Meet the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic Team

Avanti Bhatia

Clinical Supervisor for Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

  • Childhood language disorders
  • Pediatric aural rehabilitation
  • Early Intervention

Graduate Education

Purdue University

Undergraduate Education

Northwestern University

Languages

English, Hindi

Joined NIU

2022


Danica Billingsly, Au.D.

Clinical Associate Professor in Audiology

Areas of Interest

  • Tinnitus evaluation and treatment
  • Hearing through life transitions (adolescent/adult)
  • Bilingualism
  • Amplification/hearing aids and hearing assistive technology outcomes

Graduate Education

  • Western Illinois University
  • Salus University

Undergraduate Education

Western Illinois University

Languages

English, Spanish (conversational), ASL (rudimentary)

Joined NIU

October 2014


Mariah Cheyney

Clinical Associate Professor in Audiology

Areas of Interest

  • Infant electrophysiology and diagnostic testing
  • Advanced middle ear assessment
  • Cochlear implant and osseointegrated implant programming
  • Rehabilitation for children with hearing loss

Graduate Education

University of Pittsburgh

Undergraduate Education

Ohio State University


Deidre R. Dobbels, M.S. CCC-SLP/L

Areas of Interest

  • Augmentative and alternative communication
  • Child language development
  • Neurodiversity

Graduate Education

M.S., Eastern Illinois University

Undergraduate Education

B.A., Augustana College

Languages

English

Joined NIU

2023

Certification

  • Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology

Licensure and Credentials

  • State of Illinois, Speech-Language Pathology License
  • Professional Educator License, Speech-Language Pathology

Training

  • LAMP WFL (Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning)
  • PODD (Pragmatic Organized Dynamic Display) Communication

Kortney Flowers, M.A., CCC-SLP/L

Clinical Supervisor for Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

  • Language disorders
  • Literacy skills
  • Speech sound disorders
  • Stuttering

Graduate Education

Northern Illinois University

Undergraduate Education

Elmhurst College

Language

English

Joined NIU

2022


Allison Gladfelter, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Co-director of the NIU Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy
Founder of the NIU Autism Caregiver Group

Areas of Interest

  • Autism spectrum disorder
  • Word-learning/language acquisition
  • Language and motor interactions

Graduate Education

  • Ph.D., Purdue University, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
  • M.S., Purdue University, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Undergraduate Education

Augustana College, Communication Sciences and Disorders and Spanish

Language

English

Joined NIU

2014

Courses Taught

  • AHCD 494: Autism Services
  • COMD 221: Phonetics and Phonology
  • COMD 305: Language Development
  • COMD 603: Communication Disorders in Early Childhood
  • COMD 618: Autism and Social Communication Disorders

Certifications

  • Hanen More Than Words Certification
  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Clinical Certification

Licensure

  • State of Illinois, Speech-Language Pathology License
  • State of Indiana, Speech-Language Pathology License

Makenna Green, M.A., CCC-SLP/L

Clinical Supervisor for Speech Language Pathology
Clinical Externals Coordinator

Areas of Interest

  • Adult cognitive communication disorders
  • Adult swallowing disorders
  • Neurodegenerative disease and neurogenic disorders

Graduate Education

  • M.A., Northern Illinois University
  • Currently a Ph.D. student in health sciences, Northern Illinois University

Undergraduate Education

Northern Illinois University

Certification

SPEAK OUT!® Certified Provider | Parkinson Voice Project

Joined NIU

2022


Blythe Kitner

Clinical Assistant Professor in Audiology

Areas of Interest

  • Electrophysiology
  • Balance
  • Pediatric and adult hearing evaluations and treatment
  • Concussion assessment
  • Tinnitus

Graduate Education

Rush University

Undergraduate Education

Millikin University


Debbie McGee

Clinical Assistant Professor in Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

  • Early intervention
  • Pediatrics

Graduate Education

Northern Illinois University

Undergraduate Education

Northern Illinois University

Languages

English

Joined NIU

February 2013


Megan McKenna, M.A., CCC-SLP/L, CAS

SLP Clinical Coordinator
Clinical Assistant Professor of Speech-Language Pathology
She / Her / Hers

Areas of Interest

  • Pediatric populations (Early Intervention, preschool, school-age)
  • Prelinguistic and early language development
  • Autism spectrum disorder diagnostics and treatment
  • Parent coaching, counseling and family advocacy

Graduate Education

Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Undergraduate Education

Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Joined NIU

2023


Anna Mitchell-Cannone, M.A., CCC-SLP/L

Clinical Assistant Professor in Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

  • Augmentative and alternative communication
  • Hippotherapy
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse populations
  • Language development
  • Advocacy
  • Pediatrics

Graduate Education

Northern Illinois University

Undergraduate Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Languages

English, Spanish (conversational)

Joined NIU

August 2021


Sarah O'Connor

Clinical Assistant Professor in Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

Augmentative and alternative communication

Graduate Education

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Undergraduate Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Language

English

Joined NIU

2014


Janet Olson, Ph.D.

Professor in Speech-Language Pathology

Areas of Interest

  • Early intervention
  • Hearing impairment in children
  • Family-based treatment

Graduate Education

  • Northern Illinois University
  • University of Illinois

Diane ScheckLong, Au.D., CCC-A

Assistant Clinical Professor in Audiology

Areas of Interest

  • Hearing assessment of all ages, with a particular interest in the geriatric population
  • Aural rehabilitation, including amplification, assistive technology and counseling
  • Community outreach

Graduate Education

  • Northwestern University
  • AT Still University

Undergraduate Education

DePaul University

Languages

English, German

Joined NIU

2005

Courses Taught

COMD 300 – Introduction to Audiology


Kim Wedoff, M.S., CCC-SLP

Director of Clinic Finance and Operations; Speech Language Pathologist

Areas of Interest

  • Early intervention
  • Pediatrics
  • Language development
  • Articulation and phonological disorders

Graduate Education

Nova Southeastern University, M.S. Speech Language Pathology

Undergraduate Education

Eastern Illinois University

Language

English

Joined NIU

2016-2020; 2022

Schedule an Appointment

Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
815-753-1481
Fax: 815-753-1664
slhc@niu.edu

3100 Sycamore Road
DeKalb, IL 60115

Reviews

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