PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
VICTORIA S. MCKENNA, PH.D, CCC-SLP
Dr. McKenna is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and secondary faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, at the University of Cincinnati. She received a Bachelors degree from Syracuse University, Masters degree from the University of New Hampshire, and Doctoral degree from Boston University in the area of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences. She completed her postdoctoral training at Purdue University and is now focusing on translational research for voice and swallowing.
DOCTORAL/POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
BRITTANY FLETCHER M.S., CCC-SLP
Brittany is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at UC. Brittany completed her master's degree at the University of Louisville and undergraduate degree at Bellarmine University. She is a certified speech-language pathologist and served as the treatment therapist for an NIH R01 grant under the guidance of Dr. Washington. Her dissertation work in the VSM Lab, will focus on quantifying acoustic characteristics of multilingual and multidialectal speakers, with special consideration of accessibility of speech recognition software. She recently received an OSHLA grant to complete her dissertation work.
ANDRES LLICO, PH.D.
Dr. Andres Llico is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, at UC.. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering from Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria (Chile), and his Doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University. His research interests include auditory neuroscience, cochlear implants, and signal processing. Most recently, he has been involved in the development of voice processing algorithms for a voice monitoring mobile application, image processing of vocal fold movements captured with a highspeed video system, and assessment of stimulation strategies to improve speech intelligibility in cochlear implant patients.
AMNA MIRA, M.S.
Amna is a second-year doctoral student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at UC. Amna received her bachelor's degree in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences from Dar Al-Hekma University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and her masters of science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Boston University. Amna is currently a faculty member at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Jeddah, where she was awarded her scholarships to complete her masters and doctoral studies. She is passionate about conducting research in the areas of voice and swallowing disorders, and the intersection among them across different populations.
GRADUATE RESEARCHERS
SOPHIE MAZLOUM
Second-year graduate student in the MA Speech-Language Pathology program at UC. She received her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University. Her areas of interest include voice disorders, dysphagia, developmental language disorders, and hearing loss. Her Capstone project will focus on the relationship between acoustics and laryngeal stroboscopic measures.
OLIVIA POLNOW
First-year graduate student in the MA Speech-Language Pathology Program at UC. She received bachelor’s degrees from UC and completed her senior Capstone in the VSM Lab. She is interested in medical speech-language pathology.
RACHEL ROBERTS
Second-year graduate student in the MA Speech-Language Pathology program at UC. She received her bachelor's degree from UC and has been a member of the VSM Lab since her fourth year, when she completed her honors Capstone Project in smartphone monitoring of voice disorders. Her main areas of interest are dysphagia and dysphonia.
POOJA GOHIL
Second-year graduate student in the MPH Epidemiology program at UC. With a dentistry degree from India and six years of service to marginalized communities, Pooja transitioned to public health to address broader health disparities. Her current focus is a compelling Capstone project examining socioeconomic factors affecting transgender and gender-diverse individuals in accessing gender-affirming voice-related health services. She is passionate about bridging gaps in healthcare equity.
LINDSEY GOLDSBERRY
Second-year graduate student in the MA Speech-Language Pathology program at UC. She received a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders with a minor is Early Childhood Education from UC. She has been a VSM lab member since her 5th year. She will be completing her MA Capstone Project as a scoping review about the intersection of voice and swallowing.
AVERY KLUTH
First-year MA student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at UC. She received her bachelor's degree from UC and completed her senior capstone with the VSM Lab. Currently, she is working on the development of the VoMo application with the VSM Lab. Her areas of interest include gender-affirming voice therapy, neurogenic communication disorders, and voice disorders.
JASMINE ROBINSON
Second-year M.A. Speech-Language Pathology student at UC. She received her bachelor's degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from UC. She is joining the VSM Lab to complete her master's Capstone focused on the biomechanics of voice and swallowing in unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Her areas of interest include dysphagia, voice disorders, and neurogenic communication disorders.
SAVANNAH SHANLEY
Second-year MA student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at UC. She received her bachelor's degree from UC and has been a member of the VSM Lab since her fourth year. For her master's Capstone Project, she will be examining prosody characteristics pre/post voice therapy for transgender women. Her areas of interest include gender-affirming voice therapy, dysphagia, and voice disorders.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR LAB GRADUATES
Tulsi Patel, Mariah Emery, Courtney Kendall, Tara Dickinson, Jacqueline Meriwether, Sam Wesley,
Anna Birkemeier, Haley Doerr, Kelly Dunlap, Lauren Humpert, Neil McGrogen.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
MIN BAMFORD
Fifth-year undergrad student studying electrical engineering at UC. Her role in the VSM Lab is to develop data processing scripts and survey design in REDCap. She is proficient in C++ and Java, loves learning, and is interested in research. Upon graduation in 2024, Min is interested in pursuing a job or graduate program related to alternative energy.
MANDY CARDEN
Fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Speech-Language Hearing Sciences at UC. She is assisting in VoMo app development. Her interest include Apraxia and Aphasia.
EMILY GELHAUSEN
Second-year undergraduate student majoring in Speech-Language Hearing Sciences at UC. Her interests include voice disorders, neurogenic communication disorders, and gender-affirming voice therapy.
MARY WILKENS
Third-year undergraduate student majoring in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at UC. Mary joined the lab through the prestigious UPRISE Summer program at UC. Her areas of interest include gender-affirming voice therapy, voice disorders, and dysphagia.
