Principal Investigator

Dr. Abbeduto’s research at the UC Davis MIND Institute focuses on the development of language across the lifespan in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. His current projects focus on the factors accounting for variation in the course of language in children, adolescents, and young adults with fragile X syndrome, autism, or Down syndrome. These projects seek to identify the behavioral, biological, and environmental influences that shape language in these conditions. Other projects focus on the development of methods to optimize language development through parent-mediated interventions and the role of telehealth technology in the delivery of these interventions. Dr. Abbeduto’s research has been funded virtually continuously by the National Institutes of Health since 1984. He is the editor of the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, which is the flagship journal of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Abbeduto is also Director of the NIH-funded Interdisciplinary Training Conference on Developmental Disabilities, which is designed to foster an interdisciplinary approach to research on neurodevelopmental disorders in the next generation of scientists.

Graduate Student Researcher

David Benjamin is a doctoral student in the department of Human Development. Before attending graduate school he received his B.A. in Psychology and Human Development at UC Davis, and spent several years working in applied behavior analysis intervention. His academic adviser is Ann Mastergeorge, and he is also a member of Dr. Randi Hagerman's fragile X team, along with working along side Dr. Abbeduto's team on the Early Word Learning study. He acts as a liaison for families participating in the Early Word Learning study, and also conducts standardized language testing along with other aspects of families’ visits.

Junior Specialist

Lauren Bullard is a Junior Specialist for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Lauren received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico. In addition to assisting with recruitment and scheduling for our lab, Lauren also works as a behavior consultant for children with autism spectrum disorder. Lauren hopes to attend graduate school in Psychology or Human Development.

Nancy Castignetti received her Master of Science degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Master of Education from Marquette University. She received her Bachelor of Art's degree from Loyola University Chicago. She is completing her clinical fellowship year to become a certified speech-language pathologist.

Postdoctoral Scholar

Marie Channell is a postdoctoral scholar whose research targets the development of language, cognitive, and socioemotional skills in individuals with Down syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She earned her Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from The University of Alabama.

Junior Specialist

Lisa Cochran is a Junior Specialist for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Lisa will be administering autism assessments in the lab and working on projects using expressive language sampling. Lisa received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Communication Studies from the California State University, Sacramento in 2007 and has recently returned from 3 years of studying for a doctorate in research psychology from the University of Birmingham, England.

Program Coordinator

Alicia Cox is the Program Coordinator for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Alicia received a Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics and Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis. She is currently working on her Master of Art degree in Counseling Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy at Santa Clara University.

Staff Research Associate 

Clinical Psychologist

Joan Gunther is a licensed clinical psychologist.  Prior to her position at the MIND Institute, Dr. Gunther worked at River Oak Center for Children with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing a variety of psychological disorders and severe living problems.  Her work with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, their families, and school staff spans over 20 years.  Dr. Gunther majored in Family Systems at the University of Minnesota before moving to San Jose, California where she received her B.A. in Psychology at San Jose State University with an emphasis in Speech and Language Disorders.  She received her M.A. and doctorate degree from California School of Professional Psychology.

Postdoctoral Scholar

Angela John is a postdoctoral scholar who investigates cognitive, language, social-emotional, and behavioral development in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Louisville, and her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Junior Specialist

Jenn Kern is a Transcriber and Coder for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Jenn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and her Bachelor of Science degree equivalent in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from the California State University, Sacramento and is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Junior Specialist

Katie Kilbourne is a Transcriber and Coder for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Katie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from the California State University, Sacramento and is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Junior Specialist

Amanda is a Transcriber for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and works on the research projects which involve expressive language sampling. Amanda is from the Sacramento area and attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She studied abroad for one year in Spain, and graduated with a B.A. in Modern Languages and Literatures in 2004. After earning her degree, she returned to Spain to teach English for another year. Currently, in the MS program in Speech-Language Pathology at California State University, Sacramento and plans to graduate in 2014.

Junior Specialist

Monica Ma is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst working in the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders.  She received her Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology and minor in Spanish Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley.  After working several years in an early intervention program for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder in the public school sector, Monica returned to school to further her studies.  She is currently pursuing a Master of Art degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at California State University, Sacramento.

Project Manager

Andrea McDuffie is a licensed speech/language pathologist and the Research Director for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. After working in the public schools as a clinician and early childhood special educator for many years, Dr. McDuffie returned to graduate school and received a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 2004. She then completed a postdoctoral traineeship in developmental disabilities research at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison, where Dr. Abbeduto was her postdoctoral mentor. Dr. McDuffie’s research interests include word learning and language development in fragile X syndrome and autism, parent-mediated language intervention approaches, and the characterization of autism symptoms in fragile X syndrome.

Speech-Language Clinician

Ashley Oakes recently received with her Master of Science degree in communicative disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received her Bachelor of Art degree in Linguistics from Lawrence University. Currently, Ashley is completing her clinical fellowship to become a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).

Junior Specialist

Kasie Parsons is a Junior Specialist for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders.  Kasie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from California State University, Sacramento.  She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from California State University, Sacramento.

Junior Specialist

Stephanie is a Junior Specialist for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She is working on a project examining how the characteristics of maternal language influence language development for children with fragile X syndrome. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology from Mills College in 2011. After working at an agency that provides behavior and language therapies to children with autism spectrum disorder, Stephanie has returned to school and is currently a conditional graduate student in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at California State University, Sacramento.

Junior Specialist

Evann Vieira is a Transcriber and Coder for the Laboratory on Language Development in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology at California State University, Sacramento, and is currently working towards completing her Master of Art degree in Special Education.