.

Janice Kuperstein, PhD, PT, MSEd, FNAP, is a professor and associate dean in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky (UK) with responsibility for faculty advancement and clinical engagement. She has a joint appointment in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, UK College of Medicine and is a founding member and Fellow of the UK Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education. She is Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice and is a senior faculty member for CPEP – Assessment and Education for Physicians and Other Healthcare Professionals, teaching their PROBE: Ethics and Boundaries Program in the US and Canada. Prior to joining the faculty, she served as chief operating officer of an acute care hospital after many years in physical therapy practice and management. She received her bachelor’s of science in physical therapy from the State University of New York – Upstate Medical Center, received her Master of Science in Education in clinical and college teaching from UK and her Health Administrative Specialist Certificate from Humana, Inc. She earned her doctorate of philosophy in Gerontology from the UK College of Public Health.

Joneen Lowman, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kentucky. She is Director of the Center for Telehealth Education, Research and Outreach which includes the interprofessional Telehealth Graduate Certificate. She has used telehealth with pediatric and adult populations located in the school, home and correctional institution environments for the past decade. Her teaching, research and publications focus on using technology for treating childhood language disorders, telehealth education and tele-presenter preparation. Her research portfolio includes NIH/NIDCD funding to investigate outcomes of behavioral parent training for families with deaf and hard of hearing children including the use of telehealth; HRSA funding to identify practices, including telehealth, for increasing physician retention in rural regions, and multiple Deptartment of Education personnel training grants including telehealth and interprofessional practice. She was the coordinator of ASHA’s Special Interest Group 18 –Telepractice and has served on several ASHA Convention planning committees. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.

Jennifer Marshall, MA, CCC-SLP, is a Kentucky licensed speech-language pathologist who holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and member of the American Craniofacial and Cleft-Palate Association, providing very specialized services for the cleft and craniofacial populations for over a decade. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric communication and feeding from early infancy through intermediate education with developmental delays or disorders. After completing her undergraduate degree in biopsychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Jennifer earned a masters degree in Communications Sciences & Disorders from Michigan State University. Professionally, Jennifer has worked for more than six years as an outpatient therapist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, a top-ranked Children’s hospital, where she received specialized training in the areas of resonance disorders, AAC, multidisciplinary therapy and feeding. Now residing in Lexington, she owns a private practice and contracts with UK and the state of Kentucky. While at Children’s and currently with the KY Cabinet of Children with Special Healthcare Needs, Jennifer is an active member of the interdisciplinary CFAT clinic and VPI clinic, where she assesses speech and resonance and determined plan of care in collaboration with the plastic surgeon, geneticist, ENT, dentist, orthodontist, psychologist, pulmonologist and audiologist. Jennifer has had the opportunity for the last four years to teach the Dental and Ortho residents and the course on Low Incidence Disorders: Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Disorders for the graduate classes at UK.

Shelley Moats, AuD, PASC, has been a pediatric audiologist for nearly 30 years. Her clinical interests include pediatric amplification and cochlear implants, family support and professional education of doctorate of audiology students.

Shelley is the 2022 recipient of the Marion Downs Pediatric Audiology Award from the American Academy of Audiology. She serves as a volunteer at the state and national level for issues related to pediatric audiology. She resides in Louisville with her husband (the other Dr. Moats). She enjoys reading, exercise, baking and attending her children’s sporting events.

Donna Southerland Morris, MA, CCC-SLP, is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kentucky. She is the Director of Clinical Education and the Clinical Coordinator for educational experiences in healthcare settings. Her research interests are in clinical supervision and interprofessional education.

Judith Page, PhD, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, F-NAP, is a professor of communication sciences and disorders at the University of Kentucky who has focused extensively on AAC intervention strategies for persons with multiple/severe disabilities and complex communication needs. She has been active in professional service and advocacy at the state and national levels. She is currently Co-PI for a statewide project that provides support to teams working with students with severe disabilities and AAC needs.

Hanna Prince, MA, CCC-SLP, is an acute care speech-language pathologist at UK Healthcare in Lexington, Kentucky. She conducts evaluation and treatment of swallowing, cognitive, speech and language disorders. Hanna’s interests are in the management of critically ill patients and ventilator dependent patients as well as palliative and quality of life considerations. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Marquette University in 2012, her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Elmhurst College in 2015, and her master’s degree from George Washington University in 2017.

Aimee Sayre, MA, CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor and the current clinic director of the Communication Sciences Disorders Academic Clinic at the University of Kentucky. In addition to supervising students within the clinic, she teaches introduction to diagnostics in speech-language pathology at the undergraduate level and clinical practicum courses at the graduate level. Prior to joining the department, she worked at a private practice providing speech and language services to the pediatric population.

Amanda Schaumburg, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist in Texas. She currently owns a private practice that offers contracts to public schools, private therapy services, animal assisted therapy, consultations, staff training and public speaking engagements. She has experience in schools, outpatient clinics, early childhood intervention programs and rehabs. Amanda is a children’s book author and creator of educational resources through her online store Panda Speech LLC. Her hope is to help busy SLPs build a library of effective and engaging materials. Her children’s books are also wonderful for families. Outside of her career, Amanda has a passion for community involvement. She serves on a local tennis association board, volunteers for local scouting programs and coaches for Special Olympics (track and swimming) and Kids Inc (inclusive sports league). Amanda also sits on the Board for Smiles for Speech, a 501c non-profit that provides speech and occupational therapy, resources and training to underserved communities around the globe. Amanda is married, has three sons and the cutest Boston terrier pups, Fannie and Dottie. Dottie assists Amanda in animal assisted therapy and classroom visits in their local community.

Meg Shake, MS, CCC-SLP, was born in Lexington. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Wake Forest University in 1989 and her Master of Science in Communication Disorders from the University of Kentucky in 1995. Her career began in private practice, but she soon returned to UK where she has served in different capacities for almost 30 years, including teaching, supervision and as a staff therapist in the outpatient clinic. Stuttering and speech differences involving fluency are a passion; about 60% of Meg’s current caseload is comprised of individuals who stutter. Meg has completed well over 300 continuing education credits in the area of stuttering and associated topics and amassed over 5,000 treatment hours with individuals of all ages who stutter and their families. She has presented at KSHA, the PRePARE Conference, and in the UK Lunch-n-Learn series on stuttering evaluation and treatment. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at West Liberty University, where she teaches the graduate course on fluency disorders. In 2024, Meg represented the stuttering community when she testified in support of Senate Bill 111, which became a new Kentucky law expanding insurance coverage for stuttering treatment. Meg is currently a candidate for BCS-SCF (Board Certified Specialist – Stuttering, Cluttering, and Fluency Disorders) through the American Board of Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders and an Ally of Stuttering through Spero Stuttering.

Adria Thompson, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist and lecturer at Eastern Kentucky University, where she earned her master’s degree in communication disorders. With over ten years of experience in dementia care across various settings like skilled nursing facilities and memory care communities, Adria founded Be Light Care Consulting. Through her consulting work, she develops innovative, evidence-based educational content aimed at enhancing caregiving practices. Adria is also a prominent content creator in the aging care space, with a dedicated following of 350,000 people.

Ricardo Vallejo, AuD, is a pediatric cochlear implant audiologist at University of Kentucky Healthcare. He completed his undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences Disorders at the University of Virginia. He completed his doctorate’s degree at East Tennessee State University. Ricardo completed his fourth-year audiology externship at The Children’s Cochlear Implant Center at UNC. His clinical and research interests include pediatric cochlear implants, pediatric aural (re)habilitation and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of audiology.

Jaime Welborn, PhD, President of JWE Education Consulting, LLC and executive director of Midwest Collaborative for Cultural Proficiency (DBA), is a former teacher and school administrator in Missouri and Illinois. With almost two decades of experience in education, she currently serves as assistant professor in education leadership at Saint Louis University, preparing principals, superintendents and other leaders for the field. Her research is focused on investigating educators’ use and value of culturally competent practices. In 2023, she was awarded the Faculty Excellence Award at Saint Louis University. Additionally, she is a certified Senior Training Associate from the Center for Culturally Proficient Educational Practice (CCPEP) and since 2016 has worked in numerous schools and districts providing face-to-face and virtual professional learning for educators, including administrators, teachers, and support staff, focused on equity, access, and inclusion. Highlights of her work include working with top leaders at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Regional Offices of Education in Western New York, Los Angeles County Office of Education, among others. In 2022, Corwin Press published Leading Change through the Lens of Cultural Proficiency, her first book on culturally proficient practice. Jaime lives in St. Peters, Missouri with her husband and two girls, Brynley and Hailee.

Gail Whitelaw, PhD, MHA, is a clinical professor, clinic director and audiologist at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Her clinical interests include auditory processing disorders in children and adults, working with people who have traumatic brain injury and/or stroke and tinnitus assessment and management. She teaches coursework in these areas and in professional issues in the doctorate of audiology program at Ohio State. She provides direct clinical services and is a preceptor to second and third year audiology students. She is also the audiology faculty member on the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Disabilities (LEND) grant at the Nisonger Center at Ohio State. She is a past-president of the American Academy of Audiology.