Dr. Ovetta Harris specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication and cultural linguistics. She received her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, completed post-doctoral studies at Purdue University and has since held faculty appointments at the University of Rhode Island, and Howard University. She established the nationally recognized AAC training specialization in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at Howard University and has been recognized for her contributions through numerous awards including: the School of Communications Student Council Excellence Award, "Simply The Best" 2002, the Faculty Excellence Award, School of Communications 2001- 2002, the Howard University School of Communications Dean's Excellence Award, 2000, and the Selected Faculty Mentor in American Speech Hearing Association's (ASHA) Researcher in Higher Education Mentoring Program, 2000. Her clinical
AAC focuses on children who rely on AAC interventions in the Washington DC and surrounding regions' public schools with an emphasis on respecting cultural and lower socio-economic diversity.

Financial: Dr. Harris is a chair at Howard University and the University of Rhode Island.

Non-Financial: Ovetta Holds a voluntary position on the ASHA faculty mentor program.