The ANCDS Membership Committee is seeking volunteer mentors for our 2026 Student Fellowship Award recipients. All ANCDS members are eligible to serve as mentors.

Name: Cassandra Alves, M.S.
Earned Degree(s): B.S. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, M.S. Speech-Language Pathology
Program of Study/Year in Program: Recent graduate of Northeastern University’s SLP program
Mentor/Advisor: Dr. Erin Meier
ANCDS Fellow Mentor: Catherine Castillo, M.A., CCC-SLP, CBIS
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Tracheostomy and ventilator-dependent patients, dysphagia, and best rehabilitation practices for stroke and TBI recovery

By Sarah Kiefer Luhring, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP

Name: Olivia Thompson
Program of Study/Year in Program: 2nd year in SLP program (graduating May 2026)
University: Saint Louis University
ANCDS Fellow Mentor: Dr. Tepanta Fossett
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Innovative treatment methods and assessment approaches in Aphasia and for TBI recovery, including technology-assisted interventions

Name: Emily Goldberg, M.S., CCC-SLP
Program of Study/Year in Program: Doctoral Student
University: University of Pittsburgh
ANCDS Fellow Mentor: Mili Mathew, Ph.D.
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Impact of sleep-dependent consolidation and other memory and learning processes on post-stroke aphasia treatment response