Using our collective voice to advance the professions
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Meet ASHA member Laurie Sterling, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, ASHA Fellow. In this short interview, Laurie shares highlights about her experience serving on ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification.
Can you share a memorable moment or accomplishment during your time on the Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC)?
It is exciting that the CFCC, as of 2025, now includes representation from our certified assistants (C-SLPA, C-AA). Therapy assistants are an integral part of the service delivery team. Having their voices on the council promotes inclusivity, supports professional growth and strengthens collaboration with certified audiologists and speech pathologists. They provide a unique and invaluable perspective to the council.
The ongoing work to update the 2020 Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Certification Standards has also been memorable. Thanks to the pandemic, we are practicing so much differently than we were when the 2020 standards were developed—the practice of teletherapy and telesupervision has increased exponentially, and the introduction of AI is a game changer! It is a challenge to keep up as things are developing quickly—it's like a computer—the moment you buy it, it is obsolete. We worked hard to embrace the future while maintaining the integrity of the clinical certification standards.
How do you see the work of the council making a difference?
The CFCC makes a difference by ensuring that certification isn’t just a credential—it’s a safeguard. Those three C’s behind your name really mean something. They show that every certified clinician has met rigorous, nationally recognized standards and is prepared to deliver care that is safe, effective, and evidence based.
The CFCC’s role is about more than setting requirements for certification. It’s about building trust. Families can walk into a clinic, a hospital, or a school anywhere in the country and know that their loved one is in capable hands. Employers can know their new hires are ready to provide quality care on day one. And clinicians themselves can be proud that they belong to a group of professionals who are defined by standards of excellence and accountability.
At the end of the day, the CFCC turns clinical certification into confidence—confidence for the public, for the professions, and for every clinician who carries those three Cs after their name.
ASHA members who meet the eligibility criteria can update their membership type for discounted fees.
Graduate Student Membership: Open to any current, certified ASHA Member who has been an ASHA Member for at least one year and is a full-time or part-time student pursuing a degree in CSD (or a related field) at a regionally-accredited institution. The annual dues for Graduate Student Members are $150.
Life Membership: Open to any current ASHA member who is age 65 or older the year of application to be eligible for the subsequent year. For example, a member turning 65 in 2025 will be eligible in 2026. The member must also have 25 consecutive or 35 cumulative years of ASHA membership. The annual dues for Life Members are $71.
Did You Know?
ASHA members and affiliates can have one-on-one professional consultations with ASHA staff to answer questions around clinical practice, practice management, coding and billing, ethics, and more.