Honors and Awards
Honors of the Association
This award is presented annually to a member of the AVASLP, who over the course of his or her VA career, has made distinguished contributions in the areas of clinical practice, professional education, and/or research that has significantly enhanced the quality of care for veterans and positively impacted the profession of speech-language pathology in the Veterans Health Administration.
2023 Honors of the Association:
Melissa R. Ray, Brooke Army Medical Center
Previous Awardees
2021 Cindy Ochipa
2020 Stacey Curtis
2019 William Hula
2018 Heidi Williams
2017 Amber Hollingsworth
2016 n/a
2015 Loreen Blumenthal
2014 No awards given
2013 Joe Murray
2012 Micaela Cornis-Pop
2011 Robert King, Nan Musson
2010 Kathleen Wilson-Vazquez
2008 Kathy Dong
2007 Russell “Hank” Mills
2006 Patrick J. Doyle
2005 Richard Katz
2004 Zilpha Bosone
2003 Robert T. Wertz
2002 Leslie Gonzales-Rothi
Outstanding Achievement Award
This award is presented to members of the AVASLP in recognition of their expertise and commitment resulting in culmination of a major endeavor that enhances the practice of speech-language pathology in the Veterans Health Administration.
Previous Awardees
2020 Subject Matter Expert Team
Patricia Cavanagh
Kathy Walker
Kathy Welden
Joanne Yee
2019 Susan Meiser
2018 Carol Blossom Stach
2017 Karen Wheeler, Cynthia Ochipa
2016 Pauline Mashima
2015 Lyn Covert
2014 No awards given
2013 Katherine Walker
2012 PIRATE Clinical Team
2011 Sally Walsh
2009 Inge Thomas
2008 Gerardo Gutierrez
2007 Richard C. Katz, Micaela Cornis-Pop
Dysphagia Directive Taskforce
Paula Sullivan – Co-chair
Stephanie Daniels – Co-chair
Carol Stach
Carrie Stangl McBreen
Kathy Groves-Wright
Ernie Button
Barry Klor
Joe Murray
Subcommittee Members
VA National Dysphagia Diet
Hank Mills
Joanne Robins
Joe Murray
Instrumental Assessment
Joe Murray
Carol Smith-Hammond
Thomas Sowell
Outside consultant
Cathy Lazarus
2006 Suzanne Barslund, James Schumacher
2005 Paula A. Sullivan
2004 Russell Nelson
2003 Stephanie Daniels, Carol Stach, Sally A. Walsh
Hall of Fame
This award is presented to former members of the AVASLP in recognition of their sustained contributions to the practice of speech-language pathology in the Department of Veterans Affairs during the course of their career in the VA.
2023 Hall of Fame Awards:
Don MacLennan
Joseph Murray
Janet Patterson
Paula Sullivan
Kathleen Wilson-Vazquez
Previous Awardees
2019 Sarah-Payne Wilson, Deb Drewes
2018 Joseph Langhans
2017 Lyn Covert
2016 Sally Walsh
2015 No awards given
2014 No awards given
2013 Thomas Sowell, Leslie Gonzalez-Rothi, Robert Kukol
2012 Steven Deutsch
2011 Richard Katz, Dennis Lutz
2010 Beverly Hildebrand, Russel “Hank” Mills, Peter J. Ganley
2007 Russel Nelson, Susanne Barsland, Janet Whitney
2006 John Ashford, Doreen Oyadomori, Lee Ann Golper, Pat Holzapple, Rick L. Bollinger
2004/2005 Robert T. Wertz, Robert Miller
2003 Frank Milianti, Michael Groher
2002 Leonard L. LaPointe, Shirley J. Salmon, Susan L. Langmore, Linda E. Nicholas, Tom E. Prescott, Tom Shanks, Gwenneth Vaughn, Bonnie Martin, Allen E. Boysen, Nina Simmons-Mackey, John C. Rosenbek, Bruce E. Porch, Robert H. Brookshire, Robert C. Marshall, Madge Skelly, Jim L. Aten, Joyce E. West, Kevin P. Kearns, Nancy Helms-Estabrook
AVASLP Champion
This award is provided to individuals outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs in recognition of their support and contributions that enhance the practice of speech-language pathology within the Veterans Health Administration.
Previous Awardees
2019 Shari Wade
2018 McKay Solhberg
2017 Bonnie Martin-Harris
2017 University of Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Sciences Team:
Richard Schein
Mark Schmeller
Andi Sapitino
Andy Jinks
2016 No awards given
2015 Renae Wilde
2012-2014 No awards given
2011 Pauline Mashima
2010 Kevin Manning
2008 Jim Lauder
2007 Jay Rosenbek
2006 Cathy L. Lazarus
2003 Phil Loverso, Lynn M. Maher
2002 Alex F. Johnson, Audrey L. Holland
“Rick L. Bollinger Clinician of the Year” Award
This award pays tribute to the first President of the AVASLP. It provides recognition to persons who provide outstanding clinical services to communicatively or swallowing impaired veterans. The criteria for selection would be as follows: The extent to which the nominee demonstrates conduct of exemplary clinical services within VHA, a Department of Defense facility, or other federal facility. The extent to which the individual has developed an innovative program that enhances the practice of speech-language pathology within VHA, the Department of Defense, or other federal facility.
2023 “Rick L. Bollinger Clinician of the Year” Award:
Joanne Yee, William S. Memorial Veterans Hospital
Previous Awardees
2021 Kathy Welden
2020 Nicole Pulia
2019 Beau Bedore
2018 Samantha Smolinski
2017 Telina Caudill
2016 Kimberly Eichhorn
2015 Christine Matthews
2014 No awards given
2013 Paula Sullivan
2012 Leslie J. Nitta
2010 Amanda Lewis
2009 Joe Murray
2008 Don MacLennan
2007 Michael Biel
