Name: Kathryn-Anne Pertab
Earned Degree(s): B.S. in Communication Disorders
Program of study/Year in program: M.S. in Communication Disorders, second year
Mentor/Advisor: Dr. Tyson Harmon
University: Brigham Young University
ANCDS Fellowship Mentor: Dr. Kimberly Smith
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: counseling role of speech-language pathologists, the psychosocial impact of communication disorders on individuals and their families

Name: Hasini Weerathunge
Earned Degree(s): Bachelor of Science in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, USA
Program of study/Year in program: Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 5th year
Mentor/Advisor: Dr. Cara Stepp
University: Boston University
ANCDS Fellowship Mentor: Dr. Lynda Feenaughty
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Motor Speech Disorders, Fluency Disorders, Voice disorders

JoAnn Silkes, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

By Michael Biel, CScD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS

Written By: Kimberly A. Eichhorn, M.S., CCC-SLP; BC-ANCDS; ATP

Name:  Amy M. Kemp
Earned Degree(s): M.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, B.A. in Intrapersonal Communications
Program of study/Year in program: Ph.D. Candidate in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Mentor/Advisor: Katy O’Brien
University:  University of Georgia
ANCDS Fellowship Mentor:  Melissa Duff
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Cognitive rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury, older adults/cognitive aging, and implementation science

At the Syracuse University (SU) Aphasia Lab, we use behavioral and physiological measures to study the effects of biopsychosocial factors on speech and language treatment outcomes to improve recovery and quality of life for persons with aphasia.  Dr. Ellyn Riley, an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, is the Principal Investigator and director of the lab.  Current lab members include two part-time speech-language pathologists (Eve Mercer, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Danielle Kealy, M.S., CCC-SLP), a first-year doctoral student (Hannah Rembrandt, M.S., CCC-SLP), three clinical SLP Master’s students (Juliet Kibbe, Gabrielle Weinstein, and Nicole Vieyto), and two undergraduate students (Christina Piera and Mitchell Mazza).  

What do Krakow, Florence, Edinburgh, Zurich, Aalborg, Sheffield, Slovenia, Montreal, and Boston all have in common?  They’ve all hosted the biennial International Aphasia Rehabilitation Conference (IARC) at some point in its esteemed 38-year history.  Philadelphia now joins this storied group of locations.  It may never be the same given the #RockingAphasia campaign, but more on that later.

ANCDS is pleased to announce a new benefit of membership!  ANCDS will now accept requests to post members’ research study recruitment on verified social media accounts (i.e., ANCDS, @TheANCDS, and official.ancds).  This benefit will apply to social media platforms only.  Recruitment information will not be listed on the ANCDS website or in the newsletter.  

Name: Rene L. Utianski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS
University(s) attended: The George Washington University (BA), Arizona State University (MS, Ph.D.)
Workplace: Mayo Clinic- Rochester, MN
Area(s) of clinical or research interest: Functional neurological disorders and progressive apraxia of speech

Name: LaToya Roberts
Earned Degree(s)/University: Bachelor of Science Speech-Language Pathology Delta State University
Master of Science Communication Science and Disorders Southern University A & M College
Current University/Degree Pursuing: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Applied Language & Speech Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Cannito
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Motor Speech Disorders, Voice, Neuroscience
Role at ANCDS: Student Representative Communications Committee