NURSING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Administrative Assistant for the Speech
Angel Key serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Speech and Hearing Clinic. As such, she manages billing, client communication, assists with client scheduling and intake, and clinic maintenance. Angel also assists the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program by providing receptionist services, maintaining inventory and records, and assisting with academic paperwork. Angel has been working in clinical environments since December 2017.
Angel has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Bowling Green State University.
When not at work, Angel enjoys crocheting, reading, writing, playing videogames, and spending time with her husband, two cats, Professor McGonagall and Chairman Meow, and dog, Willow. During the summertime, Angel also enjoys tending to her vegetable garden.
Job Titles:
- Office Coordinator / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Office Coordinator for the Communication Sciences
Bess Antol serves as the Office Coordinator for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. As such, she manages marketing, website, communication, budget as well as lots of other behind-the-scenes paperwork that keeps the academic operations moving forward. Bess has been doing this kind of work in various roles at CSU since 2005.
In service of her curiosity, she has earned the following degrees from CSU: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Arts in Art, and once she settled on the career of higher education administration: Master of Education in Adult Learning and Development.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Associate Professor / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Director of the Urban Health Fellows Program
- UHF Director
Brigette L. Wilson (UHF Director), M.A. CCC-SLP, has been a Speech-Language Pathologist for the past 19 years. In addition to being the UHF Director, she is also the Clinic Administrator in the Speech and Hearing Program at Cleveland State University. Ms. Wilson worked in the greater Cleveland area in the public school system with preschool children with disabilities and with individuals with Augmentative and Alternative Communication needs.
Brigette Wilson, MA CCC-SLP, has been a speech-language pathologist for over 20 years. She is the Clinic Administrator and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program. Mrs. Wilson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses particularly pratica and diagnostic methods. She has a passion for mentoring beginning clinicians and educating families in the Speech and Hearing Clinic regarding communication disorders. Mrs. Wilson has a heavy concentration of working with individuals with autism, preschoolers with disabilities, and augmentative alternative communication device users. She is currently interested in innovative approaches in clinical education (particularly simulation), cultural and linguistic diversity, and health equity.
In addition to her work in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program, Mrs. Wilson is the director of the Urban Health Fellows Program (UHF) at Cleveland State University. A pipeline for first generation freshmen and sophomore college students interested in medicine and allied health professions.
Mrs. Wilson is dedicated to seeking ways to build the programs' clinical capacity and to supporting students' development of clinical decision-making and improving their foundational knowledge and confidence.
Job Titles:
- Speech - Language Pathologist
- Clinical Associate Professor / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Ms. Spears is a licensed speech-language pathologist who has had the pleasure of providing services in multiple capacities: instructor, supervisor, consultant, and, interventionist. Although she has professional experience in many areas of communication disorders, she developed a passion for, and, ultimately, a specialization in the areas of assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and autism. She is trained in a range of modalities including, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), TEACCH, PECS, PODD, and Floortime, as well as in the use of multiple speech generating devices and apps.
Ms. Spears strives to address individual needs of clients to ensure services provided are the most effective and efficient. As a professor, she strives to relay this philosophy. She also shares knowledge gained from her over 30 years of clinical experience and professional development. She provides students with the knowledge and understanding needed to become competent and compassionate professionals. She has presented at multiple conferences and is co-author of the book Rising to New Heights of Communication and Learning for Children with Autism. Her publication and presentations allow her to share her acquired knowledge with professionals in the field of communication disorders.
Job Titles:
- Founder of the Greater Cleveland Community Health Workers Association
Delores Collins aka Miss Dee, C-CHW, earned her Associates of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary studies- Early Childhood Development from Kaplan University. She is the Founder and Executive Director of A Vision of Change, Inc. (AVOC), which offers prevention, intervention, and academic services throughout Ohio. She is a graduate of Cleveland State University's Community Health Worker (CHW) Program, and is a certified CHW through the Ohio Board of Nursing, and the Ambassador for the state of Ohio to the National Association of CHWs (NACHW).
Miss Dee is the founder of The Greater Cleveland Community Health Workers Association, and is also a Community Health Ambassador for the Glenville neighborhood and a Master Trainer through the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. She is Crossed trained in the Chronic Pain and the Diabetes self-Management Programs. Ms. Dee's vision is to embrace, empower, motivate communities.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Practice / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Doreen K. Binnie, M.A., CCC-SLP has been a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) for 40 years. Prior to joining the awesome members of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at Cleveland State University in 2012 she worked in the Columbia Local Schools for 34 years as the only SLP. She had her own Pediatric private practice for five years and worked at Extended School Year sites for six years.
Doreen has experience in numerous areas but is very fond of working with children with autism, articulation, and phonological disorders. She has experience with Assistive Technology devices and was trained in PECS. As the Clinical Coordinator of Off-Campus Placements at CSU, Doreen strives to obtain new placements both in Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities. Doreen believes in a team approach when placing students. She works with all supervisors to carefully match student strengths with their interests when making placements as well as trying to keep the facility close in distance to where the graduate student lives. Doreen has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. She supervisors' first and second year graduate students at their clinical placements both on and off campus.
Doreen has spoken at numerous OSSPEAC and OSLHA conferences. She is currently the CSU NSSLHA club advisor where our club earned Gold Status and was recognized as the Most Improved NSSLHA Organization in 2018. She created an Interview Day for second year graduate students to gain employment as they graduate. Doreen enjoys watching the students' blossom and mature into Speech Language Pathologists.
When not at CSU, Doreen can be found in front of a book or her sewing machine. If she isn't inside, she can be found tending to her vegetable and flower gardens. She enjoys making flower arrangements and homemade jams.
Dr. Joan Thoman is an associate professor/course coordinator at Cleveland State University. Her experience includes hospital medical surgical units, charge nurse, public health, home care, and diabetes program coordinator, and she has worked in staff development, informatics, and in management. Dr. Thoman teaches nursing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her areas of research include diabetes/comorbid conditions, community health, home health/hospice care and problem-based learning using simulatio, and she Is currently a co- principle investigator for three grants initiatives, two federal and one foundation. The two federal grants involve population/community focused endeavors. The first is through the Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program (MEDTAPP) Community Health Worker (CHW) initiative entitled Improved Health Outcomes through Education (I-HOPE). I-HOPE is an interdisciplinary initiative designed to empower low-income residents with a high prevalence of chronic disease. The second federal grant focuses on starting an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) which represents five counties in the northeast Ohio region. The foundation grant is focused on home care and hospice course and clinical development with the goal of placing in an online environment.
Dr. Thoman believes that the course belongs to the students as it is their learning experience. She believes in being respectful and fair to her students, and views the teacher role as that of facilitator. "I learn from my students just as they learn from me as we explore the teaching/ learning journey together."
Job Titles:
- Clinical Assistant Professor / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Emily Jennings, MS, CCC-SLP has a passion for clinical education and person-centered care. Prior to joining the full-time faculty at Cleveland State, Prof. Jennings worked as a senior clinical speech-language pathologist and clinical educator at Cleveland Clinic - Euclid Hospital.
Her areas of interest and expertise include: acquired neurological cognitive and communication disorders, Supported Conversations for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™), treatment of hypokinetic dysarthria and hypophonia associated with Parkinson's Disease, and real-world application of evidence-based practice principles.
As a clinical assistant professor, she currently teaches a variety of foundational undergraduate courses in communication sciences and disorders, as well as graduate electives relevant to medical speech-language pathology. Prof. Jennings also supervises individual and group therapy services for adult neurogenic clients in CSU's on-campus Speech and Hearing Clinic, facilitating graduate student acquisition of clinical knowledge and skills.
Her favorite aspect of CSD at CSU is the dedication of the faculty, staff, and students. There is a clear and genuine commitment to engaged learning and student success!
Heather M. Rice PhD, APRN-CNP, PMHS is a proud Cleveland native with a passion for service focusing specifically on families and children. She is an assistant professor and researcher from CSU School of Nursing. Dr. Rice also works as a pediatric nurse practitioner providing primary care and mental health services for children and adolescents at a community agency. Dr. Rice is an active member of several academic, community and professional organizations that advocate for child and maternal health, mental illness and trauma prevention. Dr. Rice is very passionate about health equity and advocates for the needs of children and families.
Dr. Rice's program of research focuses on neighborhood conditions, maternal health, toxic stress and infant mortality in African American women. She is currently the Co-Principal Investigator over two grant-funded projects working in partnership with the community organization Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC). The first project Survive and Thrive: A New Future for African American Babies will develop an explanatory algorithm to identify the macroeconomic and microeconomic causal links that lead to infant mortality. The core intervention will lead to the development of a mobile app that combines social and clinical interventions for the mother, father and Navigator (Perinatal support specialist/ Doula). Through this research initiative, community health workers who have an interest in providing perinatal support services will receive additional specialized training from Birthing Beautiful Communities and work directly with the families who will be utilizing the mobile app. The second project Addressing African American Maternal and Infant Mortality Using Technology during the COVID-19 Crisis extends previous work by conducting a mixed-methods study to explore birth outcomes and experiences during the pandemic. The study will examine the birth outcomes of mothers delivering during COVID-19 as well as the meaning of perinatal support services for clients and staff in the context of social distancing.
Job Titles:
- Speech - Language Pathologist
- Assistant Professor of Practice
- Professor
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Practice / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Melissa Volk MS, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department within the College of Health.
Prior to joining CSU Professor Volk worked 12 years at MetroHealth Medical Center as a clinician. At MetroHealth she had experience working in several different settings including Skilled Nursing and Long Term Care, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Acute Care, Outpatient and an Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic. With these varied settings she has had the opportunity to have experience with pediatric language and articulation, autism, pediatric neurological rehabilitation, adult neurological rehabilitation, pediatric voice disorders, adult speech and voice disorders, adult dysphagia, head and neck cancers and geriatrics.
Professor Volk currently is teaching CSD 548 Medical Speech Practicum, is supervising 1st year graduate students providing speech therapy services at a charter school system and observing 2nd year graduate students at their medical placements. Professor Volk's drive in her teaching is helping incoming SLPs learn the critical thinking skills and application of learned knowledge to real world settings needed to make them competent and caring clinicians.
Professor Volk has a passion for brain injury and has served as a Member at Large on the Brain Injury Association of Ohio for the last 4 years. She has experience with brain injury as a clinician and as a family member. Other areas of interest include neurological rehabilitation, concussion care, voice therapy, head and neck cancer care, dysphagia, childhood apraxia of speech and difficulty with learning to read.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Communication Sciences
Myrita Wilhite, AuD, CCC-A has been an audiologist for over 30 years. Dr. Wilhite is currently the Chair of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. She is passionate about teaching audiology and keeps her clinical skills sharp by mentoring students in audiology and aural rehabilitation practica as well as providing direct clinical services in the on campus Speech and Hearing Clinic. Myrita is firm believer in life-long learning. She earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and a Master's Degree in Audiology from Cleveland State University. She earned a Doctor of Audiology degree in 2009 from A.T. Still University and is currently in the dissertation phase of a research doctorate in Urban Education with a specialty in Learning and Development at Cleveland State University. Myrita feels very fortunate to have found her calling in communication sciences and disorders. She is excited about actively engaging in scholarship, and guiding the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program to fulfill its mission. Myrita is continually energized and inspired by her clients, students, colleagues and professors at CSU.
Noelle Muscatello, M.Ed., has worked exclusively in the field of adult continuing education since 2003 and obtained her masters of education from Cleveland State University with a focus on adult learning and development in 2015. She is a Certified Program Planner through The Learning Resources Network (LERN), the world's largest association in continuing education and lifelong learning. Noelle is currently the Continuing Education Program Coordinator for the Cleveland State University School of Nursing, and supports the School of Nursing faculty grant and research work. Her past experience includes program coordination in the fields of counseling, social work, psychology, health and wellness, and general adult training and professional development. She is a proud life-long Clevelander, Cleveland State University alum, and life-long learner.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Executive Director of a Vision
Samia A. Marchmon is the Assistant Executive Director of A Vision of change. She is a graduate of Cleveland State University's Community Health Worker (CHW) Program, and is a certified CHW through the Ohio Board of Nursing; she is The Assistant Executive Director of The Greater Cleveland Community Health Workers Association and a member of The National Association of CHWs (NACHW).
Job Titles:
- Founder and Co - Owner of PQRST Center for EKG Training
Tracy McArthur is founder and Co-Owner of PQRST Center for EKG Training. She is also an Assistant Instructor of the Community Healthcare Workers Program at Cleveland State University. She served and a Paramedic for the City of Cleveland-Division of Emergency Medical Service for 13 years. Tracy learned that heart disease is the number 1 killer for all Americans, but African American are at greater risk of getting heart disease. Tracy understood the disparity of heart health within her community and wanted to make change through education. Tracy believes she can change lives one heartbeat at a time.
Tracy McArthur received a Bachelor's in History and a Minor in Political Science from Kentucky State University in 1994. She is also Certified EMT-Paramedic and Certified EKG Technician and Certified Telemetry Technician.
Tracy was an Instructor of an EKG Course at MedCert Training Center for 2 years. Tracy then founded PQRST Center for EKG Training provides quality training that gives our students the ability to succeed in the healthcare field as an EKG Technician. This is six-week course upon completion of the course student can earn two certifications, CET (Certified EKG Technician) and CTT (Certified Telemetry Technician).
The purpose of Tracy's' work is to be an advocate for the voiceless and to grow understanding of Chronic Disease the plague our community through education.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / Dept: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Violet O Cox Ph.D., MLS, CCC-SLP is an Associate Lecturer in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. Since joining CSU in 1994, she has taught neurogenic communication disorders courses at the graduate level and Anatomy and Physiology at the undergraduate level. She has mentored graduate students in their Master's thesis research.
Dr. Cox has authored and published articles in local and international peer-reviewed journals. She is currently authoring a textbook "Rare Diseases that cause Dysphagia," forthcoming in the fall of 2019. Dr. Cox has presented at local and national conferences in the areas of Aphasia and Dysphagia. In addition, she has been an international speaker and trainer in Dysphagia. She was instrumental in organizing a study-abroad program for graduate students to Barbados, where she established a "Dysphagia Training Program" at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the spring of 2014. She is considered an expert in Voice and Swallowing Disorders utilizing videostroboscopy and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of the Swallow (FEES). Through her lab work at CSU, students are able to gain hands on experience in the use of these specialized instruments. She also initiated a training session in the use of the FEES for practicing medical SLPs in the Northeastern Ohio region in the spring of 2018.
Prior to her fulltime appointment at CSU, Dr. Cox served as a medical SLP within the Cleveland Clinic Health System in the capacities of senior SLP and Coordinator of Speech Pathology. She also provided consultation services to University Hospitals of Cleveland Home Health Speech Program.