OPENING GENERAL SESSION • 139 Opening General Session The popular Opening General Session brings everyone together to celebrate the speech, language, and hearing professional community and to kick off the ASHA Convention. You’ll be welcomed by ASHA President Elise Davis-McFarland, who will share her insights about the state of the discipline. Then, Convention Co-Chairs Melissa Jakubowitz and Sharon Sandridge will preview what’s in store for you in Boston this year—including special sessions, new events, and other not-to-be-missed activities. We are excited to welcome Roy Spence as our keynote speaker this year. Spence is co-founder and CEO of The Purpose Institute, which helps organizations and individuals discover, articulate, and bring to life their deeper purpose in the world. The Purpose Institute seeks to help others identify and fulfill their own purpose. Spence is also an author; his recent The 10 Essential Hugs of Life is a collection of heartwarming reminders about the need for gratitude, love, and goodness. Spence asserts that a key part of purpose is figuring out what you love to do and what you’re good at, because this self-knowledge will inform your purpose in life. Many audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists are drawn to the professions by a deep sense of wanting to help others and the challenge of unlocking communication access for all, whether through direct client treatment, research, or teaching the next generation of communication sciences and disorders professionals. With this foundation, Spence understands that ASHA members are revolutionary difference-makers and possessing that fundamental purpose can lead to significant personal fulfillment and career satisfaction. Spence’s message will spark or renew your desire to lead an extraordinary life through your professional and personal sense of purpose. Join us on Thursday morning for an energizing and encouraging Opening General Session to kick off the ASHA Convention and get you enthused and excited about the next 3 days! The Opening General Session is sponsored, in part, by Pearson. Spence’s message will spark or renew your desire to lead an extraordinary life through your professional and personal sense of purpose. Elise Davis-McFarland Melissa Jakubowitz Sharon Sandridge Thursday, November 15 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. CC, HALL B2