Our Team
Jessica Salley Riccardi, PhD, CCC-SLP, Principal Investigator
Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of Maine
I earned by PhD in Communication Sciences in May 2022 from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH). I am also a clinical speech-language pathologist, having earned my M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and my B.S. in Communication Sciences & Disorders from the University of New Hampshire.
Hometown: Andover, MA
Favorite thing in Maine: Being outdoors with her pup Yeti (see honorary lab members) and cheering on UMaine’s athletes with Bananas (pictured right)
Graduate Students
Sophie Dean
MA student in Communication Sciences and Disorders
(lab alum with her BA in CSD 2025)
Minor in Native American Studies
Hometown: Keene, NH
Favorite thing in Maine: The gorgeous seasons throughout the year.
Emma Doxtater
MA student in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Karleigh Schueller
MA student in Communication Sciences and Disorders
(Lab alum with her BA in CSD 2025)
Minors in Psychology and Neuroscience
Hometown: Middleton, MA
Favorite thing in Maine: Spending time outdoors in the fall!
Undergraduate Students
Raina Movalia
BS student in Biology and Pre-Medical Studies
Hometown: Brewer, ME
Favorite thing in Maine: Swimming in Brewer Lake during the summer
Honorary Lab Members
Yeti Riccardi
Even though science makes Yeti tired, she loves being a part of the lab. She is often on campus, looking to make friends and talk about research.
Hometown: Unity, Maine
Favorite thing in Maine: getting pets on campus and running in/eating snow!
Lab Alumni
B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders
2023- Sam Cartwright
2024- Lydia Bradfield, Molly Hale, Ellie Walker
2025- Emily Benson, Sophie Dean, Katie Davison (Honor’s Student), Sera Hodgson (Honor’s Student), & Karleigh Schueller
2026- Hailey Blanchette & Elise DeRosby
M.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders
2024- Brooke Underhill, Paige Kavanaugh, & Adrienna Thorne
2025- Erin Dumville, Helen Murray-James, & Taylor Wells
2026- Isabel Berman, Sam Condon, Torri MacIntosh, Ellie Walker, & Emma Whitney