My Legacy

Yi-Jui Iva Chen
Ph.D. from the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Chen is a literacy researcher who uses psycholinguistic experimental designsand applies quantitative methods to further understand the intricacies of literacy development. She graduated with a Ph.D. from the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Before that, she earned her master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at National Taiwan Normal University and her bachelor’s in Elementary Teacher Education at National Taipei University of Education. Her research interests include children’s progression from oral language to written language, spelling acquisition and development, application of statistics to explore literacy development, and assessment and measurement issues in literacy and cognition.

Megan Kirby
PhD in Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida

Megan Sullivan Kirby, BCBA has over a decade of experience as a teacher and licensed behavior analyst. She is a second-year doctoral student and graduate research assistant at the University of South Florida, advised by Trina D. Spencer, PhD, BCBA-D. Her primary research interests involve implementation science and intervention design for the development of a narrative language (storytelling) intervention to support the education of displaced children in refugee camps around the world. She is also the co-founder of UncomfortableX/Uncomfortable BCBA, teaching and promoting the application of the science behavior analysis to social justice, educational equality other and human rights issues.

Noé Erazo
PhD in Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida

Noé Erazo is currently a doctoral student at the University of South Florida, Rightpath Research and Innovation Center. His research focuses on bilingualism, biliteracy, and assessment. His research experience includes collecting data in Texas for the School Readiness Curriculum Based Measurement System (SRCBM) study and collecting data in Florida for the SRCBM STEM study. Erazo coauthored the English and Spanish Listening Comprehension subtests of the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment System (TXKEA). Erazo is a recipient of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Minority Student Leadership Award. He holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Houston, and a master's in applied linguistics from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Anna Garcia
Post Doctoral Researcher, University of South Florida

Dr. Garcia is a Researcher at the Rightpath Research & Innovation Center at the University of South Florida's Department of Child and Family Studies. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2011. Dr. Garcia earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of South Florida. Her research interests include adapting behavior interventions for families of diverse backgrounds and creating cultural competence training for behavior analysts. More specifically, she has focused on training parents to implement behavior reduction and acquisition procedures and assessing the influence of cultural characteristics in behavior analytic assessment and treatment. Additionally, Dr. Garcia is interested in assessing the impact of narrative interventions on children with Autism academic and social-emotional skills. She has conducted various research projects in this area.

Stephanie Raymond
Post Doctoral Researcher, University of South Florida

Stephanie Raymond received her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology from The University of South Florida in 2019. During her graduate studies, Stephanie completed an unpublished master’s thesis entitled The Effect of Narrative Language Intervention on the Language Skills of Children with Hearing Loss.She is currently working as a school-based speech therapist in Florida serving mainly children with autism in the School District of Palm Beach County. Stephanie is enjoying her new field and the challenges it brings. She feels fortunate to work with a variety of unique and wonderful students each day. In the future, Stephanie hopes to complete a PhD in communication sciences and disorders.

Yagmur Seven
PhD in Communication Science & Disorders, University of South Florida
Comparison of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Storybook Reading

Yagmur Seven earned her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders with an emphasis on child language development. Her dissertation investigated book-sharing as a context for fathers and mothers to enhance the language development of their preschool children. Yagmur Seven's research agenda has centered around building effective, feasible, and scalable early language intervention programs in class, home, and community contexts that help narrow the achievement gap. In 2019, she was selected as an Emerging Scholar in the Bridging the Word Gap National Research Network. Prior to her Ph.D. studies, Yagmur Seven worked with children at risk for developmental and language delays as a pre-school teacher, a researcher, and an early interventionist.

Xigrid Soto
PhD in Communication Science & Disorders, University of South Florida
Effects of a Phonological Awareness Intervention on Latino Preschooler’s Dual Language Emergent Literacy Skills

Xigrid completed her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Florida. Her dissertation evaluated the effects of a supplemental Spanish phonological awareness intervention on the dual emergent literacy skills of at-risk Latinx preschoolers who were Dual Language Learners (DLLs).

As a doctoral student, she also collaborated in research evaluating the effects of a Tier 2 vocabulary intervention for preschoolers and on a professional development study focusing on implementing literacy-focused Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in early childhood settings. Xigrid is a McKnight Doctoral Fellow, a Protégé from the 2019 American Speech-Language Hearing Association Pathways Program, and the recipient of the Women in Leadershipand Philanthropy Scholarship. Xigrid has eight years of experience as a bilingual pediatric speech-language pathologist in clinical, home-based, and educational settings. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., she worked with children (infants-school aged) with communication impairments, as well as children with other developmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Xigrid joined Juniper Gardens as an MTSS post-doctoral fellow to advance her grant writing and statistical analysis skills, as well as to deepen her knowledge of MTSS in early childhood settings. Her goal is to apply this training to further her research focusing on promoting the academic success of young at-risk Latino who are DLL by augmenting our understanding, and effective interventions, of their bilingual language and literacy. More specifically, her overarching goals are to a) augment our understanding of DLLs’ bilingual language and literacy development; b) develop and evaluate effective language and literacy interventions that apply anMTSS framework in early childhood settings; and c) conduct community-based research focusing on improving parents’ and teachers’ ability to promote children’s school readiness.

Tiffany Sellars
PhD in Educational Psychology, Northern Arizona University
The Evidence Based Practice Self-Assessment Tool: Evidence of Reliability and Validity

Tiffany Sellars received her PhD in School Psychology from Northern Arizona University in 2017. After completing her degree, she worked as a school psychologist in Washington Parish, Louisiana for two years. She then moved home to California, where she was employed as a school psychologist in a large urban school district. Tiffany is currently a postdoctoral resident at the Neurology, Learning, and Behavior Center in Salt Lake City, UT. She is enjoying her new role, which includes conducting neuropsychological and forensic evaluations, providing treatment services, and participating in test development research.

Read Dr. Tiffany Sellar's unpublished dissertation manuscript.

Chelsey Tarazi
Chelsey Tarazi, Northern Arizona University

Chelsey Tarazi has a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science from Arizona State University. There, she received clinical training and coursework in speech and language sciences and audiology. Additionally, she received her certificate and licensure as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant. As a Speech Language Pathology Assistant, she worked in schools and juvenile detention centers with children, adolescents and young adults who received special education services.

Chelsey is currently a 5th year doctoral candidate in Combined School Psychology/Counseling Psychology from Northern Arizona University. Within this program, she has received clinical training in school psychology, developmental assessment, and neuropsychology. Chelsey has had experience working through a multi-cultural lens while addressing the learning, behavioral and social-emotional needs of children from pre-school to high school through psychological evaluations and interventions. Chelsey is currently a graduate research assistant at Northern Arizona University. Clinically, she conducts developmental assessments for children suspected of having Autism or genetic conditions and is currently receiving neuropsychological training at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Chelsey Tarazi is a fellow with The University of Arizona Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (Arizona LEND). Through this, she is participating as a second year trainee, and educates the current cohort of trainees on advocacy and policy development for clinical practitioners serving maternal-child health populations. Chelsey will be starting her pre-doctoral psychology internship in the summer of 2020.

Chelsey’s current research interests include understanding health behaviors and disparities for underserved mothers and children, especially those impacted by pre-term birth. Chelsey is also addressing the availability and accessibility of early intervention services for culturally and linguistically diverse families whose children have developmental disabilities. Chelsey hopes to make an impact on maternal and child health populations through research, advocacy, and culturally responsive practices.

Maria Gutierrez Arvizu
PhD in Applied Linguistics, Northern Arizona University
Teaching Story Grammar to Develop Retell and Speaking Skills in EFL Contexts

Maria Nelly Gutierrez Arvizu holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics awarded by Northern Arizona University. She also holds a MA in Teaching English as a Second Language (Northern Arizona University) and a BA in English Language Teaching (Universidad de Sonora, Mexico). She has been awarded international certifications as an English teacher such as Certificate for Overseas Teachers of English (University of Cambridge), Teaching English as a Foreign Language (University of Regina, Canada & Instituto Tecnologico Superior de Cajeme, Mexico), Diploma in Teaching English for Specific Purposes (British Council Mexico).

She has been an English teacher, teacher trainer, and teacher educator for more than 20 years. During her graduate studies, she gained experience as a research assistant in the Institute for Human Development and the Program in Intensive English at Northern Arizona University. In her administrative career, she coordinated the English Program in Elementary Public Schools in Sonora, Mexico where more than 400 English teachers and 300,000 children participated.

Her main research interests are developing the speaking skill in English as a Foreign Language context, young language learners, assessment of language learning, and the internationalization of education. She has experience mainly with quantitative methods in applied linguistics.

Sarah Weddle
PhD in Educational Psychology, Northern Arizona University
The Effects of High and Low Preferred Qualities of Attention on Academic Demands

Dr. Weddle clinically supports May Institute adult services programs under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Zarcone with the primary mission to increase the organization’s capacity to provide contemporary skill acquisition intervention (e.g., utilizing a verbal behavior approach & emphasis on building functional daily living repertoires) and treatment of challenging behavior. Additionally, she executes research within the May Center for Applied Research under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia Anderson.

Dr. Weddle is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D). She is also a licensed psychologist, certified health service provider, and behavior analyst (LABA) in Massachusetts.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Illinois State University and a doctoral degree from Northern Arizona University (NAU). In 2012, she completed a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) fellowship through MCHB at the University of Arizona with Dr. Andrew Gardner as her mentor. During her two-year graduate research assistantship under mentorship of Dr. Trina Spencer, she served as project coordinator for multi-site research projects in public schools and Head Starts in Northern Arizona. Dr. Weddle completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the May Institute.

Her previous clinical work at May Institute consisted of consultation to both Massachusetts public school districts and May Institute programs (schools, ABA early intervention centers, adult shared living) to address the needs of children and adults with ASD and related disabilities. She continues to conduct training and model best practice in assessment, applied verbal behavior teaching approaches, and functionally based interventions for educators, therapists, and behavior analysts.

Dr. Weddle holds multiple other roles within the May Institute, as the Director of Continuing Education in Psychology (APA), Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACE) Coordinator for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), May APA Training Faculty, and Chair of the May Institute Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Dr. Weddle is the author of several peer-reviewed publications primarily focused on language-based skill acquisition and functional analysis in real-world settings. She co-authored a book chapter on function-based intervention for problem behavior in the Handbook of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum. She has served as an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, and Education and Treatment of Children. She also has presented her research and conducted workshops at numerous international, national, and regional conferences.

Ken Baumgartner; BCBA Supervisor
Master’s degree in Special Education, Northern Arizona University

Ken Baumgartner completed his Master’s degree in Special Education at Northern Arizona University in 2011. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Positive Behavior Support, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and an Arizona Licensed Behavior Analyst. Ken’s career in serving individuals with disabilities began in 2006 as a Special Education Paraprofessional. Since then, he has worked as a Behavioral Health Technician, Practicum Supervisor, Special Education Teacher, Education Coordinator and Clinical Manager in a variety of school and clinical settings for 14 years.

Currently, Ken serves as the Director of Autism Services for Intermountain Centers in Tucson, Arizona. Ken oversees clinic, home and community-based interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other related disabilities. Ken believes strongly in naturalistic, play-based programming using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis to promote skill acquisition and child development. Ken’s team also implements behavior reduction programs that are function-based, socially valid, rooted in Positive Behavior Support and promote placement preservation for individuals with challenging behaviors. He is lucky to work with an amazing cohort of individuals who have come to seek quality supervision, and work hard to become effective clinicians.

Meaghan McKenna
Doctoral candidate at University of South Florida

Meaghan McKenna is a doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida. She is currently spearheading systems change in a large school district through evaluating new district policy and procedures to eliminate barriers and best support school sites with implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). She is working on the development of a primary writing assessment and tiered writing instruction beginning in kindergarten. She is a speech-language pathologist and literacy enthusiast.

Meaghan also has experience conducting studies evaluating various professional development models for data-based decision making and the implementation of tiered instruction/intervention in a variety of preschool classrooms (e.g., Head Start, Special Education, Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten). Her research objective is to engage in collaborative partnerships to drive system wide change and continuous quality improvement. She aims to investigate components of MTSS to optimize educators' and students' success.

Courtney Claar
School psychology graduate student at University of South Florida

Cici (Courtney) Claar is currently a master’s student of School Psychology at the University of South Florida. In her prior role as Research Specialist at the Rightpath Center, Cici co-coordinated the IES-funded research project, Academic Language of Primary Students (ALPS). Cici also assisted in the development of the Storybook Profile System (SPS), a clinical tool for determining complexity scores and instructional purposes for storybooks targeting emergent readers.

Cici independently and institutionally taught English as a second language, reading and comprehension pedagogy, and dramatic arts education in previous roles. She is especially passionate about implementing research-validated tools and strategies that enhance students’ language and literacy development. Cici earned an interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Philosophy from the Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University.

Trina Tolentino
Chair/Major Professor

Trina obtained her Bachelor of Health Science at the University of Florida in 2020. In 2022, she graduated from the University of South Florida with her master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Over the course of her graduate program, Trina gained invaluable experiences as a student, graduate clinician, and research assistant. Under Dr. Spencer’s guidance, she completed her thesis entitled “Impact of Language Sampling Context on Language Productivity and Complexity and presented her work at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) National Convention in New Orleans.

In her role as a graduate research assistant at the Rightpath Research and Innovation Center, Trina contributed to analyzing cross sections of data collected through the Academic Language of Primary Students (ALPS) project. Trina is completing her clinical fellowship (CF) at a pediatric private practice, where she provides skilled speech-language intervention for preschool and school-aged children of diverse sociocultural backgrounds and abilities.

Francisca Pozo
External Committee Member, PhD in Education, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile .

Francisca Pozo is a speech-language pathologist and a doctoral student in education at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. She holds a Master in Science in Joint Professional Practice: Language and Communication from the Institute of Education of UCL and City University, from England. She has broad experience working in schools with children with language difficulties and typical development promoting speech and language skills needed for their learning, supporting teachers in order to promote language and helping to eliminate barriers to build more inclusive schools.

Francisca is a lecturer in Speech-language Pathology, from the Health Science Department at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.Her current work in her PhD is to evaluate the implementation and effect of a narrative oral inferential comprehension intervention based on a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) on its three tiers This intervention will be carried out in socially vulnerable preschool classrooms in Chile. For this research Francisca is interested in the translation and validation of instruments for assessing comprehension and expression of narrative skills and implementation of Story Champs in monolingual Spanish-speaking children at educational risk. Dr. Spencer is a member of her Advisors Committee and her mentor during her research internship at the University of South Florida.

Norah Almubark
PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Florida

Norah Almubark is a speech-language pathologist who earned her Master's degree from Eastern Illinois University. She is currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program. Norah has been working with Dr. Trina D. Spencer at the Rightpath Research & Innovation Center since the summer of 2022. Norah's research interests revolve around children's narrative language.

Her current projects include analyzing narrative language samples of Kindergarten through third grade children with language impairments and matched typically developing children. She is also working on collecting narrative language samples of toddlers and pre-kindergarten children to understand how and when story elements emerge over time. Norah is passionate about working with children, particularly those who have language and communication disorders. She is passionate about intervention research and has conducted a case study on a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Her aim is to contribute to existing research on how to support the language development of children with ASD by conducting an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) narrative intervention. Outside of lab work, Norah is thrilled to be raising her two boys and exploring the world with them.