Faculty

Mona Griffer, Ed.D- Director of the Master's Program in Speech-Language Pathology.

mgriffer@maryu.marywood.edu

I earned a Master's of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Brooklyn College, CUNY in 1982 and a Doctor of Education Degree in Child and Youth Studies from Nova Southeastern University in 1997. As a Board Recognized Child Language Specialist, my clinical areas of expertise and research interests include family-centered early intervention service delivery, pediatric language development and disorders, emergent literacy, pediatric oral-motor/feeding development and deficits, multicultural issues, and the supervisory process. I am an active member in ASHA and PSHA, frequently presenting at the national, state, and local levels. I currently serve as an Associate Editor for Communication Disorders Quarterly, a publication of The Council for Exceptional Children: Division for Communicative Disabilities and Deafness.

Cathy Jones- Billing Clerk

While employed at The University of Scranton's treasurer's office, I earned my BS in Management as a continuing education student.  After leaving to be a caretaker to an ailing parent, I took several years off, and have been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.  I loved working in the administrative side of higher education, so I'm happy to have found my niche here doing billing for the Speech and Hearing clinic.

Renee S. Jourdanais M.S. CCC/SLP-Clinical Supervisor

I received a B.S. degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Marywood University, and a M.S. degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. Currently I spend most of my day back in the clinic area supervising the student clinicians, however I do also teach within the department. My courses include Clinical Methods and Processes, Phonetics and Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Anomalies. My particular interests lie in working with individuals with cleft palate/craniofacial anomalies, dyspraxia, and aphasia.

Tina Lavelle- Department Assistant

clavelle@maryu.marywood.edu

After working in the financial industry for 30 years coming to Marywood was a big career change for me.  Each day presents a different set of challenges and opportunities for growth both personally and professionally.  As the department assistant I am involved in all aspects of the department, from greeting clients and ordering supplies to supervising the billing function.  I really enjoy working with the students and my peers, but my favorite thing is seeing the client's speech develop after, in some cases, a few therapy sessions.  I feel such a sense of pride for my department when I see a child come in and start a conversation with me when our initial contact was barely a glance.  The thought that I had a small part in this transformation makes coming to work every day a pleasure.   

Mary Margaret Mazzaccaro M.S. CCC/SLP- Clinical Supervisor

mazzaccaro@maryu.marywood.edu

I received my B.S. in Communication Disorders in May 1991 from Marywood University. I then received my M.S. in Audiology and Speech Pathology in December of 1992 from Florida State University. I have worked in many areas of the field but primarily in early intervention and the geriatric populations. I began working here in August of 2001. Most of my involvement with the CSD students occurs in the on-campus clinc during supervision of clinical sessions. The graduate students will also see me as the co-instructor of the Diagnostic practicum. My specific interests in the field continue to be varied due to the diversity of the clients that are serviced at the clinic.

Andrea M. Novak M.A. CCC/SLP-Clinic Director

I received my Bachelor of Science Degree from Marywood University and my Master of Arts Degree from Edinboro University. My role in the department is varied. You can call me a "jill of all trades"! As Clinic Director I coordinate the daily operations of the clinic and establish off-campus internship placements for graduate students. In addition to being Clinic Director, I also spend part of my time as a supervisor in the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic and as a part-time faculty member in the department. Currently, I teach Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism to undergraduate students and Independent Study in Clinical Methods and Processes and Professional Issues in SLP to graduate students.  I am also the advisor to our university chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association.  My clinical areas of interest lie in adult neurogenics, phonology, and swallowing disorders. 

Vijayachandra Ramachandra, Ph.D-Faculty

I am originally from India. I completed my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology in India after which I taught courses in Language Disorders and Audiology to undergraduate and graduate students there. I was also the clinical supervisor and have done some voluntary clinical work in special schools for the mentally challenged. I received my Ph.D degree from Bowling Green State University, Ohio. My dissertation investigated the relationship between incidental word learning, phonological working memory and phonological sensitivity. My research interests include exploring relationships between brain, cognition and language. I enjoy my work at Marywood...thanks to all the wonderful colleagues and students here.

Sheri Skrutski, Au.D.- Clinical Audiologist, Adjunct Faculty

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Marywood in 1988. In 1990 I received a Master of Science degree in Audiology from Bloomsburg University. After a few years working as a Clinical Audiologist, I returned to school and received a Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (Au.D.) from the University of Florida in 2001. I began working at Marywood in 1994 as a part-time clinical audiologist. In addition to staffing the Audiology Clinic in the CSD department, I also teach the Intro. to Audiology and Aural Rehab classes. Also, I supervise the graduate Speech Pathology Students during their Audiology practicum. Students interseted in Audiology can also spend time with me during the Assistantship in Audiology class where they get to work in the clinic with me seeing clients for several hours each week. My interests continue to be in the pediatric and geriatric diagnostic and rehabilitative areas of Audiology. I really enjoy working with the students and patients who are seen in the clinic. The blending of the academic and clinical worlds I get here at Marywood is really wonderful!

Bruce Wisenburn, Ph.D- Faculty

bwisenburn@marywood.edu.

I am certainly excited to join the faculty here at Marywood. Since arriving here, I have found it to be a pleasure to work in a department with people who are cooperative and supportive and who truly value the students. I received a B.S. in Communication Disorders from UMass Amherst, an M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Iowa, an M.S. in Computer Science from Boston University, and a Ph.D in Speech-Language Pathology from the University at Buffalo. My research interests are in augmentative/alternative communication (including the use of natural language processing to improve AAC systems, and on AAC for people who speak Spanish), and aphasia (especially synthesizing the evidence-based clinical research). I have recently published two articles in the journal AAC on natural language processing for AAC, and an article in Aphasiology concerning a meta-analysis of word-finding therapies.