President:

Sarah Rapillard

Sarah Rapillard is a private practice owner and speech-language pathologist located in Southeast Georgia. Sarah’s practice, Coastal Plain Therapy & Wellness, provides on-site instrumental swallowing and voice assessments using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) as well as videostroboscopy in skilled nursing facilities and ENT offices. Her practice also provides adult-focused, outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology services to the local community. She has served in various roles on GSHA's executive council including: PR chair, continuing education chair, convention co-chair, convention chair, StAMP representative, and president-elect. 

President Elect:

Ariella Kaplan

Ariella Kaplan is a speech-language pathologist and certified brain injury specialist. She resides in Grant Park where she founded her private practice, Atlanta Speech & Wellness. Ariella received her undergraduate degree in communication sciences & disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her masters from the University of Georgia. Ariella is a native Atlantan and is passionate about helping individuals living with brain injuries as they navigate barriers and reintegrate into their communities.

Immediate Past President:

Nicole A. Hines, MS, CCC-SLP

Nicole A. Hines, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech pathologist and  the owner of Swallowology Mobile Diagnostics, LLC providing mobile Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) to patients throughout north Georgia.  She received her Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania in 2005.

With a passion for dysphagia education and advocacy Nicole has previously presented at multiple state association conventions including Georgia, New York and Louisiana.  She has also been a guest lecturer at University of Georgia and Stony Brook University. 

Nicole also established an online dysphagia journal club in 2018.  She is a six time recipient of the ASHA ACE award and current member of Special Interest Group-13 for Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.

Vice President of Association Affairs: 
OPEN POSITION 

Vice President of Professional Practice:  
Kara A. Jones

Kara Jones, M.A. CCC-SLP is a Speech Language Pathologist who specializes in adult dysphagia.  She received her Master’s at SUNY University at Buffalo.  Kara works at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital where she completes Modified Barium Swallow Studies and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).  Kara is passionate about her work in the Intensive and Neurointensive Care Units.  Kara is a 4-time ACE award winner.

Communications Committee, Chair: 
Heather Ismay

Heather grew up in Pensacola, FL and currently resides in the state of Georgia. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Clinical Health Sciences from The University of Central Florida, and her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Nova Southeastern University. She has practiced in a variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient, and private practice, and manages her own private tele-practice serving the states of Georgia and California, specializing in early intervention and speech sound disorders. Heather enjoys working with children, caregivers, and other professionals to serve each family’s unique needs. She is passionate about providing education, coaching, and communication among professionals in the field.

Public Relations Committee, Chair: 
Sarah Allan 

Convention Committee, Chair: 

Vince Clark

Convention Committee, Co-Chair: 

OPEN POSITION

 
Finance Committee, Chair: 
Caitlin Franchini

Caitlin Franchini, MS, CCC-SLP, is a Clinical Research Associate at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research - Atlanta Satellite through the University of Texas at Austin. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her Master’s from Georgia State University. Caitlin specializes in developmental stuttering and implements person-focused treatment that builds positive attitudes toward stuttering and confidence when communicating.

Caitlin is a person who stutters and is very passionate about advocating for her community. She is a co-leader of the National Stuttering Association Atlanta Adult Chapter and a member of ASHA SIG 4, Fluency and Fluency Disorders. She also mentors students interested in speech-language pathology through the UGA Mentor program. Caitlin previously served as GSHA’s Student Affairs Committee Chair and is very excited to continue her involvement with GSHA!

Finance Committee, Co-Chair: 

Joy Carter

 Joy Carter is a speech-language pathologist who practices in acute inpatient rehabilitation. She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Howard University in Washington DC, and her Master of  Science degree from Georgia State University. Joy implemented the Red Yellow Green Program for dementia management at a skilled nursing facility in Macon, Georgia. 

Joy is passionate about improving the lives of her patients through evidence-based, functional treatments. She is certified in the McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program. Her professional interests include brain injury recovery and dysphagia in the dementia population.

Healthcare and Private Practice, Chair:

Lorelei Benham

Higher Education Committee, Chair: 
Aleah Brock 

Schools Committee, Chair: 

Jodi Thomas

Membership Committee, Chair:
OPEN POSITION

Continuing Education Committee, Chair:
Ainsley Vergara

Political Action Committee (PAC), Chair: 

Jill Barton

Political Action Committee (PAC), Secretary-Treasurer: 
Kelly Ball 
Therapy Solutions of Georgia, Inc.

Strategic Planning Committee, Chair: 

Jill Barton

Student Affairs Committee, Co-Chair: 

Farzana Begum

Student Affairs Committee, Co-Chair:

Valencia Valestin

ASHA CE Administrator: 

Kara A. Jones

Parliamentarian:
Lauren Adams

StAMP Representative: 
Sarah Rapillard

Sarah Rapillard is a private practice owner and speech-language pathologist located in Southeast Georgia. Sarah’s practice, Coastal Plain Therapy & Wellness, provides on-site instrumental swallowing and voice assessments using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) as well as videostroboscopy in skilled nursing facilities and ENT offices. Her practice also provides adult-focused, outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology services to the local community. She has served in various roles on GSHA's executive council including: PR chair, continuing education chair, convention co-chair, convention chair, StAMP representative, and president-elect. 

SEAL Representative:

OPEN POSITION 

STAR Representative and Tri-Allaince Representative: 
Margaret Ann Parker
Therapy Associates of Georgia, P. C. 

Margaret Ann Parker’s passion is providing quality care to patients in an underserved area of Georgia. A native of Southwest Georgia, she returned to the area after completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Florida State University in 1981. She started her private practice in speech-language pathology in Bainbridge, Georgia in 1986 where today she serves patients in nine sparsely populated, economically disadvantaged, rural counties with a staff of six therapists. During her career, she implemented start-up programs for seven hospitals, nine nursing homes and three home health agencies in rural Georgia and Florida. Prior to opening her private practice, Margaret Ann established the speech pathology program at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville and Archbold’s affiliate hospitals and home health programs in Georgia and Florida. She also spent two years working in the public schools.

In 2000, Margaret Ann was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes to serve on the Georgia Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology. She served a three-year term on the board. She has served as the ASHA State Advocate for Reimbursement (STAR) for Georgia since 2011. She is often consulted by speech pathology providers on reimbursement issues and has advocated on behalf of Georgia speech pathology and audiology providers with legislators and state agencies. She and husband Bob Parker have two children and two grandchildren. They make their home in Atlanta.

“To ensure access for all to quality care in an economically disadvantaged rural area of Georgia."

Tri-Alliance Representative:
Kelly Ball
Therapy Solutions of Georgia, Inc.

Originally from Martinsville, Virginia, Kelly attended the University of Virginia located in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was at UVA where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Communication Disorders in 1995. Kelly then went on to complete a master's program in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Georgia in 1997. Kelly has served as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in both the public and private sector, including as a school SLP in Alaska, a hospital SLP in Georgia, and a private SLP in both North Carolina and Georgia.  Kelly and her husband Chris have owned and managed Therapy Solutions of Georgia, Inc, a pediatric private practice providing booth speech and occupational therapy, for the past 15 years.  Kelly has 20 years of experience as a Speech-Language pathologist and loves working with kids! 

Lobbyist:

Helen Sloat
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP