Our Team
Our Research Team, led by Dr. Malandraki, currently includes a lab manager, two doctoral students, and multiple collaborators within and outside the University. Several undergraduate students per semester are also involved in our research projects through Undergraduate Research credit hours (learn more here).
Lab Manager

Anna Szlembarski, BS
Lab Manager
Short Bio:
Anna Szlembarski earned her Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and Physiology from Purdue University in 2023 and then came back to Purdue University a few months later to become our lab manager. She is currently working on all active research projects.
Lead Research SLP

Jaime Bauer Malandraki, MS, CCC-SLP
Involved in lab projects including:
- Rehabilitation of airway protection in Parkinson's Disease: Comparing in-person and telehealth service delivery models
Research SLPs

Emily Bible-Ramsey, MS, CCC-SLP
Involved in lab projects including:
- Rehabilitation of airway protection in Parkinson's Disease: Comparing in-person and telehealth service delivery models

Shelley Reichelt, MS, CCC-SLP
Involved in lab projects including:
- Rehabilitation of airway protection in Parkinson's Disease: Comparing in-person and telehealth service delivery models
Research Assistants

Vaishnavi Krishna, MA, CCC-SLP
Doctoral Student
Research interests:
- Exploring the effects of dysphagia and identifying the most effective methods for maximizing swallowing/feeding skills, and overall well-being in older adults.

Ching Hsuan (Freddie) Peng, MS, CCC-SLP
Doctoral Student
Research interests:
- Investigating the underlying neuromuscular and kinematic mechanism to optimize the application of swallowing exercises
- Studying and implementing biofeedback to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of swallowing exercises
Interested in Joining our Dream Team?
If you are a graduate student or a prospective doctoral student and you have an interest in joining our team, please send an email and your CV directly to Dr. Malandraki at malandraki@purdue.edu.
If you are an undergraduate student and are interested in learning more about research and how to participate in our lab, please complete this application (google doc). If we have a vacancy in the lab and you qualify, we will contact you! Thank you for your interest.
Alumni
- Rachel Hahn Arkenberg, PhD
- Graduate research assistant (2019-2024)
- Rachel is now an assistant professor at Butler University in Indianapolis
- Ellie Jensen, BS
- Undergraduate research assistant (2020-2024)
- Ellie is completing her master's in speech language pathology at Purdue University
- Macy Griffis, BS
- Undergraduate and Graduate research assistant (2020-2024)
- Macy is completing her master's in speech language pathology at Purdue University
- Jennine Bryan, MS, CF-SLP
- Undergraduate and Graduate research assistant (2018-2022)
- Jennine is completing her clinical fellowship as an SLP at CI Pediatric Therapy Centers in Madison.
- Samantha Mitchell, MS, CCC-SLP
- Undergraduate and Graduate research assistant (2017-2021)
- Samantha is an SLP at Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio.
- Cagla Kantarcigil, MS, PhD
- PhD student (2014-2019)
- Cagla is now a post-doctoral research fellow at Northwestern University in Chicago.
- Anumitha Venkatraman, MS
- Graduate research assistant (2018-2019)
- Anumitha is now completing her PhD with Dr. Sivasankar.
- Paige Cornille, MS, CCC-SLP
- Graduate research assistant (2018-2019)
- Paige is now working at Children's Therapy Corner in Michigan.
- Robert B. Fujiki, PhD
- Graduate research assistant (2016-2017)
- Robert is now completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Valerie Steinhauser, MS, CCC-SLP
- Graduate research assistant (2016-2017)
- Val is now an SLP at the Jewish Child and Family Services in Chicago, IL.
- Natalie Tomerlin, MS, CCC-SLP
- Graduate research assistant (2016-2017)
- Natalie is now a Clinical Assistant Professor at Northwestern University.
- Abby Oliver, MS, CCC-SLP
- Undergraduate research assistant (2014-2017)
- Abby is now an SLP at a medical setting.
- Naomi (Mia) Dreyer, MS, CCC-SLP
- Graduate research assistant (2014-2016)
- Mia is now an SLP in Indiana.
- Lucia Figueiredo-Mourao, PhD
- Post-Doctoral Researcher (2014-2016)
- Lucia is a Professor at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil.
- Pratik Kashyap, BS
- Graduate research assistant (2015-2016)
- Pratik is a PhD student at the school of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue.
- Kausar Abbas, PhD
- Graduate research assistant (2015)
- Kausar is now a faculty member at the University of Management and Technology in his home country, Pakistan.