Our Team
Lab Director
Mary M. Flaherty, Ph.D.
My research focuses on developmental aspects of complex speech perception in children with and without hearing loss. My educational training includes a doctorate in cognitive psychology and a postdoctoral fellowship in human auditory development. My interests include developmental aspects of speech and voice perception and the ways in which experiences with sound impact perception across the lifespan. Outside of research, my passions include animals, traveling, and live music.
Graduate Student Lab Members
Danielle Bishop
Danielle Bishop is in her second year of the Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders and Sciences with a minor in Special Education from the University of Oregon. Her professional interests induce diagnostic and vestibular testing for the pediatric population. Current research interests include speech perception in complex auditory environments in children with autism. In her free time, Danielle enjoys hiking and spending time with her family and friends.
Undergraduate Student Lab Members
Kelsey Libert
Kelsey Libert is a sophomore majoring in Speech and Hearing Science. In the future she hopes to become a pediatric speech-language pathologist. Her research interests include children's speech understanding and language acquisition. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, photography, and spending time outdoors with her friends and family. Her research interests include investigating how and why children may hear differently than adults and the perceptual and physiological implications of this.
Jasmine Thakkar
Jasmine Thakkar is a senior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and minoring in Speech and Hearing Science. After graduating she plans to attend medical school and become a physician.
Amanda Diaz
Amanda Diaz is a senior studying Speech and Hearing Sciences with a concentration of Speech Language Pathology. She also has a minor of Communications. After graduation, she plans on going to graduate school to pursue a career in Speech Language Pathology. Outside of school and work, she likes to spend time with her friends and her dog.
Celeste Rodriguez
Celeste Rodriguez is a junior pursuing a Speech and Hearing Science major with a concentration in Speech Language Pathology, and a minor in Spanish. She is interested in becoming a bilingual speech pathologist for elementary aged children. In her free time, she enjoys to spend time with friends, family, and her dog.
Natalie Raden
Natalie Raden is a junior studying Speech and Hearing Sciences with a concentration in speech language pathology. She is interested in dysphagia, dysphasia, neurological disorders, and adult development. In her free time, she enjoys running.