Sharita Williams-Crossen, Ed.D, CCC-SLP

Biography

Sharita Williams-Crossen, Ed.D, CCC-SLP, is the Director of Clinical Education of the Speech-Language Pathology Program. She is a native of Greensboro, NC, and has been practicing in Speech-Language Pathology for over 25 years. Dr. Williams-Crossen earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University, Masters of Education in Communication Disorders from North Carolina Central University, and Doctorate of Education in Child, Youth, and Family Studies with a specialization in Exceptional Children from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Williams-Crossen is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Examiners and certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.

Dr. Williams-Crossen specializes in early intervention and is a certified Infant Toddler Family Specialist (ITFS). She has been certified for over 15 years. This certification demonstrates her specialized knowledge, skills, attitude, and attributes suited to providing quality services to the many differing young children, families, caregivers, professionals, and communities she serves. Governor Roy Cooper appointed her to serve on the NC Interagency Coordinating Council responsible for public awareness, community needs assessment, system evaluation, and professional development related to early intervention.

Before joining WCU, she was the managing director of a private practice managing day-to-day operations of the business, including providing high-quality speech therapy services to individuals across the lifespan with various communication needs related to developmental delays, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and autism, to name a few. Dr. Williams-Crossen has a diverse background in speech-language pathology, including early intervention, Head Start, public schools, charter schools, nursing homes, and home health. Also, in this capacity, she provided clinical education to undergraduate and graduate practicum students, assisting in developing clinical and professional skills to conduct high-quality speech sessions

She has over 15 years of post-secondary experience in teaching and research. Teaching experiences include courses in communication sciences and disorders, phonetics, speech and language development, language disorders, observation in communication sciences and disorders, and computer applications in speech-language pathology. Her most recent research interests include increasing language and literacy through culturally responsive practices.

Dr. Williams-Crossen enjoys maximizing the communication of individuals of all ages by working collaboratively with families and other community professionals. Her passion is preparing future clinicians to make a difference in the lives of individuals with communication needs. Outside of work, Dr. Williams-Crossen enjoys reading, dancing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.