Board of Directors

Tricia Montgomery is a faculty member at Florida State University where she serves as the Director of Clinical Education. She previously served as the VP for Professional Development for CAPCSD and currently is the CAPCSD President-Elect.

Katie Strong, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She currently is serving on CAPCSD's Board of Directors as President. She has previously served as Chair of CAPCSD Nominations Committee and on CAPCSD's Board of Director as Treasurer. Katie's research through the Strong Story Lab explores how clinicians can support people with aphasia rebuild their identity by co-constructing stories about who they are. Katie is a Tavistock Distinguished Aphasia Scholar and an ASHA Fellow. Her professional activities include: Lansing Area Aphasia Support Group Founding Member, and Aphasia Access Conversations Podcast Host.

Christie Needham, M.A. CCC-SLP is a Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Baldwin Wallace University's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has been at Baldwin Wallace University since 2006. Christie's research has focused on clinical education, robotics, and technology. She has taught coursework including the topics of AAC, clinical writing, clinical management, and professional issues. She is excited to be serving as the Secretary on the CAPCSD Board of Directors. 

Ashley Whicker Harkrider, Ph.D, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology and Director of the Human Auditory Physiology Laboratory at University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Knoxville. Her teaching and research focus on physiological correlates of speech perception and production in typical and disordered populations. In July of 2022, Ashley assumed the role of Treasurer after volunteering for CAPCSD for over 12 years.  Ashley finds the resources provided by CAPCSD invaluable and is grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization that supports current and future generation of leaders in academic health care settings.

Kelly Rutherford, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders. She received her B.S. and M.S. in Communication Disorders from Marshall University. In 2019, she completed her Ed.D. at Marshall, with a focus on Leadership Studies and Higher Education Administration. Areas of interest include aphasia, dysphagia, cognitive-communication disorders, patient education, interdisciplinary management, and cultural responsiveness relative to patient care. Dr. Rutherford teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in adult communication and cognitive disorders, advises graduate students, and serves the Marshall University Speech and Hearing Center as lead faculty for the center’s Aphasia Group. She has presented her academic work at state and national conferences (including WVSHA, KSHA, WV Celebrating Connections, ASHA, and NSSA).

Andy Clare MS CCC-SLP CBIS, is the Assistant Director of Clinical Education for the George Washington University Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences. He currently serves as the chair of the CAPCSD Clinical Education Committee. His clinical areas of expertise include Dysphagia, Aphasia, Cognitive-Linguistic Disorders and Aural Rehabilitation. He teaches classes in Dysphagia, Aural Rehabilitation and Clinical Methods. His research interests center on refining clinical education processes for students and supervisors in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Leslie Grubler Ed.D., CCC-SLP is the Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Services at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York, a Hispanic and minority serving institution. A speech-language pathologist, consultant, and family and child advocate with experience in treatment and administration through 27 years of practice, Dr. Grubler has presented nationally and locally on a variety of topics in practice and supervision and advocated for the rights of disabled individuals throughout her entire career from NYC Hall to Albany, to Washington D.C.  Dr. Grubler’s research, scholarship, advocacy, professional practice interests have been in disability-affirmative and culturally responsive practice. Dr. Grubler presently serves as Co-Chair of the DEI committee of CAPCSD, co-chair of the SLHS Department DEI&B Committee, committee member of the Governmental Affairs Committee of NYSSLHA,  has served as Autism Chair of the NYSSLHA Conference for three consecutive years, and as ASHA Advisory Council Member representing NYS.  In 2022, Dr. Grubler was awarded her Ed.D. degree in Executive Leadership in Social Justice. Her dissertation topic, The Lived Educational Experiences of Student Clinicians with Non-Apparent Disabilities in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Perspectives of Recent Graduates in Communication Sciences and Disorders, is the first study of its kind in CSD.

Erin E.G. Lundblom, PhD, is an associate professor and the director of clinical education for the Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Pittsburgh. Lundblom has worked in various pediatric and adult clinical settings including a position as a clinical instructor in an campus based clinic.  Her areas of clinical and research interest include school-based language and literacy services including service delivery options and best practices in clinical education including the SoTL. Lundblom has presented at regional, state, and national conferences about clinical education.  She has routinely attended the annual CAPCSD conference with more recent contributions focused on presentations about clinical education.  Lundblom has provided many years of service to her state professional organization (PSHA—Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association) in various roles ranging from Publications to Convention Planning.  She has also contributed to the Council of Academic Programs in CSD. First as a member of the online professional development committee, then as the chair of the committee, and more recently as the vice president of online professional development.

Douglas F. Parham, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the Chair, Program Director, and Professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University. He serves as the Vice President of Admissions of CAPCSD after completing a four-year cycle as a member of the Admissions Committee. He is also a Site Visitor for ASHA's CAA and served two terms as the Kansas SLP Ambassador on ASHA's Committee of Ambassadors. He was the Professional Development Manager for ASHA’s Special Interest Group 19, Speech Science. He is a two-term Past President of the Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association and a Past President of the Council of State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Presidents. Dr. Parham earned his PhD in Audiology and Speech Pathology from the University of Memphis. His research interests include infant vocalization, speech breathing, typical and atypical speech-language development, physiological instrumentation, and conversational interaction.

Heidi Verticchio, EdD, CCC-SLP is the Clinic Director and Director of Advisement in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Illinois State University. Her primary responsibilities include managing the business operations of the on-campus Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic.  Additionally, Heidi is the academic advisor for graduate students in speech-language pathology and audiology. Heidi has taught CSD 432: Professional Issues. Heidi has served as the Chairperson of the Conference Planning Committee for CAPCSD and volunteered in several capacities for CAPCSD. Additional contributions include presentations and publications in the discipline. 

Ned has almost 40 years of experience working with non-profit organizations, primarily in membership, continuing education, and event planning. Ned serves as the Executive Director for CAPCSD. 

In his new position, Ned will provide extensive support to the Board of Directors and its committees, manage the membership program, contribute to annual conference planning, and supervise The Lisa Scott Leadership Academy, DEI Academy, and Admissions Summit. He will coordinate scholarships, oversee professional development initiatives, and maintain the organization's website. Ned will manage the CAPCSD Team, administration, financial record-keeping, and contract management. 

Ned is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives and serves as a volunteer for United Way.

Outside his professional endeavors, Ned enjoys spending quality time with his family in Florida and Georgia, his two dachshunds, and hiking.