03/24/2026
Congratulations to Dr Rachel Williams our new chapter president for the next year.
Rachel Williams, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a Professor and the Director of the Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology Program (SLP.D.) at Nova Southeastern University. She has worked in academia since 2005 and held the administrator position of managing the SLP.D. program since 2010. Additionally, she serves on departmental teams, as a member of college-wide committees and willingly volunteers in the field and community. She teaches courses at both the doctoral and graduate levels related to fluency disorders, global perspectives and counseling in speech-language pathology, interprofessional collaborative practice, leadership and advocacy in speech-language pathology, and integrating technology to enhance student engagement in educational and clinical settings. Her current scholarly interests include culturally responsive services, interprofessional collaborative practice, interprofessional education, and cultivating leadership in higher education. Because of expertise, Dr. Williams has been invited to speak on these topics on a national scale.
Dr. Williams holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology from Howard University, a Master of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Central Florida and Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders and Processes from The University of Florida.
She has been a certified speech-language pathologist for 30 years. With experience as a university clinical educator, supervisor, and schoolbased clinician, she has conducted diagnostic assessments and provided therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of communication disorders.
Her specialization area is fluency disorders. Her other areas of interest include accent modification, child language and language disorders, and speech sound disorders-articulation and phonology.
Dr. Williams is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and continues to volunteer as an active member of ASHA. She is a former member of ASHA’s Multicultural Issues Board. At present, she is a part of the ASHA’s Convention Program Committee (CPC) as committee member for the topic area of Clinical Education, Supervision and Precepting. In the past for the CPC, she served as Topic Chair and/or Committee Member for Leadership and Professional Practice and Topic Chair and/or Committee Member for Global Practices and Considerations. Additionally, she maintains active membership and has held multiple leadership roles in the Council of State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Presidents (CSAP), the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (FLASHA), and the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH).
Outside of work, Dr. Williams enjoys the arts, live music, and cultural experiences. She frequently attends live performances, museums, and sporting events—especially those featuring her favorite Florida teams. An avid reader, she still prefers print books and magazines. She also finds delight in traveling to explore new cities and their attractions. Recently, she has developed a growing interest in cooking, and preparing dishes inspired by her favorite culinary shows and chefs. In May 2023, she happily decided to take on a new adventure by adopting (rescuing) a miniature poodle named Oscar. Although she didn’t expect that she would feel this way, she genuinely loves being a fur-mommy.
