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UT Voice Lab: Team

Director

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Rosemary A. Lester-Smith, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is the Director of the UT Voice Lab and an Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. She received a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of New Mexico, M.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University, M.S. in Clinical Investigation from Northwestern University, and Ph.D. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of Arizona. She completed postdoctoral training at Mayo Clinic, Boston University, Northwestern University, and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). She is a certified speech-language pathologist and has worked in a variety of clinical settings, primarily evaluating and treating adults with voice and swallowing disorders.

ResearchGate

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Postdoctoral Fellow

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Jessy Brown, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, MT-BC is a postdoctoral fellow in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy and a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Florida State University. She earned a dual PhD in Neuroscience and Gerontology from Iowa State University, where her research focused on therapeutic singing for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Her work centers on developing innovative, interdisciplinary interventions for neurogenic speech, voice, and swallowing disorders, and on improving access to care in under-resourced communities.

Doctoral Research Associate

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Nayanika Ghosh is a doctoral student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She completed her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in speech-language pathology at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore. She also completed hospital internships in speech-language pathology and worked as a clinical speech-language pathologist in India before beginning the Ph.D. program at UT. Her research interests include neurological voice disorders and evidence-based treatment of voice.

Master's Research Assistant

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Chloe Proshuto is a Master's student in speech-language pathology in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She received a Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin. Her clinical areas of interest include voice and neurogenic communication disorders in adults.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

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Sidney Becktold is an undergraduate student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences in the Moody College of Communication and Voice in the Butler School of Music. Her research interests include voice disorders and preventative health strategies for vocal professionals. She intends to pursue master's degrees in speech-language pathology and vocal pedagogy.

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Kara Nelson is an undergraduate honors student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences in the Moody College of Communication. Her clinical interests include neurological voice and speech disorders. She intends to pursue her master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

Research Speech-Language Pathologists

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Elaina Derrick, M.S., CCC-SLP

Spring 2024 - Summer 2024
PAM Health

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Greg Jebaily, M.S., CCC-SLP

Spring 2024 - Summer 2024
Texas NeuroRehab

Research Collaborators

David Lott, M.D.

Department of Otolaryngology, Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Elan Louis, M.D.

Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Ted Mau, M.D.

Department of Otolaryngology, UT Southwestern Medical Center

John Nix, M.M.

Department of Music, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Brad H. Story, Ph.D.

Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona

Edison Thomaz, Ph.D.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Mariana Georgeta Varga, M.D.

Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin

Jun Wang, Ph.D.

Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School; The University of Texas at Austin

Chad Whited, M.D.

Austin Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic

Doctoral Alumni

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Beiming Cao, PhD ECE

Fall 2022

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Fan-Yin Cheng, PhD SLHS

Summer 2022

Natalie Cummings

Natalie Cummings, DMA

Fall 2019 - Spring 2022

Master's Alumni

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Elizabeth Eidson, MS SLHS

September 2022 – May 2024
Thesis: Temporal Synchrony of Frequency Modulations in Essential Vocal Tremor

Rachel Rubinstein, MS SLHS

Fall 2022 - Spring 2023

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Ashley Rothwell, MS SLHS

Spring 2022 - Summer 2022

Faria Kazi Headshot

Faria Kazi, MS SLHS

Summer 2021 - Fall 2021

Anna Hammer Headshot

Anna Hammer, MS SLHS

Summer 2021

Elaina Derrick

Elaina Derrick, MS SLHS

Fall 2020 - Spring 2022

Greg Jebaily

Greg Jebaily, MS SLHS

Fall 2019 - Summer 2020

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Kylie Dunne, MS SLHS

Spring 2019 - Summer 2020

Postbaccalaureate Alumni

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Elizabeth Eidson, BM

June 2021 - August 2022

Undergraduate Alumni

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Sai Gelvi, BS Chemistry (Pre-Health)

Spring 2025

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Isabella Forestieri, BS SLHS

Summer 2023 - Spring 2025

Elaina Derrick

Elaina Derrick, BA SLHS

Fall 2019 - Fall 2020

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Melanie Looper, BA SLHS

Spring 2019 - Summer 2020