News
Issue 26 | April 2026
This special alumni edition of the CSD Newsletter is the result of an abundance of good stories from our alumni—so many that we needed a dedicated space to feature them! Thank you to Frances Breland and the students who worked on this edition. Over the years, the UofM has sent approximately 1,700 SLPs, 450 audiologists, and 120 PhDs out into the world. You may be one of them. We are so very proud of our graduates, many of whom have made significant contributions in the communities they serve. We hope you enjoy the stories from near and far.
Congratulations to our student and faculty award winners who were recognized at this year’s Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders. It is always exciting to see future alumni honing their leadership skills.
If you are an alumnus and have a story to share, please let us know. We would love to feature you on our social media channels or maybe in a future newsletter. If you would like to know how to be more involved, please let us know that too! We are always looking for alumni interested in sharing with the next generation of professionals.
-Dr. Linda Jarmulowicz, Dean of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
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Bartlett City Schools: a Longstanding Partner in Shaping the Next Generation of School-Based SLP's
By: Lacey Halley
Memphis CSD's speech language pathology program has a valuable clinical placement relationship with Bartlett City Schools (BCS) whose SLP services are overseen by alumna, Dr. Andrea Moore ('06). As a placement and a clinical fellowship year site, BCS is known for its strong mentorship, collaborative culture, and exceptional commitment to professional growth.
It has become a professional home for many UofM alumna of the SLP program as well. As Dr. Moore shared, "Half of our SLPs are University of Memphis graduates, and many of our newest clinicians come from Memphis too. That connection means a lot, it shows how well-prepared our graduates are and how much they thrive when they join a district that truly values them."
Learn more about this thriving relationship and how Dr. Moore is creating a work culture that supports our students and alumna.
Dr. Andrea Moore, Exceptional Children Specialist, Bartlett City Schools
Forging a Pediatric Path: UofM Audiology Students Find Community at Children's Hospital of Alabama
by: Kirstein Williams
SCSD's audiology program has forged significant relationships with several extern sites around the country. Children's of Alabama's audiology department has offered a rich, high-volume environment to our externs that blends mentorship, diverse pediatric clinical experiences, and community. Three proud UofM Tigers, alumnas Dr. Rachel Wilkinson ('21) and Dr. Anna Peeples ('24), and current graduate extern Kelsey Francis, shared how this partnership has shaped their professional journeys.
Read on to learn more about how they have benefited from this valuable partnership.
Thinking Beyond Borders: UofM Alumna shares her international SLP experience
by: Lacey Halley
Dr. Maggie Lee Huckabee, distinguished professor, School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury
University of Memphis alumni experiences show that career pathways in Speech-Language Pathology can offer far more flexibility, mobility, and global opportunity than students often realize. Dr. Maggie-Lee Huckabee, a University of Memphis PhD alumna based in New Zealand spoke to us recently about her career path. She encourages students and future CFs to think expansively about what a career in speech-language pathology can look like, and where it can take them.
Find out more about her career and guidance for professionals who are interested in working internationally.
Learning Doesn't Stop After Graduation: Alums Reflect on Lessons from their CFY and Externs
by: Lacey Halley
University of Memphis CSD alumni are making an impact in hospitals, clinics, private practices, and universities throughout the country. From voice therapy and acute care to pediatric speech-language pathology and audiology, graduates continue to apply the skills and mentorship they gained during their time at Memphis. Many alumni say the transition from graduate school to professional practice begins with an important realization: learning does not stop after graduation.
Read on to hear more about their diverse experiences and the difference the University of Memphis made for them as they launched their careers.
Oh the Places You'll Go! as a Memphis CSD Alumni
Although they all trained in Memphis, our alumni end up going all over the country (and sometimes internationally!) for their externs, CFs and future jobs. If you're considering going somewhere you've never been for your extern or CF, we can help you connect with alumni who are local to the area. You never know, you might just make a new friend or start the adventure of a lifetime.
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Mid-South 2026
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Outstanding AuD and SLP Student Awards Clara Bednarek, SLP student winner Amy Cox, AuD student winner (L to R: Jennifer Taylor; Clara Bednarek; Amy Cox; Ashland Johnson; JoClaire Merrill) |
Louise Ward Award Recipient: Miranda Fritz
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Marion Evans Award Recipient: Emma Kate Thompson (L to R: Jennifer Taylor; Sandy Banks, Emma Kate Thompson, Ashland Johnson; JoClaire Merrill) |
Marion Evans Award Recipient: Brittany Chan-Smith (L to R: Jennifer Taylor; Sandy Banks, JoClaire Merrill; Brittany Chan-Smith, Ashland Johnson) |
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Hilliard Mentorship Award: Katherine Mendez (L to R: Ashland Johnson, Katherine Mendez, JoClaire Merrill)
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Hilliard Mentorship Award: Matt Hollis (awarded posthumously) (L to R: Jennifer Taylor, Caroline Hollis, Emerson Hollis, JoClaire Merrill, Ashland Johnson) |
Poster Presentations
Faculty and staff are bolded, students and alumni are noted with an *
Alireza Faghanoghani*, BS and Jani Johnson, AuD, PhD*: Feature adjustment practices in hearing aid fittings
Amy Cox*, BA and Kelsey Mankel*, PhD: Assessment of neural responses as a function of intensity during passive chirped-speech listening
Parks Flynt*, BS, Emma Kate Thompson*, BA, and Thierry Morlet, PhD: Assessment of auditory function of children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder and Cochlear Nerve Deficiency during speech listening tasks using cortical auditory evoked potentials
Courtney Harbaugh*, BA; Katla Anderson*, BA; and Jani Johnson*, AuD, PhD: Older Adults’ Preferences for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids versus Prescription Hearing Aids
Eden Landry*, BA and Thierry Morlet, PhD: Individual Measures of Signal-to-Noise Ratios Using Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials
Hannah Bearson*, BA; Brittany Chan-Smith*, BA; and Deborah Moncrieff, PhD: The Impact of Attention and Memory on Dichotic Listening
Isabel Martin*, BA and Jani Johnson*, AuD, PhD: Experiences with Auditory Rehabilitation in the MidSouth United States
Isabelle Yap*, BS and Sarah Warren, AuD, PhD, MPH: Perceptions of Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implants among Faith Based Leaders: The Memphis SOUND Project
Jada Wong: Acquisition of Deaf Culture and Sign Language Competencies During Audiology Training: A Student’s Perspective
Julia Nadeau*, BS and Deborah Moncrieff, PhD: Development of Spanish Dichotic Listening Tests
Maddy Piefer*, BA; Edina Bene, PhD; Luca Campanelli, PhD; and Naomi Eichorn, PhD: Attention networks in adults who stutter and nonstuttering controls
Mary Caroline Evangelisti*, BS and Abby Shainberg*, BSEd: Empowering Communication in Acute Care
Mira Milman*, BS and Sarah Warren, AuD, PhD, MPH: Perceptions of public health education among audiologists with dual training
Sydni McAtee*, BS and Jordan Alyse Coffelt*, AuD: Analyzing Clinical Time Use in Adult Cochlear Implant Follow-Up Appointments at a University Clinic
Victoria Elizabeth Williams BA, MS; Maddy Piefer*, BA; Edina Bene, PhD; and Naomi Eichorn, PhD: Threat-related attention bias in adults who stutter: Evidence from an eye tracking task
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Contact Information
School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
4055 North Park Loop
Memphis, TN 38152
Phone: 901.678.5800
