Meet Some Faculty
Dr. Plyler and his two kids
Dr. Patrick Plyler
Associate Professor of Audiology
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A. The weather, the natural beauty, and the friendly people.
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: Golfing and spending time with the family
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: My parents
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Easy-going, dependable, amicable
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: Ability to fly
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: None
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: Good ol' boys by Waylon Jennings
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: Cheers and Andy Griffith Show
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: Secluded beach house with my family
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Calhoun's on the River
Dr. Johnstone and her husband
Dr. Patti Johnstone
Assistant Professor of Audiology
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A: The weather (I moved here from Wisconsin).
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: I'd walk in the woods with my dog, work in my garden, go fishing, or read a good book.
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: Dr. Ernestina Garbutt-Parales, my undergraduate Spanish Professor, told me I was too conspicuous to be a spy... so I became an audiologist instead.
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Serious, intense, and focused
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: Flight, because I'm a terrible driver.
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko; and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (I'm a sci-fi, cyberpunk fanatic).
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: She Blinded Me with Science by Thomas Dolby.
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: My family didn't have a TV but we'd visit my aunt every Sunday evening to watch Lassie followed by Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. I loved both shows!
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: Any trip to Spain or a tropical vacation in January.
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Nama Japanese Restaurant
Dr. Harkrider and her husband
Dr. Ashley Harkrider
Associate Professor of Audiology
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A. The friendliness of the people, the climate, the proximity to the mountains.
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: I'd sleep undisturbed until at least 8 AM. I'd have a quiet lunch with my husband, spend the afternoon hiking in the mountains with my husband and two sons, and go out for wine and dinner with some of my girlfriends.
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: My Dad.
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Loyal, Stubborn, Motivated.
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: To fly.
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: The Ridiculous Race by Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: It depends on the room I'm entering. If it's at home: The Mom's Theme Song to the William Tell Overture. If it's at work, the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show
- "... you're going to make it after all..."
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: Three's Company or M.A.S.H.
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: Snow-skiing in Utah with my family and several other families – with a babysitter in tow!
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Nama for sushi. By The Tracks Bistro for filet.
Kim and her two sons
Kimberly Jenkins, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist/Clinical Supervisor
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A. The warm and friendly people. Knoxville has a small-town atmosphere, even though we are comprised of over 170,000 people
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: Shopping, of course!
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: Definitely my children. They have influenced my life in every possible way since they came into the world.
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Talkative, friendly, energetic
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: To be able to stop time. It passes much too quickly.
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: 'Got to Be Real' by Cheryl Lynn
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: The Smurfs. How embarrassing is that??
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: I would love to spend a month in New Zealand
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Nama Sushi Restaurant
Emily and her husband
Emily Noss, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist/Clinical Supervisor
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A. It's my home!!! I grew up in Knoxville, completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at UTK, and now have a career here. My family is very close and most of them live in the area, so that makes Ktown even better. I love that there are so many lakes and mountains around. It's also close enough to go to the beach for long weekend.
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: Relaxing on Norris Lake with my husband and two dogs, Charlie and Reilly. We love to ride the jet ski, play fetch with the dogs, and wakeboard. You also might find me scrapbooking if it's not lake season.
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: My mom. She taught first grade for 30 years, and that's where I found my love for working with kids. My mom is passionate, caring, and fun!
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Aspiring, Creative, Flexible
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: Instant travel
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: Marley and Me
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: I would need a soundtrack. But if I had to pick one, it would be Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: The Cosby Show
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: Traveling and exploring somewhere I've never been. Tropical destinations are my favorite.
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Nama Sushi Restaurant
Dr. Kelly Yeager, AuD., CCC-A.
Pediatric Audiologist/Clinical Supervisor
Q: What's your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A. I love Knoxville for many reasons. I especially enjoy the season changes. Autumn is my favorite. My family is close and we all live in the area. Since we used to live hundreds of miles apart, I am grateful that we are all now in East Tennessee.
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: I would sleep in late and then enjoy the afternoon outdoors or at the spa and meet a friend for dinner.
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: My parents
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Friendly, Loyal, Motivated
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: I would save "Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce)
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: The Bible.
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: I love music so it is hard to choose just one. Depending on where I am, I would have several such as: Cheers Theme Song ("Where Everybody Knows Your Name"), "I am Letting Go" by Francesca Battistelli, "How You Live (Turn up the Music)" by Point of Grace and " I Smile" by Russ Lee.
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: It would be a tie between Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: A relaxing week at the beach or in the mountains with family and/or friends.
Q: Where's the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: There are several: Chesapeake's, Cappuccinos, Puelos, Sullivans. Aubrey's and the Melting Pot.
Dr. Erin Plyler, AuD, CCC-A
Pediatric Audiologist/Clinical Supervisor
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A: The seasons. I grew up in Florida and it was always hot and sticky!
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: Sleeping in without interruption, shopping with my girl friends and going for a walk
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: My 2 kids. They have taught me what is really important in life
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Organized, Driven, Spunky
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: To be able to eat junk food and still stay healthy
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: None
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: Eye Of The Tiger. It was my floor routine music when I was in gymnastics OR The Florida State Fight Song
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: Dukes of Hazard
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: Disney World with my kids and husband
Q: Where’s the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: Litton’s
Dr. Kristin King
Associate Professor, Speech-Language Pathology
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Knoxville?
A: Most definitely the people and the scenery – what a beautiful place to live.
Q: If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
A: I would spend the day outside at one of the parks with my dog or site-seeing in Cade’s Cove or one of the other surrounding areas.
Q: Who do you consider to be the most influential person in your life?
A: Most influential in my life would be my grandmothers. I learned so much from them about the simple things in life. I learned how to sew and crochet - inspiring in me a love of arts and crafts but what was to them life necessities.
Q: What are three adjectives which describe you?
A: Creative, outgoing, curious
Q: If you could have one super power, what would you choose?
A: I would have the power of telepathy – would love to know what other people are thinking.
Q: What book is on your nightstand?
A: I have about 7 books stacked on my nightstand, but the one on top is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.
Q: If you had to pick a theme song to play each time you entered a room, what would it be?
A: Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: Little House on the Prairie, Happy Days, Three’s Company, MASH
Q: What do you consider to be the ideal vacation?
A: The ideal vacation is when I can relax but also see new sites. I would love to go to Italy or back to Sweden or a tropical beach somewhere (like Bora Bora – with a glass bottomed house to stay in).
Q: Where’s the best place to eat in Knoxville?
A: I’m still learning this one, but so far, I like Nama for Sushi and Lakeside for a night out.
