By: Jessica Carter, MS, CCC-SLP, TSHA President

There are three state-based advocacy networks who serve as critical liaisons with American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and state associations, such as the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA), on advocacy issues affecting speech-language pathologists and audiologists:

• State Education Advocacy Leaders
• State Advocates for Medicare Policy, and
• State Advocates for Reimbursement.

The networks partner with ASHA and TSHA staff, volunteer leaders, and members on ASHA and TSHA’s advocacy objectives and efforts. We’re honored to introduce you to our 2026 advocacy network leaders. We’d also like to take a moment to thank those that have served in these roles for the last 2+ years!

State Advocate for Medicare Policy (StAMP)

The StAMP role focuses on addressing key issues related to Medicare coverage, reimbursement, and service delivery for audiology and speech-language pathology. StAMP members review and provide feedback on coding concerns, claim denials, proposed Medicare payment rules, documentation requirements, and outcome measures. They also engage with ASHA leaders and experts who present on advocacy, healthcare reimbursement, coding, public policy, and service delivery to help guide policy development and support clinicians.

We have two StAMP representatives for Texas due to our state’s size and needs. 

Lisa Milliken is the Director of Research and Program Development for Regency IHS and owner of Milliken Healthcare, where she teaches conferences for multiple organizations. She is Past President of TSHA, President Elect of the Council of State Association Presidents and is the ASHA State Advocate for Medicare Policy (StAMP) Representative for Texas.  She is also a Distinguished Fellow of Public Policy for the National Academies of Practice, where she is Chair-Elect of the SLP Academy, has taught over 450 interprofessional continuing education national/regional courses and is the author of Resilience: Rising Above Life’s Challenges.

"Serving in the StAMP role continues to be a big passion for me as I aim to work with Mendi in keeping our members informed of the constant changes in reimbursement policies for Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans and other payers for adult clients and patients.  I look forward to this year, as we will address several big federal regulatory changes and will keep our members informed along the way!"

Mendi Lancaster is the Outpatient Division Speech Program Coordinator for Baylor Scott and White Rehabilitation throughout Texas, where she works on program development, clinical development for staff, recruiting/training and best practice initiatives. She is certified in MDTP, VitalStim, SPEAK OUT! and ReVital Oncology Rehabilitation. She has been appointed as an ASHA StAMP, is a member of the TSHA Business Management Committee, and is a professional member of National Academies of Practice. She has lectured at the local, state and national level on outcomes, ethics, resilience, billing, coding, documentation, and professional issues. She has extensive training in leadership development and is a mentor at her organization teaching a year-long course to her colleagues of various disciplines.

 “One of the challenging parts of our field is understanding the business aspect of what we do especially related to billing, coding and Medicare/insurance policies. I am passionate about making sure that clinicians focus on best practice and value-based care initiatives so that we can be reimbursed for our services. Serving as a StAMP helps me learn more about policies specific to Medicare and address the many changes that happen annually. I look forward to this year and helping Texas SLPs navigate these changes, with Lisa by my side.”

State Education Advocacy Leader (SEAL)

The SEAL role supports school-based speech‑language pathologists and audiologists by strengthening their advocacy, leadership, and clinical management skills to positively influence administrative and public policy decisions affecting school SLP services. The SEAL accomplishes this through monthly networking with other state SEALs and collaboration with district and state leaders. The position also serves as an information and guidance resource for audiologists, SLPs, and other educational staff on issues at the local, state, and national levels. Each month, SEALs meet to discuss challenges facing school‑based TSHA professionals and connect with individuals who can help drive meaningful change.

Deniedra Fontenette is a speech-language pathologist with over 25 years of experience across school, clinical, and private settings. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in special education, with an emphasis in communication sciences, where her research examines the effects of excessive screen use on young children's language, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. She is also dedicated to creating practical, evidence-based training programs for families. Drawing from her clinical and leadership experience, she aims to bridge the gap between research and practice to support early intervention.

"I am very excited to serve as the SEAL for Texas. I believe advocacy lives within all of us, and I look forward to harnessing the collective voices of professionals, families, and students to drive meaningful policy change. Through this role, I hope to elevate our shared lived experiences, increase awareness of critical issues, and create clearer, more accessible pathways for others to engage in advocacy and make their voices heard".

State Advocate for Reimbursement (STAR)

The STAR serves as an advocate for consistent coverage and fair reimbursement for audiology and speech-language pathology services from private health plans and Medicaid. STARs work to stay informed on reimbursement and coverage issues, share information between states, ASHA, TSHA, and other state associations, and act as a key communication link to TSHA regarding ASHA’s healthcare reimbursement efforts. They also promote the need for comprehensive coverage and equitable payment to legislators, agencies, health plans, professionals, and consumers, while supporting education on reimbursement within the professions.

Allison Beckford is a licensed speech-language pathologist and the owner of Advance Plus Therapy Services, LLC, a speech therapy practice serving children and families across Pasadena, Texas, and the greater Houston area. Her work focuses on early intervention and school-age services, with a commitment to helping children develop the communication skills they need to succeed at home, in school, and in their communities. 

As a State Advocate for Reimbursement (STARs) with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Texas Speech-Language Hearing Association (TSHA), Allison supports efforts that provide leadership, guidance, and expertise on issues related to coverage, reimbursement, and the delivery of speech-language and hearing services within state Medicaid programs and private payers. She brings a unique perspective as both a clinician and business owner, using her 16 years of experience to highlight how policy decisions impact access to care and to help inform practical, equitable solutions for providers and the families they serve.

Allison is passionate about bridging gaps in care, supporting providers, and improving access to high-quality speech-language and hearing services for children and families across diverse settings.
She shares, “I’m looking forward to using my role as a STARs advocate to amplify the voices of the families and providers I serve every day. As a private practice owner, I see firsthand how Medicaid and private insurance policies impact access to care, and I’m excited to contribute real-world insight to help shape more effective and equitable solutions.”

Thank You To Our Outgoing STAR and SEAL

Peyton Stephens has served as the TSHA STAR since 2024 and has proven to be an exceptional leader. She is generous with her time, determined, person-centered, and driven by purpose. Peyton has played a vital role in advancing TSHA’s efforts to improve reimbursement from private health plans and Medicaid.

She has worked tirelessly to build relationships with HHSC and to deepen her understanding of how rates are posted and reviewed for all CPT codes within Texas Medicaid. Peyton has actively shared this knowledge with others, enabling TSHA to respond more effectively to members’ billing related needs. For example, she was a key leader in developing testimony presented to Texas HHSC regarding their proposed billing rates for the 10 new Audiology CPT codes established in 2026.
Read the TSHA testimony here.

Peyton has also surveyed members to better understand their billing challenges and has supported countless individual inquiries. Remarkably, she has done all of this while simultaneously serving as Chair of the Medicaid Committee for ASHA.

Thank you, Peyton, for your outstanding dedication and for all you have done to support Texas audiologists and speech-language pathologists!

Jennifer Cook has served as the TSHA SEAL since 2024. Jennifer has been a strong advocate for public school professionals and helped to support sharing information and connecting TSHA members and public school professionals. Jennifer shared regular updates with the TSHA membership and helped to provide a Texas perspective to other states’ STARs. Thank you, Jennifer, for all that you have done to support TSHA members and public school professionals!