United States Department of Veterans Affairs
NCRAR

Our Staff

The NCRAR is cultivating a community of clinicians, research scientists, and scholars who can attack the communicative, economic, psychosocial, and vocational issues associated with auditory disorders. The Center is unique because of the broad range of professionals who work together with a focus on delivering rehabilitative therapeutics within the lifetime of the veteran, with the greatest effectiveness and in a way that promotes efficiency.

Currently, more than 40 professionals are engaged in a variety of research and development activities of the NCRAR. Working alongside auditory research scientists and audiologists, it is commonplace to find such other professionals as healthcare educators, immunologists, otolaryngologists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, oncologists, and speech-language pathologists.

 

Administration 

M. Patrick Feeney, Ph.D. Director
Gabrielle Saunders, Ph.D. Associate Director
Patrick Helt, M.A. Deputy Director, Administrative Office
Bonnie Becker Administrative Special Assistant
Steve Lathrop Budget Analyst

 

 

 

 

 

Research Investigators

Donald Austin, M.D., M.P.H. Preventive Medicine
Curtis Billings, Ph.D. Electrophysiology, Auditory Plasticity, and Aging
Marilyn Dille, Ph.D. Electrophysiology, Ototoxicity
Stephen Fausti, Ph.D. Hearing Loss Prevention 
M. Patrick Feeney, Ph.D. Peripheral Auditory Function, Hearing Screening, and Aging 
Robert Folmer, Ph.D. Hearing Conservation, Tinnitus
Frederick (Erick) Gallun, Ph.D. Psychoacoutics and Cognitive Processing
James Henry, Ph.D. Tinnitus
Peter Jacobs, Ph.D., M.S.E.E. Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dawn Konrad-Martin, Ph.D. Peripheral Auditory Function, Aging, Diabetes & Ototoxicity 
Marjorie Leek, Ph.D. Psychoacoustics & Speech Perception 
Samantha Lewis, Ph.D. Auditory Rehabilitation
David Lilly, Ph.D. Electrophysiology
Michelle Molis, Ph.D. Speech Perception
Diana Pope, Ph.D., M.S., R.N. Patient Care Environment
Gabrielle Saunders, Ph.D. Hearing Aid Outcomes & Hearing Conservation 
Mitchel Turbin, Ph.D. Aural Rehabilitation & Counseling

 

Research Audiologists and Research Support Staff

Lucas Baltzell, B.A. Research Assistant
Heather Belding, B.S. Research Assistant
Keri O'Connell Bennett, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Sara Blankenship Au.D. Extern
Linda Casiana, M.S. Research Assistant
Serena Dann, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Angela Garinis, Ph.D. Research Audiologist
Cody Goheen Research Assistant
Jane Gordon, M.S. Research Audiologist
Susan Griest, M.P.H. Database Manager
Wendy Helt, M.A. Grants Administrator, Lead Research Audiologist
Michele Hutter, M.S. Research Audiologist
Christine Kaelin, M.B.A. Research Program Coordinator
Sean Kampel, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Daniel McDermott, M.A. Research Audiologist
Melissa Papesh Au.D. Extern
Tina Penman, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Daniel Putterman, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Kelly Reavis, M.S., MPH Research Audiologist
ShienPei Silverman, M.A. Research Assistant
Melissa Teahen, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Emily Thielman, M.S. Research Assistant
Sarah Theodoroff, Ph.D. Research Audiologist
Jay Vacchani, Au.D. Research Audiologist
Tara Zaugg, Au.D. Research Audiologist

 

Engineering and Technical Support Staff

Roger Ellingson, M.S., CS&E  Software Engineer 
Sam Gordon, B.S.E.E.  Biomedical Engineer 
Garnet McMillan, Ph.D.  Biostatistician