Our Team

Teresa Girolamo, PhD, Lab Director

CV | personal website | mentorship statement

Teresa is an Assistant Professor in the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She is a former special education teacher who received her Ph.D. in Child Language from the University of Kansas.

Teresa’s research examines how language, together with environmental influences, shape experiences and outcomes of youth and adults. She works with autistic and nonautistic individuals varying in language profiles. Teresa is especially interested in translating this knowledge into community-based supports through participatory approaches to help individuals meet their goals. Outside the lab, Teresa likes hiking, running, and adopting geriatric poodles.

Artah Yamin, MA-SLP student

Artah is currently a second year M.A. student at San Diego State University in the Speech-Language Pathology program. She received her B.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at SDSU. Artah enjoys learning and helping her community, during her freetime. Her academic interests include anything revolving around learning about the brain, aphasia, literacy skills in children, research, and child language disorders. Artah’s hobbies include reading, spending time in nature, and visiting new places in San Diego.

Makenna Bailey, BA Student

Makenna is a third-year undergraduate student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University from Seattle, Washington. Her research interests include developing new techniques for assessment and treatment. As a member of NSSLHA, she looks forward to becoming more involved in the SLHS Community, specifically through joining a research lab! In her free time, she enjoys a relaxing beach day with friends and trying new recipes! 

Quinn Di Cristina, BA Student

Quinn Di Cristina is a third-year student at San Diego State University. She is majoring in Speech Language and Hearing Science, with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to eventually work in a research environment or in a hospital setting as a certified speech-language pathologist. She also has the goal of working abroad in Spain after graduate school. Outside of school and work, Quinn loves to dance, is a yoga instructor, and has a passion for art history and travel!

Ainsley Jennieve Perez, BA Student

Ainsley is a fourth-year transfer student at San Diego State University from the Bay Area. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in Child and Family Development. Her plan is to become a speech-language pathologist serving children on the autism spectrum and to be an advocate for neurodiversity in the Filipino community, spreading awareness and knowledge to destigmatize autism and other aspects of neurodivergence. Ainsley is a student representative of NSSLHA, Andrés Bonifacio Samahan, and the Asian Pacific Student Alliance. Outside her campus pursuits, her hobbies include journaling and film photography! 

Kelsey Lam, BA Student

Kelsey is a third-year undergraduate student, majoring in psychology and linguistics at San Diego State University. She is from Orange County, California and has aspirations to pursue clinical psychology in the future. She is interested in how people learn and process language from a linguistic and cognitive perspective. Aside from that, she enjoys thrifting, learning languages, and dancing.

Natalie Raviv, BA student

Natalie is a third-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University, where she is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Psychology, with minors in Counseling and Child Family Development. She aspires to become a speech-language pathologist, focusing on working with children in both school and hospital settings. Outside of her studies, Natalie enjoys baking and listening to music.

Minnie Stanford, BA student

Minnie is a third-year undergraduate student at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is studying Psychology and Public Health with the hopes of entering the field of Speech-Language Pathology. She is passionate about working with children. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and trying new restaurants. 

Emily Zhang, BA student

Emily is a second-year undergraduate student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. She has always been passionate about language processing and how environmental factors shape bilingualism. In the future, she aspires to become a medical speech-language pathologist, being able to help people of all ages communicate better over the course of their treatment. Outside of the classroom, Emily enjoys taking walks, cooking, and spending time with her cat.

William Nguyen, High School Intern

William is a senior high school student at Westview High School in San Diego. He plans to pursue a future career in medicine, with a keen interest in neurology and radiology. His research interests include neuroscience, translational research, and clinical investigations. Outside of research, William enjoys working on his nonprofit organization “Project Binary” and volunteering at a local hospital. In his leisure time, William finds joy in hanging out with friends, indulging in indoor and beach volleyball, and listening to music. William aims to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare arena in the years to come.