People
Meet the Gray Matter Lab team
Lab Director
Teresa Gray
Education
- 2015 Ph.D., Boston University
- 2008 M.A., San Jose State University
- 2000 B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz
Research Interests
Teresa Gray, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is the director of the Gray Matter Lab. Her research interests are focused on exploring the relationship between lexical access and verbal and nonverbal control mechanisms in aphasia and improving the effectiveness of language intervention for bilingual populations with aphasia. Her clinical expertise includes assessing and providing language and executive function treatments for monolingual and bilingual populations with aphasia and traumatic brain injury.
Graduate Students
Sarah Jane Ballerda
Education
- 2025 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2011 B.S. Speech Pathology
University of the Philippines Manila
Research Interests
I am a first-year, Tagalog-English bilingual graduate student. I am interested in learning about how the bi- and multi-lingual brain processes language and how we can best support these processes in rehab treatment programs. Currently, I am part of the Tagalog-English translanguaging team. We are delivering a truly bilingual naming treatment intervention, examining its efficacy, and comparing results with more traditional bilingual naming interventions where treatment is delivered in monolingual contexts.
Bella Carbonara
Education
- 2024 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2020 B.S. Speech-language Pathology
California State University Long Beach
Research Interests
My research interests involve amplifying the perspectives of communities that have been historically marginalized. I have specific research experience with Autism, AAC, and the experiences of BIPOC in the field of speech-language pathology. I am passionate about using research as a tool to help us build a society where everyone's voice is heard and celebrated.
Amelia Tio Lim
Education
- 2025 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2023 B.S. Communication Sciences and Disorders
Biola University
Research Interests
I am passionate about working with adults experiencing acquired aphasia, dysphagia, and other communication challenges. In my role transcribing conversations for the Black Conversation Club, I observe and document communication patterns in the lives of individuals with aphasia. This occurs in the dynamic context of their social interactions, where they not only engage meaningfully but also find enjoyment in this community.
Kaitlin Ridad
Education
- 2024 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2022 B.S. Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences & B.A. Child and Adolescent Development San Francisco State University
Research Interests
Language and communication hold power in self-expression, connections, and societal navigation. The different impacts on the brain after injury has always piqued my interest—specifically how to maximize participation and engagement in life. As a future clinician, it is my mission to prioritize and enhance the quality of life for people with aphasia. In Gray Matter Lab, I will be contributing to the AbSANT project and Conversation Club.
Loriel Roman
Education
- 2024 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2021 Post-Baccalaureate in Speech-Language Pathology
California State University, San Marcos
- 2018 M.A. in Teaching
University of Southern California - 2012 Double B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology
University of California, Irvine
Research Interests
As a former teacher, I have always been interested in how people learn, process information, and communicate. I am especially interested in how we can develop strategies to best support and honor individuals and their experiences from diverse and multilingual backgrounds. As a child of Filipino immigrants, I am looking forward to joining Gray Matter Lab and working alongside Tagalog/English-speaking adults with aphasia to gain more insight into translanguaging and how we can utilize individuals’ full language repertoires and the impact that can have on overall communication goals and quality of life.
Morgan Spears
Education
- 2025 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2023 B.S. Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in education
San Francisco State University
Research interests
Speech and language play a dynamic role in learning, social connections, and communicating one’s thoughts and feelings. My fascination in SLHS comes from my interest in a) helping others enhance their quality of life and b) learning more about communication modalities in aphasia. In the lab, I co-facilitate the English Conversation Club, developing agendas and leading discussions.
Jennifer Lorena Vega
Education
- 2025 M.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2021 B.A. Speech-Language Pathology
California State University, Long Beach
Research Interests
As a bilingual Spanish-English speaker and first-generation Latina, it has always been my interest to provide access to communication for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations. It is critical that as future responsive clinicians, we consider the linguistic barriers of CLD populations and create spaces were their needs and heard. Through the Gray Matter Lab, I am able to support adults with aphasia in the Spanish Conversation Club (SCC). The SCC allows for adults of all ages and types of aphasia to be part of a community and build on their communication skills.
Undergraduate
Abigail Franklin
Education
- 2025 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University
Research Interests
Taking part in the Gray Matter Lab and English Conversation Club has led me to meet people from all walks of life. In English Conversation Club, I have been able to see participants grow and form meaningful connections with one another. Language plays an integral role in who we are and how we express ourselves. English Conversation Club fosters a safe space where people are able to open up about their experiences and relate to one another. I hope to continue this work as my education and career progresses.
Danielle Griffth
Education
- 2024 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University
Research Interests
I am interested in advocacy research for Black adults with aphasia to increase quality of life and services for this population. I co-facilitate the lab’s conversation club for Black adults with aphasia, and I am also involved a new conversation analysis study that examines the overarching themes of our Black conversation club, with a goal to better understand what makes the group so meaningful for its participants.
Devora Jimenez
Education
- 2024 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University
Research Interests
I am multi-lingual, and the languages I speak play a significant role in the composition of my identity. Losing one’s language(s) after stroke can be life-changing, as well as identity-changing. I joined Gray Matter Lab because I want to learn how to help bilingual adults with aphasia re-learn language and recover parts of their pre-stroke identities that are tied to language loss.
Martha Vergaray Leon
Education
- 2025 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University
Research Interests
As a first language Spanish speaker who learned English as a second language, I’m passionate to help others feel heard, validated, and supported. Currently, I co-facilitate the Spanish Conversation Club (SCC). At SCC, we support a safe and inclusive space for individuals with aphasia to practice conversation in their first language, form meaningful connections and establish support systems. Witnessing the positive impact of SCC, I’m looking forward to contributing to the B/AbSANT (Bilingual Abstract Semantic Network Training) project.
Vassilissa Manokhina
Education
- 2024 B.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
- San Francisco University
Research Interests
As a bilingual Russian-English speaker, I have always been fascinated by the brain’s ability to code-switch between two languages and the parallel development of both. The area of research I am interested in is developing accessible language treatment for multi-lingual patients in English, as well as the non-English language(s). Communication is an essential skill for people to live their lives to the fullest. I am eager to contribute to research for multi-lingual adults with aphasia to recover after a stroke and regain their confidence in language and other areas of life.
Priscilly Medrano
Education
- 2025 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University
Research interests
I am a Spanish-English bilingual, first generation student who is interested in how we improve communication for individuals with hearing and language impairment. My goal is to work with folks in the BIPOC community to highlight the voices of everyone, which is something that is being done here in the Gray Matter Lab. I deliver a Spanish monolingual version of abstract semantic associative network treatment (AbSANT). We know that AbSANT is effective with monolingual English speakers, and we are extending this treatment to non-English languages.
Mariela Vega Ramirez
Education
- 2024 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2016 A.S. Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
San Juaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA
Research Interest
As an immigrant from Mexico, and learning English as a second language, I have always translated for my parents and family members. Being able to break the language barrier for communication for my parents has been very rewarding in that they have felt heard and acknowledged in situations where they would’ve otherwise not been. As a bilingual speech language pathologist assistant for 6 years, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible need there is for therapy, materials, and activities that are crafted to meet the needs of bilingual families. My research interests within the Gray Matter Lab is to find the most efficient, evidence-based therapy approaches for bilingual patients.
Arissa Melaine Alfaro Ventura
Education
- 2025 B.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2023 A.A. Liberal Arts - Arts and Letters at De Anza College
Research Interests:
Language and its integral ties to one's identity has always fascinated me. I am drawn to the field of speech and language pathology because the ability to communicate and be understood is a fundamental aspect for existence and participating in a community. In the Gray Matter Lab, I am part of the Tagalog-English translanguaging AbSANT Project. I am a Filipino immigrant and language use and experience is key to my daily interactions. Thus, working on a mixed language project such as translanguaging AbSANT is fulfilling. I know firsthand how translanguaging in therapy has the potential to improve quality of life for Tagalog-English people with aphasia.