Two members of the UNM community have been recognized as Diversity Champions in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Cathy Qi and Barbara Rodriguez have been recognized for their efforts by ASHA in advancing multicultural issues in communication sciences and disorders through its “Multicultural Diversity Champion” program.
ASHA considers members Diversity Champions who have made significant contributions to advance multicultural infusion in the professions of speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech-language or hearing science.
Qi, an associate professor in special education at the Department of Educational Specialties at the University of New Mexico, has been named a “Diversity Champion” by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Qi's citation credits her as an educator with contributions to the research base on culturally appropriate language assessment and addressing the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education.
Qi dedicates herself to conducting research in the areas of multicultural issues in communication sciences and disorders. She has been a strong advocate for young children who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CLD) and who are from low-income families, specifically, with regards to the accurate identification of language disorders in this population.
She has published and presented numerous papers on issues related to the use of culturally appropriate language assessments with CLD children. In the past few years, Qi has conducted a longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Health to examine the relationships between language delays and problem behaviors among predominantly Hispanic preschool children from low-income families. Currently, she is teaching graduate courses in autism spectrum disorders at UNM.
Rodriguez, an associate professor in the Speech and Hearing Sciences Department, was recognized on the Multicultural Issues Board. The board honors members dedicated to advocacy for individuals from diverse backgrounds who developed a strategic plan related to multicultural issues to increase clinical evidence, members' cultural competence, and awareness by multicultural populations of SLP and Audiology services.
“Diversity Champions have demonstrated respect and value for differing backgrounds and points of view and their achievement addresses the impact of culture and/or language on their profession,” said Sue Hale, president, ASHA.
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 135,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders.
For more information visit: ASHA.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu