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.
Emma Flood
Education
- 2026 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Francisco State University
- 2023 B.A. in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University
Research Interests
As a first year graduate student, I am eager to expand my research experience into the adult population and people with aphasia. I have been lucky to have this opportunity through my position as co-facilitator in our conversation club for adults with aphasia, where we meet weekly and foster a dynamic, fun, and supportive communicative environment. My passions include cultural humility in practice, patient and family centered care, and connecting with the populations I serve. As I continue to work toward being an SLP, I hope to learn more about functional practices and individualized needs of people with aphasia. I am interested in multi-modality learning and the brain’s ability to rewire itself after injury.
Avangelina Becker-Floresca
Education
- 2026 M.A. Candidate in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences - San Francisco State University
- 2023 B.S. Communication Disorder and Sciences - San Jose State University
- 2021 A.A. Liberal Arts - Solano Community College
Research interests:
Being in the field of speech-language pathology has fostered a deep understanding of the intricate relationship between language and identity and how these connections influence everyday life. As I pursue a career as an SLP, my goal is to advocate for accessible care for underserved populations, with a specific interest in supporting individuals affected by traumatic brain injuries and dementia. I currently co-facilitate the lab’s English Conversation Club, which provides adults with aphasia support for their communication skills.
Mary Justine B. Suapengco
Education
- 2027 M.S. Candidate in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University
- 2025 B.S. Speech Language and Hearing Sciences and Child and Adolescent Development, San Francisco State University
- 2022 A.A. Early Childhood Education, Skyline College
Research Interests
I am a bilingual Tagalog-English student. My mission is to support and treat individuals seeking rehabilitation services by promoting inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive care. At the Gray Matter Lab, I contribute to the English-Tagalog translanguaging project. I joined this team because I'm interested in advancing aphasia interventions in order to improve communication and overall quality of life for multilingual and multicultural people with aphasia.
Nadia Van Wiggeren
Education
- 2026 M.S. Candidate in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University - 2023 Post-Baccalaureate Program in Speech-Language Pathology
San Diego State University - 2021 B.A. in Mathematics
Haverford College
Research Interests
As a Spanish-English bilingual, I am passionate about meeting the needs of Spanish-speaking or bilingual adults with aphasia. I chose SLHS because I realized that feeling listened to and understood by others is one of the fundamental emotions of the human experience, and therapy can help remove obstacles that people may have to connecting with others. Through the Gray Matter Lab, I support Spanish-speaking adults with aphasia in multiple ways by working on the AbSANT project and co-facilitating the Spanish Conversation Club.
Undergraduate
Camryn Hissen
Education
- 2025 B.S. Candidate; Biology
University of San Francisco
Research Interests
As a student hoping to enter the field of speech, language, and hearing sciences from a background in another field, my involvement with English Conversation Club as part of Gray Matter Lab has provided me with encounters with people who have aphasia and has inspired me to pursue a career in which I provide quality care. My goal is to aid in research that will help treat people who have aphasia because the ability to use language is critical for people to connect with each other and share what matters to them.
Emma Holland
Education:
- 2026 B.S. Candidate; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences & Molecular Biology, San Francisco State University
Research Interests:
As an undergraduate student with a background in biochemistry, I am interested in learning about the neurophysiological mechanisms of language acquisition in neurotypical and neurodivergent populations. I learned about the importance of communication and access while working at a school for kids with moderate to severe autism, and I’m currently a co-facilitator for the English Conversation Club in the Gray Matter Lab and a student intern in a private speech clinic in Redwood City.
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.