Dr. Joan C. Payne

A Howard graduate who later earned her Ph.D. there, Dr. Payne taught and mentored within a family connection to Howard spanning five generations.

For more than four decades, Dr. Joan C. Payne devoted her life to Howard University as a tenured professor, educator, mentor, and scholar. She trained and mentored generations of speech-language pathologists, researchers, and clinicians, many of whom are now leaders in their fields. Her research advanced the understanding of neurogenic language disorders, health disparities, and cultural competence in clinical practice.

Dr. Payne was a beloved member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, The Links, Incorporated, and Michigan Park Christian Church. She was a nationally respected scholar, a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the recipient of ASHA's highest award. Above all, she believed in the transformative power of education and the extraordinary possibilities it creates.