President

Alison R. King, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT

Alison earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Appalachian State University, her Master of Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina, and her Ph.D. in Education with a Concentration in Special Education and Disability Policy from VCU. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings including private practice, early intervention, schools, and served on the cochlear implant team at VCU. Alison began supervising students early in her career and loves guiding new clinicians! She currently is an Assistant Professor in the CSD program at Longwood University. She firmly believes in giving back to the profession and has done so by serving on the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology as well as the Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Advisory Board. In her free time, Alison is an avid reader, concert-goer, gardener, and is addicted to the Crime Junkie podcast! 

President-Elect

Erin S. Clinard, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CHSE

Erin has been a speech-language pathologist for 20 years and has worked across the lifespan in a variety of settings including Level 1 trauma centers, Level IV NICUs, outpatient clinics, private practice, public schools, and the university clinic. While she has diverse clinical experience, her primary area of clinical specialty is in pediatric feeding and swallowing focused on neurodevelopmental services in the neonatal intensive care unit and early intervention. Erin currently serves as an Assistant Professor and the Coordinator of the Online MS SLP program at James Madison University. She researches and presents in the areas of interprofessional education/practice, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and clinical education. She also dedicates knowledge and expertise as a certified healthcare simulation educator by serving as the Director of Research and Publications on the Virginia State Simulation Alliance (VASSA) board of directors. 

M. Johanna Fox Klein, MS, CCC-SLP

M. Johanna Fox Klein was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and with a Master of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology at James Madison University. She is beginning her 21st year as a school based speech-language pathologist (SLP) and is currently serving the preschool through middle school populations in Rockingham County. She has played an active role with SHAV through the Conference Committee, two terms as SHAV Vice President of Continuing Education, the Honors Committee and her role as a "3P" (President Elect, President and now Past President). Johanna has supervised graduate students in both the school based setting and at the JMU Speech/Language Clinic and truly enjoys sharing her expertise and knowledge with future SLPs. Her current areas of deep interest include executive functioning, in particular how it relates to communication disorders and language differences of diverse populations, including rural populations. She loves being a detective while evaluating students and putting the pieces together to determine if a child truly has an impairment or not. She currently lives in McGaheysville, Virginia with her husband, son, daughter, and two cats.

Ronda Walker, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Ronda Walker, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, serves as the current VP of Membership. She is an Associate Professor at Longwood University.   

Ronda graduated from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina in 2004 with a B.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation.   

In 2008, Dr. Walker received her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN.  She worked as a full-time school based Speech Language Pathologist in the states of California and Texas until she decided to pursue her doctorate in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2013.  After receiving her Ph.D. in 2017, she joined Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at Longwood University, where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate students.  She also serves as a faculty advisor to the Longwood Chapter National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA).



Dr. Walker is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH), and the Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV). Dr. Walker’s areas of interest include perceptions of language differences, language and literacy, and the experiences of students in communication sciences and disorders.

Vice President for Governmental and Professional Affairs

Melanie-Joy H Dorn MA CCC-SLP, RYT-200 

Melanie Dorn has practiced as a clinical Speech Language Pathologist working with adults with neurological communication disorders since 1991. After many years as an adjunct professor and presenting at state conventions she landed her dream job in 2016 as an Assistant Professor at The George Washington University. At GWU she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses throughout the year (Foundations of Human Communication, Voice and Diction, Anatomy of Speech and Hearing and Neural Substrates) advises undergraduates within the SLHS Department and is the faculty advisor for GWUs National Student Speech, Language and Hearing Association.

Melanie became a certified LSVT/LOUD® Clinician in 2010, completed her 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) training through Yoga Fit in 2012 and competed HLVYM® Vocal Yoga Instructor training in 2016.   She began the Yoga for All Abilities classes at The Stroke Comeback Center in 2013. Through Vocal Yoga HLVYM® she can combine her passions of voice and yoga through the common denominator, the breath. 

She is the only Vocal Yoga teacher teaching a Vocal Yoga class specifically for people with voice disorders including people with Parkinson’s Disease.  Melanie serves on The Stroke Comeback Center’s Board of Directors and Professional Advisory Board. When she is not on her mountain bike or teaching yoga, she enjoys presenting and conducting research focused on group therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease.  

Vice President for Audiology

Tracey E. Hudson, Au. D., CCC-A

Tracey E. Hudson, Au. D., CCC-A, completed her undergraduate degree at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.  Following her passion for helping others and her interest in the study of hearing, she earned a Doctor of Audiology degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2013.

As an audiologist and healthcare provider, Dr. Hudson is dedicated to doing all she can to ensure her patients never miss another moment of their lives due to hearing loss. Her knowledge, training, and experience in audiological evaluation and treatment enables her to provide complete care and management of various disorders of the auditory system including hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders in newborns, children, and adults.

Dr. Hudson is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and a holder of the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-A).  She is licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia for Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing.

Vice President for Speech-Language Pathology

Kenzie VanDerwerker, MS, CCC-SLP


Kenzie VanDerwerker is a practicing speech-language pathologist in Virginia Beach. She currently works at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters with a variety of disorders with the pediatric population. She began researching clinical topics at her alumni, Radford University, and has continued her research passion, focusing on topics including selective mutism, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, executive functioning, challenging behaviors and speech and sound disorders. Kenzie has presented at the local, state and national level- but most enjoys presenting at SHAV’s annual conference. In her free time, she enjoys running several speech-language related online mailing lists including “Speech like a PIRATE.”

Vice President for Public Relations and Communication

Molly Howlett, Au.D.

Dr. Molly Howlett earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Marywood University in Dunmore, Pennsylvania and her Master of Science in Audiology from Towson State University in Towson, Maryland. She completed her clinical fellowship at Ear, Nose and Throat, Ltd. In Norfolk, and continued to provide services there for several years. In 1999, she joined Eastern Virginia Medical School as a Clinical Audiologist, providing services at DePaul Hearing and Balance Center as well as the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. Dr. Howlett has also provided clinical services at the Department of Veteran’s affairs in Hampton, Virginia. In 2000, Dr. Howlett returned to school and in 2002 earned her Doctor of Audiology degree form Arizona School of Health Sciences, part of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Mesa, Arizona. Dr. Howlett has spent the past 14 years in private practice providing hearing healthcare to patients of all ages at Hearing Services of Hampton Roads as well as Virginia Hearing Consultants. Dr. Howlett founded Hearing Services of Virginia in 2011 located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dr. Howlett is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Associated and is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology.

Vice President for Continuing Education

Emily N. Bromer, M.S., CCC-SLP

Emily earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Longwood University. She has been working as a school-based speech-language pathologist through contracts with Allied Instructional Services, and now as a direct hire with Appomattox County Public Schools (ACPS). She has experience working with students in preschool through 12th grade with various communication needs. She is a member of the interdisciplinary Assistive Technology (AT) team at Appomattox County Public Schools which strives to provide all students with access to and increased participation in their educational programming. Additionally, Emily works as an adjunct clinical educator at Longwood’s Speech, Hearing, and Learning Services (SHLS) clinic. She enjoys educating, supervising, and supporting future speech-language pathologists. When she is not working, volunteering with SHAV, or engaging in continuing education sessions, Emily loves to read books, host game nights with friends/family, and watch movies or reality TV shows with her husband, Tanner, and cat, Lucy.