Guests: Vicki R. Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, FASAE, CAE, ASHA's Chief Executive Officer, and Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, CTRI, ASHA-F, 2026 ASHA President Elect

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/the-future-of-slh

In this final episode of the Learning from Legends series, host Mary Beth Hines, MS, CCC-SLP, RYT200, and guest co-host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, welcome ASHA leadership Vicki R. Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, FASAE, CAE, ASHA's Chief Executive Officer, and Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, CTRI, ASHA-F, 2026 ASHA President Elect, for an inside look at the evolving speech-language-hearing professions.

Together, they will explore emerging technologies, workforce trends, and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain professionals, particularly those from BIPOC communities. The conversation will also highlight the SLP Interstate Compact and provide practical guidance for students and early-career professionals navigating the field's evolving landscape.

About the Guests: Vicki Deal-Williams serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), where she has been a valued team member for more than three decades. A Certified Association Executive and distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Vicki is also an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow. Her expertise lies in cultivating leadership, aligning strategic goals with organizational priorities, and navigating teams through transformation with clarity and purpose. She is known for authentically building strong, collaborative relationships and fostering a welcoming culture where everyone feels they have a voice. Through clear vision, steady guidance, and deep commitment, she works alongside volunteer leaders and members, students, vendors, partners, and staff to advance ASHA's mission, achieve optimal results, and ensure lasting impact.

Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, CTRI, is the Consultant to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in the area of Speech-Language Pathology and a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a two-time member of ASHA's Board of Directors, and a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language. He is a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) Certified Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor. He has presented several times at ASHA Conventions on recruiting and retaining men and minorities in speech-language pathology and has written several articles on the topic.

Guests: Carol Koch, EdD, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, BCS-CL, and Ann Kummer, PhD, MAT, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/ssd-with-ann-kummer

In this conversation, esteemed clinicians and educators Dr. Carol Koch, EdD, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, BCS-CL, and Dr. Ann Kummer, PhD, MAT, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA share their rich professional journeys and decades of expertise in the field of speech sound disorders.

Drs. Koch and Kummer reflect on the pivotal moments, mentors, and experiences that shaped their careers and fueled their passion for advancing clinical excellence. The episode also explores their influential contributions to the evaluation and treatment of speech sound disorders in children, offering evidence-based insights and practical strategies for clinicians in all settings.

About the Guests:

Dr. Ann Kummer, PhD, MAT, CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, retired after 44 years of distinguished service as Senior Director of the Division of Speech-Language Pathology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and as Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Otolaryngology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM). She currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus at UCCOM. Dr. Kummer has made significant contributions to the field, with over 70 peer-reviewed articles, 31 book chapters, and four authoritative books, including the widely used Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Conditions: A Comprehensive Guide to Clinical Management, 4th Edition. This edition features an accompanying online graduate-level course with over 300 instructional videos. She co-developed the Simplified Nasometric Assessment Procedures (SNAP) test and created the SNAP-R, integrated into the PENTAX Medical nasometer. Dr. Kummer has delivered over 300 national and 100 international lectures and seminars on cleft palate, velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), and craniofacial anomalies, and has taught graduate-level craniofacial courses at five universities. Her many honors include the prestigious Honors of the Association award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the organization’s highest recognition.

Carol Koch, EdD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, BCS-CL, is the Director of Curriculum and Professor for the MS-SLP program at Oklahomo Baptist University. Much of her clinical work has been in early intervention, with a focus on children with autism spectrum disorder and children with severe speech sound disorders, including childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Her research and teaching interests have also encompassed early phonological development, clinical transcription, speech sound disorders, and CAS. Dr. Koch has been teaching, mentoring, and guiding students in various roles in higher education for the past 20 years. She has been honored as an ASHA Fellow and is a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language. Currently, Dr. Koch is working on the 2nd edition of her textbook, Clinical Management of Speech Sound Disorders: A Case-Based Approach. She is also a co-author of Contrast Cues for Speech and Literacy and the “Box of” set of cues for articulation therapy, including Multisyllabic Words, Prevocalic and Vocalic /ɹ/, and the /ɹ/ Inventory and Facilitating Contexts for Intervention, published by Bjorem Speech Publications.

Guest: Carole Zangari, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA-F, BCS-CL

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/aac-with-carole-zanga

In celebration of AAC Awareness Month, Learning from Legends welcomes Dr. Carole Zangari, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA-F, BCS-CL, professor at Nova Southeastern University and long-standing leader in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Hosted by Mary Beth Hines with co-host Elizabeth Ardoin, MS, CCC-SLP, this conversation explores the evolution of AAC within speech-language pathology, from early approaches to current best practices. Dr. Zangari reflects on pivotal research and shifts in AAC evaluation and intervention, highlights contributions that have shaped today’s practice, and shares her perspective on where AAC is headed.

Guest: Dr. Carole Zangari is a Professor in the Speech Language Pathology department at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), where she teaches graduate courses in AAC and serves as the Executive Director of the NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. She is a frequent presenter on AAC topics at international and national conferences. Dr. Zangari is the co-editor of Practically Speaking Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students with AAC Needs and co-author of TELL ME: AAC in the Preschool Classroom, TELL ME Más: CAA en el Aula Preescolar, and TELL ME, Too: Elementary and Middle School edition. Dr. Zangari also co-authored an online multimedia training module on AAC and Autism for OCALI. She blogs at www.PrAACticalAAC.org.