MSHA is guided by a Board of Directors who are professionals, elected by MSHA membership.
President
Mary Casper, M.A., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, FNAP (Term of Office - January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024)
Mary Lee Casper, MA, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, FNAP is employed as a Corporate Rehabilitation Director with ProMedica. In her 33 years in the profession, Ms. Casper has been employed in a variety of health care settings, focusing clinically on swallowing disorders in the geriatric population and communication intervention for individuals with dementia. She is a Contributing Faculty member at University of Saint Augustine for the Health Sciences. She is a published author and an invited speaker on clinical, regulatory, ethical and reimbursement topics in local, state, national and international venues.
A dedicated ASHA volunteer, Ms. Casper served as Coordinator of ASHA’s Special Interest Group 15 (Gerontology), Board of SIG Coordinators (BSIGC) and was the BSIGC representative to the Specialty Recognition Board. She was the SLP Co-chair for the ASHA Convention in 2017. She chaired ASHA’s Scientific and Professional Education Board (SPEB) 2019-2020. She was named a Fellow of ASHA in 2018.
Ms. Casper is currently volunteering with the US IDDSI Resource Group (USIRG) to support the implementation of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative in the United States.
She represents the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association as the StAMP (State Advocates for Medicare Policy) liaison, is the interim Public Policy Director on the MSHA Board and participates on the Multicultural Affairs Committee. Previously she held leadership roles in the Ohio and Indiana state associations.
Ms. Casper is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice; a professional organization focused on Interprofessional practice and education and serves as the 2020 – 2022 Chair of the Speech-Language Pathology Academy. Additionally, she co-chairs the NAP Forum Abstracts subcommittee. She is a member of the American Society on Aging and the Dysphagia Research Society.
Director of Education and Scientific Affairs Karen Miranda, M.S., CCC-SLP (Term of Office - Karen Miranda, M.S., CCC-SLP is a Spanish-bilingual speech-language pathologist in Prince George's County Public Schools. She is an integral member of the Bilingual Assessment Team. Ms. Miranda is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) where she teaches a course on language and phonological disorders. Additionally, she coordinates UMD’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Bilingual Speech-Language for Practitioners (BSLP) program. Ms. Miranda has been a member of the Maryland Speech and Hearing Board since January 2021 as the Continuing Education Director and since 2019 as part of the Multicultural Affairs Committee. |
Director of Multicultural Affairs Norah AlJunaidi, M.A., CCC-SLP (Term of Office January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024)
Ms. AlJunaidi has been a Member of MSHA since November 2021 and is now MSHA Multicultural Affairs Chair as of November 2022. Director of University Affairs and Clinical Education VACANT |
Director of Advocacy and Public Policy VACANT |
Director of Recording and Finance VACANT |
C'Rai Weeden Shannon, M.A., CCC-SLP (Term of Office - January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024)
C'Rai Weeden Shannon, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Towson University. She received her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. C’Rai’s clinical areas of interest include, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), multicultural issues in speech-language pathology, literacy, as well as language development and disorders. C’Rai has been a member of the MSHA Executive Board since 2016, and is currently serving as the Past President of MSHA. C’Rai’s goal is to empower and support Maryland communication sciences and disorders professionals and those we serve, through advocacy and community engagement. She will continue to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and cultural humility through MSHA and our profession.
ASHA Representatives
State Advocate for Medicare Policy (StAMP) - Mary Casper
State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARs) - Vacant
State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALS) - Lindsay Knobelauch