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Honors

2026 Celebration of Excellence
75
Years of CSHA

Honors & Awards
Nominations Are Now Open

Help us celebrate 75 years of excellence, leadership, and impact.

As CSHA prepares to celebrate its 75th Jubilee in 2027, we invite members to recognize the extraordinary individuals who have shaped our association and advanced the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology.

Nominations are now open for both District and State Honors & Awards, and we encourage all members to take part in recognizing the colleagues, mentors, advocates, and leaders who make a difference in our professional community.


Nomination Deadline

December 31, 2026

Why Your
Nominations Matter

For 75 years, CSHA has been built on the dedication, leadership, and contributions of its members. Our Honors & Awards program provides an opportunity to recognize individuals at both the district and state levels whose work has made a meaningful impact on our professions and the communities we serve.

Whether recognizing an emerging leader, a dedicated volunteer, a longtime advocate, or an individual whose career has shaped the field, every nomination helps us celebrate the people who make CSHA exceptional.

We strongly encourage members to submit nominations for both District and State Honors & Awards. Your nominations ensure that deserving individuals from across California receive the recognition they have earned.

Join Us for a Special 75th Jubilee
Celebration of Excellence!

Saturday, March 20, 2027

Long Beach Convention Center | Long Beach, CA

This year, we’re making our Celebration of Excellence bigger and more memorable than ever in honor of our annual conference’s 75th anniversary!

Rather than a traditional awards ceremony, we’re planning a special evening that brings our community together to celebrate CSHA’s history, recognize the individuals who have helped shape our association, and look ahead to the future of speech-language pathology and audiology.

An Evening to Remember

District & State Honors & Awards

Recognizing outstanding recipients from across California together in one special celebration.

75 Years of CSHA History

Honoring the milestones, achievements, and individuals who have helped shape our association and professions over the past 75 years.

Past, Present & Future Leaders

Recognizing the leaders who built our foundation, those making an impact today, and the next generation who will carry our professions forward.

DJ, Dancing & Food

An expanded evening of celebration, entertainment, and opportunities to connect with colleagues and friends.

Everyone is welcome! Whether you’re a longtime CSHA member, a student, a new professional, or a friend or family member supporting an honoree, we invite you to be part of this milestone celebration.

Tickets will be required to attend, with additional details and ticket information coming soon.

Help Us Make CSHA’s
75th Year Unforgettable!

A celebration of 75 years would not be complete without recognizing the individuals who have made our association and professions what they are today.

Submit a nomination and help us honor the people who deserve to be celebrated!

Nominations close December 31, 2026.

Questions about nominations?

connerly@csha.org

We look forward to celebrating 75 years of excellence with you in Long Beach!

CSHA Honors Award Recipients

Explore past CSHA award recipients by name, award, year, or district. If you’re preparing a nomination, use the directory to review previous recipients.

Search CSHA’s Historical Award Recipients

State Level Awards

Honors of the Association

Download Nomination Criteria  | This award, representing the highest honor of the association, is presented annually to up to two individuals each year. It recognizes sustained, outstanding service to CSHA and its strategic objectives, and to the profession at the district, state, national and/or international levels. An individual receiving this award must be a current CSHA member and have been a member (in any category) for at least 10 continuous years or 12 non-continuous years leading up to the nomination. This award may be received only once.

Fellow of the Association

Download Nomination Criteria  | This award, which may be presented to up to two individuals each year, recognizes contributions to CSHA in support of the association’s strategic objectives. This may be represented by contributions across a number of organizational priorities, or to one major project or effort. An individual receiving this award must be a current CSHA member and have been a CSHA member (in any category) for at least eight continuous years or ten noncontinuous years of membership leading up to the nomination. This award may be received only once.

Diversity Award

Download Nomination Criteria | This award, which may be presented to one individual or organization each year, recognizes distinguished contributions in the area of professional education, research, and/or clinical service to diverse populations, as evidenced by significant contributions and/or accomplishments in the field of communication sciences and disorders. An individual receiving this award must be a current CSHA member and have been a CSHA member (in any category) for at least five continuous years. An organization receiving this award must employ and be represented by an individual who is an active CSHA member and who has been a CSHA member for at least five continuous years or 7 non continuous years leading up to the nomination. This award may be received only once.

Distinguished Consumer

Download Nomination Criteria | This recognition, which may be awarded to one adult and/or one child each year, honors consumers of speech language pathology and/or audiology services who have confronted and surmounted the many obstacles associated with speech/language and/or hearing challenges. The recipient of this award does not need to be a CSHA member. This award may be received only once.

Michele Linares Diversity and Inclusion Student Award (MLDI)

Download Nomination Criteria |

• This award, which may be presented to one student each year, recognizes a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The recipient will have their travel (airfare, mileage, hotel) covered, and will be reimbursed for Convergence registration costs. They will also be invited to join their local advisory committee. The recipient should show a dedication to working in the area of professional education, research, and/or clinical service to diverse populations, as evidenced by current contributions, lived experience, or detailed plans for future contribution. An individual receiving this award must be a current CSHA member at the time of nomination. This award may be received only once.

Criteria
• This award recognizes a passion and commitment to working with diverse populations with an outstanding commitment to making the services of our members and the profession more representative of and accessible to the diverse populations we serve. While this may be challenging to quantify, it may be represented by some of the following:
• Promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social determinants of health
• Acting as a role model to current and future students and leading by example in promoting diversity.
• Supporting diversity-related legislation, activities and issues in our field.

Nominations and deadline
• Any CSHA member may nominate a CSHA student for the MLDI. Students are encouraged to nominate themselves as well. The nomination must include:
• Nominee’s name, address, email address, telephone number, CSHA membership
status, university name and status in school.
• A written narrative, submitted
• Complete nomination packets must be submitted in accordance with the honors timeline. Nominations received after the deadline will not be considered.

Priority is given to historically under-represented backgrounds in the SLP field (e.g. – person of color, immigrant, gender diverse/LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and/or disabled, first-gen, multilingual and/or multicultural, etc.)

Public Service Award

Download Nomination Criteria | This award recognizes individuals or organizations outside the CSHA association who have made outstanding contributions that exceed for-profit activities. The criteria for this award follow in the Award Criteria and Application Packets section. The recipient of this award does not need to be a CSHA member.

Program of the Year

Download Nomination Criteria | This award, which may be presented to one program each year, recognizes an outstanding speech/language pathology and/or audiology program for outstanding clinical service, innovative service delivery models, the coordination of related program services, the use of innovative techniques in the delivery of services, and/or research activities that benefit the field. A program receiving this award must employ and be represented by an individual who is an active CSHA member and who has been a CSHA member for at least three continuous years leading up to the nomination. A program may receive this award only once.

District Level Awards

Every year, each district may honor members of the district with awards at the convention. The following are some guidelines:
1. Awardees are selected by the District Awards Committee based on the criteria established in these governing policies. For more information on the District Awards Committee, see the section on Committees.
2. The District Awards Committee submits a list of award nominees to the CSHA Honors and Nominations Committee by the deadline. Any individual may also submit nominations to the committee by the deadline. The CSHA Honors and Nominations Committee’s role is to ensure that the award criteria are met and to approve the award.
3. A member may only receive the same award once in a lifetime.
4. A member may only receive a single award in a given year.

Outstanding Service (to CSHA)

Download Nomination Criteria  | This award, which may be presented to one deserving individual per year in each CSHA district, provides recognition for service to CSHA at the district level. The recipient of this award must be a current CSHA member and have been a CSHA member (in any category) for at least three continuous years or five total years. This award may be received only once.

Outstanding Achievement

Download Nomination Criteria | This award, which may be presented to one deserving individual per year in each CSHA district, recognizes outstanding district-level achievement in the profession. The recipient of this award must be a current CSHA member (in any category) for at least two continuous years or three total years. This award may be received only once.

Outstanding Leadership

Download Nomination Criteria | This award, which may be presented to one deserving individual per year in each CSHA district, provides recognition to a CSHA member for making a contribution to their settings, patients and/ or community in their district. The recipient of this award must be a current CSHA member (in any category) for at least two continuous years or three total years. This award may be received only once.

Outstanding Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)

Download Nomination Criteria | This award, which may be presented to one individual per year in each CSHA district, recognizes outstanding clinical and professional work as a speech-language pathology assistant, as well as for the recipient’s service to CSHA. The recipient of this award must be a current CSHA member (in any category) for at least two continuous years or three total years. This award may be received only once.

Outstanding SLP, SLPA and/or Audiology Student

Download Nomination Criteria  | This award may be presented to one student per year in each of the university programs in each CSHA district. It recognizes a CSHA student member who is actively enrolled in an SLP, audiology or SLPA program, and who has demonstrated excellent academic work and a commitment to their discipline. The recipient must be a current CSHA student member. This award may be received only once.

ASHA National Awards

The following awards are granted directly by ASHA. CSHA promotes these opportunities to encourage member nominations; however, CSHA does not administer the awards or select the recipients. Members may submit nominations for consideration by the CSHA Board of Directors, who will then determine which nominations to forward to the ASHA Nominating Committee.