Lab Members

Kaila Stipancic, Ph.D, CCC-SLP
Dr. Stipancic is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences at U.B. and the Director of the Buffalo Oromotor, Speech and Swallowing (BOSS) Lab. Broadly, Prof. Stipancic studies how the brain controls the muscles of speech and swallowing and the perceptual, acoustic, kinematic, and neurophysiologic consequences of neurodegenerative disease on these functions. She has particular interest in the measurement of relevant clinical outcomes, such as speech intelligibility, and in improving therapeutic options to improve the quality of life of patients with oromotor impairments.

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Ellie Schieltz
Ellie is a PhD student and recently joined the lab in August 2024. She completed her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from UNI as well. Her main research interests are motor speech disorders and degenerative diseases. In the future, Ellie hopes to work at a university, either teaching or performing research. Ellie is from Peosta, Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, crocheting, and spending time with animals.

Olivia Chandler
Olivia is a first-year M.A. student in Speech Pathology at UB. After working in NYU’s Motor Speech Lab in undergrad, she is excited to get involved with a different side of motor speech and kinematics in BOSS Lab. In the future, Olivia hopes to specialize in serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations in a variety of settings. She is from Albany, New York. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and dancing. 

Emma Fitch
Emma is a first-year M.A. student of Speech-Language Pathology. She joined the BOSS Lab because she is interested in research pursuing new procedures and examinations to evaluate swallowing. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career as a medical speech-language pathologist specializing in swallowing disorders. Emma’s hobbies include skiing, embroidery, and exploring new places with friends.

Julia Szczepanski
As a graduate student clinician in speech-language pathology at U.B., I am eager to explore how neurological conditions impact speech and swallowing function, particularly through perceptual, acoustic, kinematic, and neurophysiologic analyses. I am especially interested in understanding how stability and variability influence clinical outcome measures, such as speech intelligibility, and how we can improve assessment techniques to enhance patient care. By engaging with research that examines motor control and its disruptions, I aim to develop a deeper understanding of how data-driven insights can inform effective interventions. My career goal is to bridge research and clinical practice, ensuring that measurement techniques accurately capture the complexities of oromotor impairments and lead to more targeted, evidence-based treatments. In my free time, I enjoy trying to cook new recipes, watching the latest reality TV show, and reading mystery novels!

Regan Wellington
Regan Wellington is a first-year graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology at the University at Buffalo. She is interested in exploring how neurological conditions impact speech and swallowing, examining these functions across different levels of analysis from motor control to communication outcomes. Regan hopes to pursue a career in medical speech-language pathology, with a particular interest in working in neuro treatment and rehabilitation.

Joslyn Brown
Joslyn is a junior majoring in Speech and Hearing with a minor in ASL at UB. She is open to exploring a variety of research opportunities and is excited to learn more about the field. In the future, she hopes to work with students in schools, either as a speech-language pathologist or in audiology. She is from Lakewood, New York. In her free time, she enjoys dancing with Impulse Dance Force at UB, going on walks, and spending time with other members of the Student Association for Speech and Hearing (SASH).

Brianna Odrzywolski
Brianna worked in the lab from March 2023 to November 2025, after graduating from UB’s undergraduate program of Speech & Hearing Sciences. She is pursuing her M.A. in Speech Language Pathology starting in the Fall of 2025 and in the future, Brianna hopes to become a speech pathologist in the PICU/NICU.

Kelly Gates, M.A., CF-SLP
Kelly worked in the BOSS Lab from January 2023 to May 2024, after graduating from UB’s graduate program of Speech-Language Pathology. Her thesis aimed to calculate the minimally detectable change of speech intelligibility using three different reliability measures. Kelly has since moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she is working to complete her clinical fellowship at the Emory Voice Center.

Abigail Makofske
Abbie finished her M.A in Speech-Language Pathology at UB, and worked in the BOSS Lab from November 2023 to May of 2024. Her research interests include aphasia and cognitive-communication disorders in adults as well as motor speech/swallowing disorders. After graduate school, Abbie hopes to work in a hospital or rehabilitation setting.