Board of Directors

NCSHLA Board of Directors

The association is led by a group of committed audiology and speech-language professionals from across North Carolina elected by the membership. The board meets the second Thursday of each month throughout the year and at the association's Annual Convention. If you would like to attend one of the Board meetings, let us know by contacting [email protected].


PRESIDENT 
Rachel Meinel, MA, CCC-SLP
Durham
Rachel received her Master’s Degree at UNC-Greensboro where she worked as a research assistant in a lab studying attention in Autistic Children. This sparked an interest in becoming a neurodivergent-affirming clinician. Additional areas of interest include articulation/phonology and building communication skills with young students and their community members. Rachel currently works for Durham Public Schools and enjoys working with her diverse caseload. When she isn’t working, she enjoys reading, running, snuggling with her dog, and traveling. Rachel has participated in the Finance Committee for 4 years and is looking forward to serving the association and learning how to help fill the needs of the professional community.

  

PAST PRESIDENT

Kellyn Hall, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Durham

Kellyn Dailey Hall, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a teacher, clinician, researcher, and author with over 30 years’ experience working in a variety of academic and medical settings. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at NC Central University, where she teaches the research courses and directs student capstone projects in addition to teaching courses in dysphagia, voice, and fluency. Her clinical and research interests are in healthy aging, culture considerations in dysphagia, and telepractice. She is also the ASHA State Advocate for Medicare Policy for North Carolina.

leigh

PRESIDENT ELECT

Leigh Odom, CCC-SLP

I am currently an Associate Professor in CSD teaching classes related to all things "neuro." Although I enjoy opportunities for clinical practice in aphasia and dementia, I'm most passionate about health and wellness of our clients and families living with an acquired communication disorder for the long term. Understanding how families cope and adjust to their new lives is one aspect of my research, but this extends to speech-language pathologists who are facing challenges of burnout. I believe strongly that quality of life is important for all of us, and I hope through my teaching, research, and service to others, we can experience the quality of life we deserve.

VP OF AUDIOLOGY
Amy M. Myers, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA

Dr. Amy Myers graduated from Radford University with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorder, from James Madison University with a M.Ed in Audiology and from A.T. Still University with a clinical doctorate in Audiology. Dr. Myers specializes in diagnostic audiology, hearing aid fitting, dispensing and consultation as well as cochlear and middle ear implants. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as well as the American Academy of Audiology. Her previous research and work was with the FDA clinical trial for a totally implantable hearing device known as the Envoy Esteem which received FDA approval in 2010.

VP OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Jessica Kinard, PhD CCC-SLP
Cary
Jessica Kinard, PhD CCC-SLP is a bilingual (English/Spanish) speech-language pathologist and researcher with over 15 years of experience providing services for culturally and linguistically diverse families. She completed her undergraduate training at Appalachian State, followed by master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral training at UNC Chapel Hill in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Kinard's clinical and research work focuses on cultural and linguistic diversity in autism assessment and intervention.
VP OF FINANCE
Rebecca Eaton M.S. CCC-SLP
Rebecca Eaton received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and graduate degree in Communication Disorders both from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She has worked as a Private Practice SLP for 14 years at the Cheshire Center where she has served children in a variety of settings and is currently serving as the Clinical Director.  Her special interests include clinical supervision and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She resides in Greensboro with her husband and two children.

VP OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

Alisha Richmond, PhD CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, educator, and researcher
with over 20 years of experience providing services for the pediatric and geriatric population.
She received her undergraduate degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She received her Master’s
Degree in Communication Disorders from North Carolina Central University. She received her
doctoral degree in Communication Disorders from Florida State University.  Alisha currently
serves as the Vice President of Clinical Education for NCSHLA. She is dedicated to promoting
ethical practices and patient advocacy across all settings

 
Leslie
VP OF MEMBERSHIP
Leslie Johnson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
I have been working in the Speech Language Pathology field for greater than a decade and have spent the majority of that time working with people with neurogenic difficulties related to communication and swallow disorders. I completed my doctoral work concentrating in Traumatic Brain Injury. I very much enjoy working at UNC Hospitals and have spent much of my clinical career here. When I'm not keeping up with three young boys or working in my garden. I have the pleasure of teaching masters students studying to become SLPs at several area universities and also serve on the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina's Board of Directors. 
VP OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS
Emily Maher
Emily Maher graduated from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York with a master’s degree in communication sciences and Disorders in 2006 and received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Nazareth University in Rochester, New York in 2004. Emily works for Cabarrus County Schools and part time at LKN Speech Language Pathology in Davidson. She has also worked in Massachusetts for UP Education Network and has worked in private practice, home health, and nursing homes.