Our Team

Doctoral Students

Katie
I am interested in the interactions between language and cognitive processes and how this interaction changes in the context of aging and neurodegeneration.
Stephanie
My research interests are understanding the language profiles in acquired neurocognitive disorders in adults with neurodegenerative disorders. Specifically, I want to better understand how conflict monitoring mediates speech errors in Parkinson’s disease, and whether this cognitive process is associated with the high rates of verbal disfluencies in this population.
Master Students

Bita
I am a first year Master’s student in the MS SLL program here at Northwestern. Prior to joining this program, I majored in Psychology and Spanish and worked in a research setting that focused on dementia. My current clinical and research interests involve working with individuals that present with language and cognitive communication disorders resulting from neurodegenerative diseases, Stroke, or Traumatic Brain Injury.
Casey
I am a 2nd year Master’s student in the Speech Language and Learning program at Northwestern University. I volunteered in the lab to gain additional clinical research experience. My interests include neurological speech and language disorders and language development.
Chelsea
I am a first-year clinical Master’s student at the Northwestern University Center of Audiology, Speech, Language and Learning. I lived and studied in Boulder and Denver, Colorado before moving to Chicago for graduate school. My current clinical and research interests include communication of aging, neurodegeneration, acquired neurological disorders, fluency disorders, and counseling in the speech-language field.
Mackenzie
I am a clinical Master’s student in the Speech, Language, and Learning program here at NU. I am originally from Rochester Hills, MI and have a Bachelor’s of Science from Western Michigan University where I studied Communication Sciences and Disorders and Spanish.
Undergraduate Students

Angie
I’m currently a second-year undergraduate studying Communication Sciences and Disorders. I first became interested in language in the aging population after volunteering with hospice patients during high school, and am excited to delve deeper in that area as part of LCAN! Outside of lab, I’m also a Resident Assistant, involved with Asian American Intervarsity, and enjoy trying new foods and watching beautiful sunsets.
Brianna
I am an undergraduate double majoring on Communication Sciences & Disorders and Neuroscience. Growing up, I’ve always been fascinated with the communicative nature of behavior, and the LCAN Lab allows for the pursuit of the multitude of questions. Beyond the lab, I enjoy hiking & climbing outdoors and volunteering locally in Evanston & the greater Chicago area.
Nicole
I am an undergraduate studying Psychology and Cognitive Science with an emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience. My research interests include conversation and communication in individuals with dementia, as well as the brain bases and behavioral implications of various cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders.
Lab Volunteers

Rich
Many years as a graphic design professional honed my skills of conveying messages, while developing and nurturing relationships among people from diverse backgrounds. However, time as a stay-at-home father fostered new curiosity with language and drew my attention to the authenticity of the speech language pathology field, leading to a return to school and career change. Observation hours and work in the Northwestern LCAN lab have both helped me witness first-hand the amazing impact of SLP professionals. Proud (and sometimes exhausted) father of two, husband, brother, cook, hiker/biker and Cubs fan are just a few ways to describe Rich.

Lab Alumni
Erin Blaze, M.S. CCC-SLP
Sarah Ellsworth, M.S. CCC-SLP
Danielle Post, M.S. CCC-SLP
Michelle Roberts, M.S. CCC-SLP
Linda Selph, M.S. CCC-SLP


Learn about our Principal Investigator.

Learn about our Collaborators.