Dr. Sharlene Ottley obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from Andrews University. After completing her masters in Speech-Language Pathology at Gallaudet Univeristy with an emphasis in Pediatric Aural Rehabilitation, Dr. Ottley spent time in Mexico as a missionary, where she taught English and courses and completed coursework in Spanish. Dr. Ottley has worked in variety of outpatient, early intervention, and school based settings providing services to children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including those with hearing loss and Spanish-English bilingual students. She completed her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with focus on children with cochlear implants from bilingual Spanish/English speaking homes. Dr. Ottley recently lead the Intensive Literacy Enrichment Activities for Diverse Populations (I-LEAD) program, funded by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. This program was designed to meet the needs of diverse populations from low-income backgrounds with hearing loss, with a goal of improving access to services in this population. The primary goal was to employ a variety of interactive reading techniques in an intensive summer program in order to improve overall receptive and expressive vocabulary and language skills. Dr. Ottley has overseen and conducted a number of research projects related to language development and use and literacy development in children with hearing loss.