Current Members
Dr. Amy Donaldson (she/her)
Amy Donaldson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences at Portland State University. Using a participatory research model she is interested in investigating social communication and social interaction, particularly within the autistic community, as well as disability representation.
Olivia Strickland (she/her)
Olivia is a second-year graduate student in the Speech and Hearing Sciences program at PSU and serves as the Lab Manager for the Autism and Social Communication Lab. She is dedicated to expanding her holistic approach to speech-language pathology and enjoys collaborating with professionals and peers to support her community. In her free time, Olivia enjoys baking, reading, and camping.
Brandon Eddy (he/his)
Brandon Eddy is a speech-language pathologist and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences at Portland State University (PSU). Brandon teaches graduate and undergraduate level coursework at Portland State University. His clinical interests include augmentative and alternative communication, cleft and craniofacial disorders, and interdisciplinary practice. He maintains community affiliations with Shriners Children’s Portland as a speech-language pathologist, and he also serves as a Research Associate with Dr. Melanie Fried-Oken’s REKNEW Lab within the Institute on Development and Disability at Oregon Health and Sciences University. He received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Pacific University Oregon, and completed his Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Iowa. Brandon has received comprehensive interdisciplinary training as a former trainee in the Iowa and Oregon Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and related Disabilities (LEND) programs. He currently serves as an AAC specialist providing services to children with complex communication needs and their families. Brandon also serves as a member of the interdisciplinary Cleft Lip and Palate team at Shriners Children’s Portland.
endever* corbin (xe/they)
endever* is a multiply disabled semispeaking autistic self-advocate who works both formally and informally to advance access to AAC for everyone, regardless of perceived speaking ability.
Alyssa Zisk (they/them)
Alyssa Hillary Zisk, Ph.D., is an Autistic part-time AAC user. They are a regular collaborator with the Autism & Social Communication Laboratory as the AAC Research Team Lead at AssistiveWare.
Anya Meadows (she/her)
Anya is a second year graduate student studying Speech-Language Pathology at PSU. She is interested in communication accessibility, particularly in pediatric and young adult populations. Anya has worked with clients at both the Gender Communication Lab and the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinic at PSU. She has also served as a camp clinician at Speak & Be Heard Theatre Camp, where she supported children in developing social communication skills through theatre games and exercises. She is eager to contribute to participatory research on autistic burnout, particularly in data coding. In her free time, Anya enjoys decorating cakes, playing video games, and exploring nature.
August McCabe (she/her)
August is a second year graduate student in the Speech and Hearing Sciences program at Portland State University (PSU). She received her B.S. in Organizational Communication at University of Portland in 2018 before pursuing her dreams of becoming a speech language pathologist. Through clinical experiences, she furthered her interest in social communication and working with the autistic community. She aspires to work with children in educational settings while raising awareness of the needs and strengths of autistic individuals. In her free time, August enjoys reading, stargazing, and hiking with her dogs.
Elyse Crawford (she/they)
Elyse is in their final year of the Master’s program in Speech and Hearing Sciences at Portland State University. They value disability justice, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and communication agency, which influence their clinical philosophy in Speech-Language Pathology. Their drive to work with the Autistic community stems from experiencing health and educational inequities as a Disabled and Neurodivergent individual. Outside of academics, Elyse enjoys spending time with their family, art and design, and being around animals.
jorja harper (her/its)
jorja has a BA in international relations from the University of Arkansas. She is interested in research around AAC and housing for disabled people, art, fantasy, poetry, and music.
Katie Klupenger (she/her)
Katie is a first year graduate student studying Speech Pathology at PSU. She received her B.S. at PSU in Speech and Hearing Sciences where she discovered her interests in social communication and Autism. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, reading, art, and hanging with friends and family.