Athens, Ga. – Holly S. Kaplan, a senior academic professional and certified audiologist in the University of Georgia College of Education, has been appointed to the Georgia State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
Kaplan currently serves as the undergraduate coordinator for the communication sciences program in the college, where she teaches, supervises master’s level students and provides audiology services in the UGA Speech and Hearing Clinic.
Kaplan, of Bogart, was one of two new members appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the eight-member board, which consists of one physician, three audiologists, three speech language pathologists and a consumer member.
The members are appointed by the governor to serve three-year terms to “protect the public health, safety, and welfare and to protect the public from being misled by incompetent, unscrupulous, and unauthorized persons.” The board meets monthly to review applications for licensure, and receive, investigate and adjudicate complaints against licensed speech language pathologists and audiologists.
“I am very honored to have been nominated by my state association and then appointed by Gov. Deal,” said Kaplan. “The board has several current issues that will be very pertinent to the education and then licensure of new speech language pathologists and audiologists.These issues include licensure for speech pathology aides and guidelines for temporary licensure for new master’s level graduates.
“I hope to use my expertise in the area ofnational certification andmy background in educationin working on these issues and others that will come before the board,” she said.
There are currently 3,555 licensed speech-language pathologists, 451 audiologists, 45 speech pathologist aides, 344 temporary licensees and 10 audiologist assistants practicing in Georgia.
Kaplan is a member of Educational Testing Services Audiology Advisory Council, the UGA College of Education’s Academic Appeals Committee, the Georgia Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Kaplan, who joined the UGA faculty in 1998, earned a Ph.D. in audiology from the University of Florida.
For more information about UGA’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, see www.coe.uga.edu/csdclinic/.
