Dr. Allison Hatcher is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kentucky. Before joining UK, Dr. Hatcher served 15 years at Western Kentucky University, where she worked in various roles including Clinical Supervisor, Assistant Professor, and Clinical Associate Professor. Her academic trajectory has been dedicated to advancing the field of speech-language pathology and bridging the gap between teaching, research, and clinical practice.

Dr. Hatcher completed her master’s degree in Communication Disorders from Western Kentucky University and earned a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Kentucky. She has been a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of KY since 2005. Dr. Hatcher has experience treating and supporting individuals across the life span in various settings including schools, acute care, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and university-based clinics.

Dr. Hatcher is passionate about family-centered practices as well as training and empowering both university students and families to implement effective and evidence-based treatment strategies with individuals who have communication disorders. Her research and clinical work, both here and abroad, has largely focused on caregiver-implemented language interventions for the pediatric population. Dr. Hatcher specializes in early intervention and telepractice. She completed training in 2018 through an American Telemedicine Association-approved program and holds a Graduate Certificate in Telehealth from UK. She has published in high-impact journals and presented at the state, national, and international level on topics related to child language and literacy, telepractice within clinical education, interprofessional service learning, and parent-implemented interventions using a variety of research methodologies.

Outside of the university, Dr. Hatcher enjoys hiking and traveling abroad with her family, reading, and cheering on her three children at various sporting events.