Current Lab Members
Lab Leadership
Cara Stepp (she/her), Ph.D., directs the STEPP LAB for Sensorimotor Rehabilitation Engineering and is a Professor in the Departments of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. She received the S.B. in Engineering Science from Smith College, S.M. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology. She completed postdoctoral training in Computer Science & Engineering and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington. She enjoys family time with her husband Boudu, daughter MJ, and dog Cruz.
Jenny Vojtech, (she/her), MS, Ph.D., is a research assistant professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and serves as the Associate Director of the Stepp Lab. Jenny holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University, where she studied computational methods to improve clinical voice assessments in the Stepp Lab. She returned to Boston University after working as a Senior Research Scientist at Delsys, Inc., where she focused on creating strategies and technologies for applications in assistive technology for communication and clinical evaluations of speech and voice.
Associated Faculty
Joseph Perkell, Ph.D, D.M.D, is a senior research scientist in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. He received his S.B. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, D.M.D from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and PhD in Speech Communication from MIT. Dr. Perkell’s primary area of research is in speech motor control, with a strong focus on speech kinematics, constraints and motor control strategies, and the role of hearing. His research laboratory at MIT developed the EMMA system, the first electromagnetic articulometer system, which was demonstrated to have the accuracy and reliability required for rigorous research on speech kinematics. Dr. Perkell has also studied the brain mechanisms underlying speech motor control and the influence of these mechanisms on speech kinematics and acoustics.
Magdalen Balz, MS, CCC-SLP, is a Lecturer in the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at Boston University. She received her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of New Hampshire and her M.S. in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences from Boston University. Prior to returning to BU as clinical faculty, Maggie was a speech language pathologist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. Her clinical and research interests include assessment and treatment of cognitive and language abilities among people with neurological, neurodegenerative, and genetic disorders, as well as preventative cognitive intervention for seniors.
Daniel Buckley, MS, CCC-SLP, is a faculty lecturer in the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at Boston University. He received his M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions and a clinical fellowship in voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders with the USC Voice Center at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California. Daniel is a research speech-language pathologist in the Stepp lab, where his research focuses include high-speed laryngeal imaging, the acoustic evaluation of voice in various populations including laryngeal dystonia, muscle tension dysphonia, and Parkinson’s disease, and the efficacy of various novel voice interventions. He also supervises the Boston University Voice Clinic, and is a practicing clinician in the Department of Otolaryngology’s Voice and Swallowing Center at Boston Medical Center.
Staff
Manuel Díaz Cádiz (he/him) is a research fellow for the STEPP Lab. He received his M.S. in Electronic Engineering from the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María. He was a visiting student of Real-time Embedded Software Group in the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, in 2014; and is a former student of the the Voice Production Laboratory (VPLab) from the Department of Electronic Engineering at UTFSM. His research interests are related to digital signal processing, image and video analysis, computer vision algorithms and advanced digital systems design. He was a recipient of a CONICYT scholarship from the Chilean Government, an Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarship from the Government of Canada and the award for best project of the Maxwell category at the EXPO ELO 2015 (UTFSM). He is interested in developing analysis tools and interfaces for speech related research, that involves acquisition, visualization, and analysis within the voice investigation area. He enjoys playing soccer, listening to science & space-related podcasts… and making homemade empanadas once in a while.
Courtney Dunsmuir (she/her) is a research fellow for the STEPP Lab. She graduated from Boston University in May 2024 with a B.S. in Behavior & Health and a minor in Biology. She is a certified EMT and has previously worked at BU EMS and as an undergraduate research assistant at STEPP Lab. Courtney is excited to continue working at STEPP Lab and is interested in investigating the effects of different neurological disorders on speech and sensorimotor systems. In her free time, Courtney enjoys yoga, bird-watching, and watching movies.
Alex Estrada (they/them) is a research fellow for the STEPP Lab. They graduated from Emerson College in 2022 with a BS in Communication Sciences & Disorders and a minor in Creative Writing. They’re excited to begin their research career at the Stepp Lab. Alex’s research interests include acoustics, speech breathing, comparative laryngeal anatomy, and listener perceptions of voice. They are also interested in ways to boost clinician competence in areas of AAC, dual sensory loss and gender affirming care. In their free time, Alex enjoys solving puzzles, learning about other scientific disciplines, listening to baseball games, and making all kinds of art.
Matti Groll, (he/him), MS, Ph.D., is a part-time researcher at the STEPP Lab. He attended Boston University from 2013 – 2021 where he completed his undergraduate, master’s, and PhD in biomedical engineering with the STEPP Lab. His research focused on alternative communication devices, vocal assessment, voice disorders, and transmasculine voice care. He previously worked as a Software Engineer for MathWorks.
Samantha Grynberg, (she/her), M.S., CCC-SLP, is a practicing speech-language pathologist and STEPP Lab member. She currently practices at Hebrew SeniorLife, supporting the geriatric community with services addressing speech, language, voice, cognition, and swallowing. She received her M.S. in Communication Disorders from Emerson College. Her clinical focus is providing personalized education to her patients so they can fully understand and take ownership of their care. She is grateful to contribute her clinical skills to the STEPP Lab and support research that directly impacts her fellow clinicians and patients.
Jose Manuel Rojas is a research fellow for the STEPP Lab. He attained his B.S. in Electronic Engineering from the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in 2022. He has experience in the acquisition and analysis of data from populations with various health conditions, but also in the development of neurocomputational models to study sensorimotor control. His research focuses on the correlation between speech perception and sensorimotor disorders affecting the voice. During his leisure time, he enjoys activities like tennis, padel, running, and watching series.
Kaitlyn Siedman (she/her) is a research fellow for the STEPP Lab. She graduated from Trinity College in May 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology and a self-designed minor in Linguistics. As a member of Trinity’s Psycholinguistics Lab, she previously researched how the presence of mirrors affects the intelligibility of speech and learned about the impact of different sensory modality alterations on speech perception and production. In her free time, Kaitlyn can be found crocheting, reading, or watching American Ninja Warrior.
Mara Kapsner-Smith (she/her), Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a research scientist for the STEPP Lab. She received her M.S. in Medical Speech-Language Pathology and her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington. She has a clinical background working as a laryngology speech-language pathologist at the University of Washington Medical Center. She has worked as a research scientist/research fellow at the National Center for Voice and Speech (University of Utah) and the Vocal Function Lab (University of Washington). Her work with the STEPP Lab includes using bio signals related to voice and speech (acoustic, electromyographic, visual/endoscopic) to measure vocal function and to detect and describe voice disorders. In her free time, Mara can be found pottering in her vegetable garden, watching/reading sci fi, or pretending she is a master chef.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Brittany Fletcher (she/her), Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a postdoctoral fellow in the STEPP Lab. She received a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Cincinnati, conducting research in the intersection between pediatric speech development, acoustics and artificial intelligence. Prior to her PhD, she worked clinically as a speech-language pathologist in the pediatric and adults with intellectual disabilities populations in Louisville, KY. She received her masters in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Louisville and her bachelors in Elementary and Special Education from Bellarmine University. Brittany’s clinical and research interests include: translational research for underrepresented populations, clinical and research applications of acoustic measures, and sociolinguistics.
Micah Hirsch (they/them), Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow in the STEPP Lab. Micah earned their Ph.D. in Communication Science and Disorders from Florida State University in 2024, where they conducted research on perception of dysarthric speech in the Motor Speech Disorders Lab. During their Ph.D. coursework, Micah also earned a graduate certificate in Measurement and Statistics from FSU. Micah’s primary research interests include motor speech disorders, acoustic and perceptual measurement of speech, speech and voice characteristics for transgender and nonbinary populations, and the metascience of speech science. Prior to their doctoral work, Micah also earned their M.S. in Communication Science and Disorders from FSU and their B.S. in Speech and Hearing Science from Arizona State University.
Doctoral Research Assistants
Allison Aaron (she/her), MS, CCC-SLP, is a Ph.D. student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. She received a M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a concentration in voice at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions and went on to work as a laryngology-specialized speech-language pathologist at Stony Brook University Hospital. Allison has been devoted to both the science and art of voice since earning her B.A. in Vocal Performance and Psychology at Bucknell University. Allison’s clinical and research interests include vocal motor learning, voice and gender, and vocal hyperfunction.
Kimberly Dahl (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. Kim received her master’s degrees in communication disorders at the University of Rhode Island and in linguistics at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a speech-language pathologist who completed her clinical training in voice and swallowing disorders at Oregon Health and Science University. Kim is interested in speech motor control, voice perception, prosody, and gender-affirming voice care.
Daria Dragicevic (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. She holds a B.A. in Linguistics with a certificate in Computational Linguistics from San Diego State University. Her research focuses on articulatory imprecision in people with Parkinson’s disease, using both acoustics and kinematics. In 2022, Daria received the Rafik B. Hariri Graduate Student Fellowship for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering to advance her data-driven studies. She is also an advocate for individuals with rare, neurological diseases and enjoys participating in open water swim races and para-triathlons around New England.
Turley Duque (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. Turley is a McNair Scholar and received her B.A. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of San Diego, where she studied temporal and spatial memory in ADHD model rats. She is interested in researching the neural processes when verbal communication is disturbed. In her free time, she loves to travel this world and others through the pages of books.
Daphne Toglia Lulo is originally from Miami, Florida. She completed her undergraduate studies at the New College of Florida, the state’s designated honor college, modeled after the New College of Oxford. During this time, Daphne spent a semester at the University of Oxford taking tutorials focused on neurodegenerative diseases. In 2019, she was selected as a neurological surgery summer student fellow at the University of Washington, joining the Ferreira lab to conduct research on the genetic underpinnings of intracranial aneurysms. This research laid the groundwork for her undergraduate thesis and sparked her interest in translational research. Following graduation, Daphne took three gap years to gain diverse research experiences and mentor fellow first-generation and underrepresented minorities in STEM through the Washington Opportunity Scholarship Skills That Shine Mentorship Program. The first year, she returned to the University of Washington to complete her thesis work, further contributing to the discovery of somatic PDGFRB activating variants in fusiform cerebral aneurysms. Subsequent years involved work at an immuno-incological startup and from 2022-2023 Daphne was on the Neural Dynamics Neuroanatomy Team at the Allen Institute, where she focused on optimizing the histological pipeline for mapping out thalamo-cortico-thalamic circuits in mice.
Nicole Tomassi (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in the Graduate Program for Neuroscience at BU. She graduated from San Diego State University in 2019 with a B.S in Applied Mathematics. Her research interests include brain-computer interfaces and neural modelling with clinical applications. In her free time, Nicole enjoys teaching and practicing yoga, rock climbing, and traveling.
Master’s Research Assistants
Taylor Feaster (she/her) is a master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at Boston University. Prior to beginning her master’s, she was a research fellow in the STEPP lab. She received her B.A. in Neuroscience, with a minor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from Boston University in May 2021. Taylor’s research interests include gender-affirming voice care, and the intersection between neurological disorders and speech production/perception. In her free time, Taylor enjoys playing tennis, baking, and listening to music.
Danielle Goldberg (she/her) is a master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at Boston University. She received her B.S. in Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Linguistics at Michigan State University in May 2023. In her undergraduate career, she was a research assistant in Dr. Bridget Walsh’s Developmental Speech Lab. Danielle is interested in working within the intersections between activism and speech-language pathology. Her interests within the field of speech-language pathology include gender-affirming care and systemic barriers to access to care for marginalized communities. In her free time, Danielle loves exploring new restaurants, visiting art museums, and going to concerts. She’s excited to be a part of the STEPP Lab!
Jordan Kimmel (they/he) is a master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at Boston University. They graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 2022 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and minors in Gender Studies and Chemistry. They are primarily interested in gender-affirming voice care, voice perception, and pediatric speech therapy. In their free time, Jordan likes to spend time outside, bake (and find the best bakeshops for!) allergy-friendly desserts, dye their hair, and watch hockey, specifically the Bruins.
Jade Navarro (she/her) is a master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at Boston University. She graduated from New York University with a B.M. in Classical Vocal Performance and a minor in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. Her areas of interest range from post-traumatic speech and voice disorders to gender affirming voice care. In her free time, Jade enjoys singing, playing Animal Crossing, and hanging with her Corgi, Cider!
Eva Yeh is a Master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at Boston University. She attended the University of Michigan and graduated with her Bachelor’s in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. She is passionate about multilingual education, disability justice, and utilizing interdisciplinary research to achieve a higher level of medical care. Her areas of research interest include speech sounds and acoustics, bilingual/multilingual intervention strategies, and speech perception. In her free time, she enjoys taking care of her plants, trying new recipes, and going outside!
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Maanya Baranwal (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Biology and minoring in public health. She is interested in learning about the possible treatments for neurodegenerative speech disorders and looks forward to performing research in such a unique lab. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, and travelling.
Elana Felig (she/her) is an undergraduate student studying health science and minoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences. She is excited to get involved in research and clinical experiences, and is looking forward to expanding her knowledge on speech pathology and research in general. She hopes to pursue a career in speech pathology in the future. In her free time, she enjoys going to spin classes and exploring different places around Boston!
Anastasia Haubrich (she/her) is an undergraduate student studying Neuroscience at Boston University. She is interested in studying neurodegenerative disorders, and finding new way to diagnose and treat them. Outside of school, she works as an EMT, and enjoys rock climbing, exploring Boston and spending time with her friends and family
Misora Ito (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Health Sciences. She is excited to obtain a unique experience in clinical research as she aspires to join the medical field. At her home town, Misora serves as a volunteer EMT. She loves painting and listening to music.
Sophie Li (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Biomedical Engineering. She is passionate about finding new, innovative ways to improve healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Sofia Marzullo (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Biology and minoring in Sociology on a pre-dental path. She is passionate about health related research and is looking forward to gaining clinical experience and learning more about engineering technology involved in data analysis. She is very excited to work at the STEPP Lab and gain new insight on speech disorders. In her free time, Sofia enjoys walking dogs, playing guitar, and going for runs along the Esplanade.
Fizaan Muhammad (He/Him) is an undergraduate student studying Biology on the pre-medical track at Boston University. He is interested in learning about possible treatments of neurodegenerative diseases, speech disorders and impairments in communication. In his free time he enjoys spending time with friends and family, sports, and nature.
Franklin Phan (he/him) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Human Physiology with a minor in music. He is interested in exploring medical research and hopes to have a career in healthcare one day. Outside of medicine, Franklin enjoys playing music, cooking, and playing the Pokémon trading card game.
Naser Salas-Husain (he/him) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying data science and minoring in public health. He is interested in understanding and researching speech and language disorders as well as hopefully pursuing a career in public health or speech-language pathology. In his free time he enjoys playing soccer, running, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.
Sanya Saurabh (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Biomedical Engineering, concentrating in Nanotechnology and Technology Innovation. She is a published author and an avid reader. She is interested in learning about clinical research and computational biology. In her free time, Sanya enjoys singing, watching shows, or drinking coffee!
Hetavii Shah (she/her) is an undergraduate student studying Biology (CMG) and Psychology at Boston University. She is interested in learning about possible treatments of neurodegenerative diseases, speech disorders and impairments in communication, also exploring the molecular aspects. In her free time she enjoys graphic design and dance, and exploring new restaurants around Boston with friends.
Andrew Wrede (he/him) is an undergraduate at Boston University studying biology with a minor in public health. In his free time, he enjoys reading, running, and volunteering as an EMT.
Clinical Recruitment Assistants
Susana Cao (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University majoring in Biology with a specialization in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics, alongside a minor in Business Administration. She is passionate about understanding the function of the larynx and throat to develop treatments for individuals who struggle with sound pronunciation, face challenges hitting the right notes while singing, or have experienced throat-related issues. Susana is exploring both the pre-health and Ph.D. tracks. In her free time, she enjoys learning new languages, singing, and dancing.
Meghna Sriram (she/her) is an undergraduate student studying Neurobiology and Psychology on the pre-PhD track at Boston University. She is interested in studying fetal genetics and disorders and hopes to pursue a career in clinical research. Apart from school, Meghna is the captain of BU’s Indian classical dance team, performs acapella and loves to read and go thrifting!
Varshini Sudhakar (she/her) is an undergraduate student studying Human Physiology with a minor in Public Health. Varshini is interested in learning about neurodegenerative diseases and voice disorders and hopes to be a physician in the future. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing the Veena, and dancing.
Rena Nurhussien is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Human Physiology with a minor in Arabic. She is particularly interested in learning more about the pathophysiology of different speech and voice disorders. She hopes to gain a comprehensive clinical research experience at the STEPP Lab. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, baking, and doodling.
Aashirya Vadivel Murugan (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Neuroscience. She is interested in learning about ENT disorders, pursing interdisciplinary research, and improving patient outcomes in healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys singing and exploring the city of Boston.