ASHA Awards Ceremony: Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement

The ASHA conference held in Seattle this week has 13,005 registrations from 58 countries
https://convention.asha.org/. Tonight I was honoured to receive the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) at the Awards Ceremony (https://www.asha.org/about/awards/certificate-of-recognition-for-outstanding-contributions-in-international-achievement/).

CSU News: https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/great-international-impact-recognised-by-top-us-speech-language-organisation

Here is some of the text from the 2-page nomination by Prof. Lynn Williams' (Past ASHA President)

Dr. McLeod is a distinguished clinician-researcher whose groundbreaking work on child speech acquisition and disorders in over 100 languages, dialects, and cultures has had a profound impact on children’s lives and has influenced health and education professionals worldwide. Her contributions have been recognized by a number of awards, including ASHA Fellow and Honors of the Association. As a speech-language pathologist and professor of speech and language acquisition at Charles Sturt University, Australia, Dr. McLeod has demonstrated exemplary dedication and leadership in this field...

In summary, Dr. McLeod’s outstanding contributions in international education, publications, and research have not only transformed the field of speech-language pathology but have also had a profound impact on children’s lives globally. Her dedication to advancing knowledge and fostering international collaboration exemplifies the spirit of this award.

I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. McLeod’s nomination for the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation makes her a truly deserving recipient of this honor.

 

ASHA currently has over 230,000 members https://www.asha.org/. In the history of the award, there have only been 21 people/groups who have received the award. Here is the list of past recipients (https://www.asha.org/about/awards/certificate-of-recognition-for-outstanding-contributions-in-international-achievement-recipients/). I was particularly thrilled to share the 2024 award with my colleagues from Turkiye (Ahmet Konrot, İlknur Maviş, Seyhun Topbaş). I have worked with Seyhun Topbaş since 1996.

It is wonderful to celebrate both awards with my colleagues from across the world in 2024. In 2021 I was awarded ASHA Honors - but was unable to attend the ceremony due to COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia (https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2021/11/asha-awards-ceremony.html). I was one of 11  colleagues receiving ASHA Honors in 2021 and was the first ASHA International Affiliate to receive the award since it began in 1944. The CSU News story about my award is here: https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/unique-international-honour-for-speech-and-language-acquisition-expert. Here is the video that ASHA created to announce my award at the ceremony: https://vimeo.com/644073807.

Information about the ASHA Awards Ceremony (from the ASHA website) https://convention.asha.org/networking/awards-ceremony/

The Awards Ceremony celebrates the highest achievements and excellence in the professions. Awards presented this evening include the Honors of the Association—ASHA's most prestigious award, which recognizes lifetime achievement—and ASHA Fellows, whose recipients' contributions are the cornerstones of the communication sciences and disorders (CSD) professions. ASHA will present additional awards to honor other members who have also contributed to the professions and to ASHA.

The Annie Glenn Award will also be presented. It is named after the late Annie Glenn, a devoted champion for people with communication disorders. It honors individuals or groups who are champions much like the award’s namesake. This year, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, an advocate for people who stutter and a former college basketball national champion who went on to play in the National Basketball Association will receive the Annie.

ASHA celebrations

While in Boston at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association convention I have had the opportunity to celebrate the awards of my colleagues: 

Honors of the Association 

• Lynn Williams, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, FASHA, FNAP 
• Catherine J. Crowley, JD, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL 
• Karla K. McGregor, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL 

Fellowship of the Association 

• Kelly Farquharson, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
• Anna Miles, PhD - New Zealand
  

Anna Miles became the second (ever) ASHA Fellow from New Zealand

I was honoured to be a guest of Lynn Williams at the awards ceremony and give a speech at her celebration following the ceremony. Lynn and I have worked together for 20 years, since we chaired an ASHA convention committee in 2003. Lynn is currently the National Academies of Practice Vice President for Professional Development and Interim Dean and Professor for the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University.

Here is an excerpt from my letter of recommendation for Lynn to receive ASHA Honors that I read at the celebration party: 

The decision to award Dr. Williams ASHA Honors will be very easy as she is unrivalled in her contribution, capacity, and competence across every aspect of our field: national service (leadership, advocacy), research, teaching, and clinical practice. Words I would use to describe Dr. Williams are that she is genuine, rigorous, knowledgeable, innovative, ethical, practical, collegial, consultative, encouraging, compassionate, respectful and world-leading. I completely concur that her “contributions have been of such excellence that they have enhanced or altered the course of the professions” across the world.

The book that Lynn, Rebecca and I edited was in the exhibit hall listed as a "best seller"!

Charles Sturt University's highest performing tweet this year!

Today at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Town Hall with all staff across the university,  the Vice Chancellor had a segment where she announced recognitions and rewards. She indicated that the tweet about my ASHA Honours was CSU's "highest performing tweet this year"!

Prime 7 television interview

Today I was interviewed by Chris Tan from Prime 7 television regarding my ASHA Honors Award. The interview and footage from my work was presented within the 6pm news bulletin.

ABC radio interview

Today I was interviewed by Sally Bryant for ABC Radio (Riverina) regarding my ASHA Honors as a result of the CSU news item: https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/unique-international-honour-for-speech-and-language-acquisition-expert. We mostly spoke about the impact of wearing masks and other aspects of COVID-19 restrictions on communication - important topics.

ASHA Awards Ceremony

The online American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Awards Ceremony was held in Washington D.C. Friday 19th November. https://convention.asha.org/networking/awards-ceremony/

The Awards Ceremony celebrates the highest achievements and excellence in the professions. Awards presented this evening include the Honors of the Association—ASHA's most prestigious award, which recognizes lifetime achievement—and ASHA Fellows, whose recipients' contributions are the cornerstones of the communication sciences and disorders (CSD) professions. ASHA will present additional awards to honor other members who have also contributed to the professions and to ASHA. The 2020 awardees will also receive a special recognition from 2020 ASHA President Theresa H. Rodgers.

ASHA has 218,000 members and awardees are nominated then voted on by a committee. The list of 2021 awards recipients is here: https://www.asha.org/about/awards/2021-awards-recipients/

I was one of 11  colleagues receiving ASHA Honors in 2021 and was the first ASHA International Affiliate to receive the award since it began in 1944.  

The CSU News story about my award is here: https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/unique-international-honour-for-speech-and-language-acquisition-expert

Here is the video that ASHA created to announce my award at the ceremony: https://vimeo.com/644073807

Here is the Awards Ceremony booklet: https://asha-convention.s3.amazonaws.com/2020-and-2021-Convention-Awards-Booklet.pdf 

My colleagues Elise Baker, Marie Ireland, and Karla Washington and other colleagues from the US were awarded ASHA Fellows at the ceremony. 

Dr Elise Baker (ASHA Fellow) and Prof Sharynne McLeod (ASHA Honoree)

We celebrated in Bathurst with our family and friends (restricted due to COVID-19)

 

Unfortunately Elise and I were unable to travel from Australia for the ceremony, so watched online and celebrated with our families and friends. We were pleased that Lynn Williams (ASHA President) and Rebecca McCauley  accepted our awards on our behalf.

ASHA President Lynn Williams accepted my award on my behalf (and I was surprised she had a cutout of my head!)

ASHA Honors recipients

Elise Baker's ASHA Fellow Award was accepted by Rebecca McCauley

After the ceremony, Elise and I had an online Zoom celebration with friends and colleagues from Vietnam, Iceland, UK, US and Australia

Marie Ireland was backstage with the other ASHA awardees.

Tommie Robinson (ASHA Honors), Marie Ireland (ASHA Fellow) with cutouts of Karla Washington and myself!

Stephen Camarata (ASHA Honors) with my head!

Here is the recording of the ASHA Awards ceremony: https://stream.asha.org/2021-convention-awards# Log on ID: 12070449. My award was accepted by the ASHA President, Professor Lynn Williams and occurred between 0:43 – 0:47 minutes and 1:21 – 1:23.  Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger’s award was introduced 1:23 ff, then at 1:27ff

It has been a busy few days with all of our ASHA presentations going on (https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2021/11/american-speech-language-hearing.html) as well as responding to all of the lovely emails, tweets, texts and phonecalls.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation donations

Today I received this email:

Contributions have been given to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation by: 

• Karen Beverly-Ducker
• Julie Masterson
• Sharon Moss 
• Tommie L. Robinson, Jr. 
• Nancy Swigert 

in recognition of your receiving Honors of the Association.

Thank you to each of the donors - I know that the ASHFoundation will use this money well.

Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has announced their 2021 Awards today https://www.asha.org/about/awards/2021-awards-recipients/. There are a number of my colleagues/co-authors who have been awarded Fellowship of ASHA this year:

•  Elise Baker - ASHA Fellow
  
•  Marie Ireland - ASHA Fellow
  
•  Karla Washington - ASHA Fellow
  

Congratulations to these outstanding people!  

The awards will be presented at the 2021 ASHA Convention in Washington DC on 19th November: https://convention.asha.org/networking/awards-ceremony/

The 2021 ASHA President Lynn Williams contacted me on the weekend to inform me that I am the first International Affiliate to be awarded ASHA Honors.

"The Honors of the Association recognizes members for their distinguished contributions to the discipline of communication sciences and disorders and is the highest honor the Association bestows. The Bylaws describe the Honors of the Association broadly to encourage the recognition of those individuals whose contributions have been of such excellence that they have enhanced or altered the course of the professions. It may be awarded to an individual whose contributions have been confined to a single area of achievement. The quality of the achievement and their impact on the professions are considered of greater importance than the nominee's length of service. Members are encouraged to nominate individuals who are well-known throughout the nation and the world for a lifetime of innovative clinical practice, insightful and rigorous research, creative administration, effective legislative activity, outstanding teaching or other distinguished professional contributions." https://www.asha.org/about/awards/honors-of-the-association/

This year 11 people will receive ASHA Honors. There are 218,000 ASHA members and International Affiliates come from 60 countries. To date 313 people have received ASHA Honors since 1944.

It is an enormous honour to have been nominated for this award, and I am so grateful for opportunities to serve people with communication disabilities and the speech-language pathology profession over many years. Many of the people who have shaped my career are ASHA Honorees, so it is humbling to be joining this group https://www.asha.org/about/awards/honors-of-the-association-recipients/

I recall my excitement joining Marc Fey for his ASHA Honors celebrations in 2011

ASHA Honorees Larry Shriberg and Marc Fey
with Sandy Fey and Sharynne at the 2011 ASHA convention

 

Here are the details about the determination of the award from the ASHA Headlines email (14 July 2021): 

"By way of reminder, the COH receives nominations for Honors, Fellows, and other Association awards; elects Fellows by a two-thirds vote, and transmits nominations for Honors to the Board of Directors where a 75% vote is required for bestowing the award."
Frederick Britten, PhD, CCC-A Chair, Committee on Honors
Theresa H. Rodgers, MA, CCC-SLP 2021 ASHA Immediate Past President BOD Liaison to the Committee on Honors 

 

 Profile of ASHA Members and Affiliates 2020: https://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/2020-member-and-affiliate-profile.pdf