Audiology Connections - 2021 - 5

 FROM THE CHIEF STAFF OFFICER FOR AUDIOLOGY

From the CSO for Audiology
" The wind does not break
the tree that bends. "
-Tanzanian proverb
The year 2020 provided us with
plenty of reasons to break, in a
metaphorical sense. Some of those
reasons were shared experiences
such as the pandemic and racial
injustice, whereas others were more
personal-like the loss of loved
ones and colleagues. As I write this
message to you, I am completing my
second week as the Chief Staff Officer
for Audiology at ASHA. Prior to joining
the ASHA staff, I was the coordinator
for the Educational Audiology/Speech
Pathology Resources for Schools
(EARS) Program at Arkansas Children's
Hospital. I have practiced audiology
in the areas of pediatrics and schoolbased audiology for more than 30
years.
I am excited to serve in this new
role and look forward to the work that
we can accomplish together for our
profession and for the individuals we
serve. But my presence at ASHA was
necessary because of the passing
of Neil DiSarno in April 2020. I had
the privilege of serving on the ASHA
Board of Directors early in Neil's
tenure at ASHA. He demonstrated for
me how we can bring diametrically
opposing views together by building
relationships, in spite of differences.
Neil will be missed by ASHA, the
profession, colleagues, and his family.
It is my desire to continue his legacy of
being a bridge builder by cultivating
and continuing to look for ways that
audiologists can work collaboratively
to advance our profession.

It would be easy to wallow in the
challenges that came to us in 2020.
However, I tend to be a " glass half
full " person and have looked for
opportunities to learn from the events
of 2020. On a personal level, I will aim
to be more present in the moment for
family, friends, and colleagues. On a
professional level, I think that we will
practice audiology in different ways,
learn in new ways, and be more open
to change than we have ever been
in our lives. One lesson we definitely
learned in 2020 is that we can adapt
to change more quickly than we have
imagined in the past.
2020 proved that my personal
" crystal ball " is broken. But if I allow
myself to dream about the future, I
envision that the work we do as
audiologists will continue to gain value
and recognition, that more individuals
with hearing and/or balance issues
will seek our expertise, and that we will
work in a more united way to improve
the lives of individuals who need our
services and expertise.
My hope for all of us in 2021 is that
we will have the resiliency to withstand
the challenges that are ahead-and
the awareness to recognize and seize
the opportunities that come our way.
Donna Smiley, PhD, CCC-A,
Chief Staff Officer for
Audiology, ASHA

2021 ASHA Board of Directors
A. Lynn Williams, PhD, CCC-SLP
President
Judy Rudebusch Rich, EdD, CCC-SLP
President-Elect
Theresa H. Rodgers, MA, CCC-SLP
Past President
Charles E. Bishop, AuD, PhD, CCC-A
Board Member at Large in Audiology
Craig E. Coleman, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-F
Vice President for Planning
Elizabeth Crais, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Academic Affairs in
Speech-Language Pathology
Barbara T. Goodson, MS, CCC-SLP
Board Member at Large in SpeechLanguage Pathology
Julie A. Honaker, PhD, CCC-A
Vice President for Academic Affairs in
Audiology
Kia N. Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP
National Student Speech Language Hearing
Association (NSSLHA) National Advisor
Valeria Roberts Matlock, EdD, CCC-A
Vice President for Standards and Ethics in
Audiology
Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke, PhD, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Finance
Sharon Moss, PhD, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Standards and Ethics in
Speech-Language Pathology
Arlene A. Pietranton, PhD, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Elena Plante, PhD, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Science and Research
Linda I. Rosa-Lugo, EdD, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Speech-Language
Pathology Practice
Sharon A. Sandridge, PhD, CCC-A
Vice President for Audiology Practice
Doanne Ward-Williams, MEd, CCC-SLP
Vice President for Government Affairs and
Public Policy

Read more at www.asha.org/about/
governance/bod/asha-board-of-directors/.

asha.org/aud 2021 AUDIOLOGY CONNECTIONS  

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