Ashley Alexander

Assistant Professor in Residence

Master of Science (2000) in Speech-Language Pathology, Mississippi University for Women
Bachelor of Science (1998), Mississippi University for Women

Biography

Ashley began her career as a speech-language pathologist in Mississippi public school districts. She worked as a public school SLP for 19 years (4 different school districts in central and north MS). Her focus as a public school SLP was preschool-age students, students with multiple disabilities and students with limited speaking abilities. Additionally, she did PRN work in home health for 2 years covering 5 rural MS counties and PRN work in a SNF for 2 years. In 2018, she began as an adjunct instructor and adjunct clinical supervisor at Mississippi University for Women (MUW more commonly referred to and known as TheW). In 2019, she was hired as a full-time instructor and clinical supervisor at The W. In January 2021, she was asked to fill in as Interim Clinic Director and assumed that position permanently in July 2021. As the Clinic Director, Ashley was tasked with running The W's Speech and Hearing Center where clients of all ages and with a variety of communication disorders were evaluated and treated. Additionally, she was in charge of establishing internship sites in public school districts, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), rehabilitation centers, and private clinics for the SLP graduate clinicians. In September 2022, she was tasked with the additional responsibility of Interim Department Chair in addition to all current responsibilities. Ashley remained the Interim Department Chair/Clinic Director and continued teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses and providing clinical supervision until August 2023 when she began at Bradley University as the Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor in Residence. Her areas of expertise at the University level included preschool and school-age speech sound disorders, language disorders, literacy disorders, and adult voice disorders (specifically within the Parkinson'sPopulation). Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband of 24 years (Ben), her two daughters (Emma - 20 and Ava - 17), and their two pets (Wally - dog and Toulouse - cat). She likes to travel to new destinations (particularly those they have historical significance for our country) and to visit her oldest daughter who lives 10 hours away. When she is not reading text books in preparation for classes, Ashley enjoys reading historical fiction and mysteries and exercising.

Teaching

Ashley has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the undergraduate level, she most frequently taught the Basic Diagnostic Procedures course which instructed students on best practices in assessing individuals for potential communication problems. In addition, this course also focused heavily on interpreting and analyzing formal and informal assessment data to assist in clinical decision-making.

At the graduate level, she has taught the following courses: 1. Articulatory and Phonological Disorders - This course looks at theoretical perspectives on articulation and phonological disorders, normal phonological development, assessment and appraisal, diagnosing, effects of dialects and English as a second language, treatment of articulation and phonological disorders, and speech sound disorders that occur in special populations; 2. Language and Literacy Disorders in the School-Age Population - This course looks closely at language and reading convergences and divergences, how reading develops and the potential causes of reading disabilities, long term effects of language deficits on school-age children and assessment and instruction in foundational literacy skills, comprehension skills, spelling skills, and written language skills; and 3. Fluency Disorders - This course looks at the nature of stuttering and other fluency disorders, theoretical perspectives, research on potential causes of fluency disorders, typical disfluency and the development of stuttering, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of all levels of fluency disorders, and the characteristics, assessment and treatment procedures associated with related disordersof fluency (cluttering, neurogenic stuttering, and psychogenic stuttering).

Scholarship

Her expertise and emphasis is not in the area of research but clinical practice. Ashley's focus is on teaching undergraduate and graduate students to be clinicians so that they can go back into their home communities and provide the services that are lacking in many areas of the state and the country.

Service

Ashley was asked to be a member of multiple search committees including the Audiologist search committee, SLP department faculty search committee, and the Vice President of Student Services search committee. She was the sponsor for a campus social organization and for the SLP department's student organization, the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA). She provided an in-service to a local public-school district pre-k, kindergarten, and 1st grade teachers on teaching strategies for students struggling with foundational literacy skills. Ashley participated in Fall semester "Late Night Breakfasts" by serving breakfast on campus to the students just as they were about to begin fall semester courses with other faculty and staff from the campus. She worked with local school districts to establish speech/language services for the private school students within those districts. She is an active member of my church helping provide food for families following their loved ones funeral mass and participating in annual multi-church Fall Festivals.

Licensures and Certifications

Ashley holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She holds current licensure with the Mississippi Department of Education as a speech-language pathologist and with the Mississippi Department of Health as a speech-language pathologist. She is a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) certified clinician and a SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd (through the Parkinson Voice Project) certified clinician.

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