AI Task Force

Ashley L. Dockens, PhD, AuD, CCC-A, is a dynamic academic leader serving at Lamar University as the Associate Dean of Policy and Procedure in the College of Graduate Studies. In this role, she shapes and implements policies to drive academic excellence and compliance. Additionally, as the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement, Dr. Dockens is dedicated to promoting innovative teaching practices and leading all university AI initiatives, ensuring ethical and effective integration into academic programs. As an Associate Professor of Audiology, she shares her passion for the field, having previously directed the Doctor of Audiology program. In higher education, she serves as a regular speaker on the topic of generative AI at state, national, and international venues. As of March 2024, Dr. Dockens has committed to serving as Chair of the AI Taskforce for the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, an international accreditor for the field. Dr. Dockens' diverse roles reflect her commitment to higher education through leadership, contributing to the overall success of the academic community.

Dr. Nydia Bou is a Senior Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence and Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Emerson College. For over 27 years she has performed a variety of roles in higher education including teaching, administration, new program development and assessment, academic accreditation, research, and grant writing. Within the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) field her areas of interest include Spanish phonetics and phonology, speech perception, and speech production analysis. She is passionate about mentoring and supporting the professional development of the future generation of SLP's and committed to increase the representation in the field.

Ramesh Kaipa, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Oklahoma State University since 2018. Before being a department head, he served as the Graduate Program Director from 2016-2018. He is also currently serving as the Vice President of the Oklahoma Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the executive board member of the South Asian Caucus of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. His research focuses on developing evidence-based treatment for individuals with neurogenic communication disorders. He is equally passionate about teaching. During his time at Oklahoma State University, his teaching and research endeavors have been recognized by several awards, including the President Faculty Fellow Award, College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Awards, and Mortar Board’s Golden Torch Award.

Dr. AnnMarie C. Knight currently serves as Associate Professor and Chair of the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Program at Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina.  Starting June 1, 2024, she will begin developing the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK. She received a B.A. from the University of South Florida and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Florida. Dr. Knight practiced clinically in the acute care hospital setting before returning to academia in 2017.  Her areas of clinical interest include acquired adult neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders and her areas of research focus have included aphasia, dementia, and scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Knight is passionate about mentoring the next generation of speech-language pathology professionals.

Kimberly Meigh, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor in the Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders at West Virginia University (WVU). She is also the Coordinator of Clinical Services at the WVU Speech Language Hearing Clinic. Before serving as the Clinic Coordinator, she served as the Undergraduate Program Coordinator from 2022-2023. Dr. Meigh's research interests are in motor learning, as well as scholarship of teaching and learning. She teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses and has been awarded several teaching awards at West Virginia University. Clinically, Dr. Meigh participates on the WVU Medicine Cleft Palate Team, as well as sees patients with acquired neurogenic disorders and voice disorders at the WVU Speech Language Hearing Clinic. 

Donna Pitts is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech Language Hearing Sciences at Loyola University Maryland, where she has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses for 26 years. She currently is serving as the Graduate Program Director. She loves being a clinician and a researcher and tries to incorporate clinical issues/outcomes into her research. She especially loves mentoring students in research and her interests include recreational noise exposure and the relationships between diabetes mellitus and dementia on hearing loss. She received her Au.D. from Central Michigan University, and is currently completing her Master of Public Health with a specialty in health services.

Danielle J. Watson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor in the Speech Pathology and Audiology Department at Tennessee State University. In addition to serving as the Departmental Admissions Coordinator and Clinic Director, she teaches numerous graduate and undergraduate courses. 

She serves on the Admissions Committee for the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD), the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC), and is a member of the Foundation Board for the Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (TAASLP). Dr. Watson is also the co-founder of Multicultural Concerns in CSD (MC2) at the University of Cincinnati, which is an organization that addresses Diversity/Equity and Inclusion for undergraduate and graduate students. 

Yunfang Zheng, Sc.D., M.D., CCC-A, is a full professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University. She was a physician and received her Sc.D. in Audiology from Montclair State University. She managed an audiology department at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Jersey for three years and was an adjunct professor at Montclair State University. Her research interests include diagnostic audiology, amplification, cochlear implants, and aural rehabilitation, with the goal of helping individuals with hearing difficulties achieve a better quality of life. She has given many scientific presentations at national and international conventions and has published her work in several internationally respected professional journals. She has also received awards and grants from university, industry, and professional associations to support her research and has mentored many doctoral research projects with different research awards/grants.