Ellen Bernstein-Ellis directed the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay for over ten years and currently serves as a program specialist. Ellen launched the Aphasia Tones Choir in 2009 and led ATP’s partnership with the National Park Service to help develop aphasia-friendly materials. She is a recipient of the ASHA 2014 Certificate of Recognition for Special Contributions in Higher Education.  She previously worked at the Aphasia Center of California for over a decade where she helped to develop The Book Connection. Her areas of interest include group treatment of aphasia, aphasia book clubs, aphasia choirs, life participation approach to aphasia, communicative access, and aphasia awareness. Her work in Dr. Gravier's NRRL lab focuses on a qualitative research project examining the impact of long-term participation in the Aphasia Tones Choir.  She is an active member of Aphasia Access where she co-leads the Aphasia Conversations podcast project.

Dr. Mendoza is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at CSU East Bay. His research focus is on advancing and communicating new knowledge pertaining to physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) assessment using wearable sensors, and to develop and validate innovative methods to process and interpret PA and SB data collected from wearable sensors. As a first-generation Latino scholar, Dr. Mendoza has an innovative and natural ability to integrate aspects of DEI into all areas including study design and recruitment, and student mentoring. 

Dr. Jennifer Sherwood is an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology Department at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB). Since 2018, She has been co-directing the Life-Long Activity and Movement for Aphasia (LLAMA) with Drs. Michelle Gravier and Albert Mendoza. Her research focus is on understanding physical function changes in, and developing physical interventions for, healthy and post-stroke older adults.

Dr. Kristen Gustavson is a licensed psychotherapist and an Assistant Professor of Social Work at California State University, East Bay. Her work aims to improve the lives of those living with mental health issues and mental illness and well as the lives of their family members. This involves both providing counseling, training the next generation of social workers, and advocating for mental health policy change at the local, state, and national levels.

Ci He is a graduate student in speech-language pathology. She has studied and worked in China and Japan. During her time in Japan, she volunteered to help ALS patients with their daily activities. She is now a volunteer for a public library ESL group. She enjoys interacting with people from different cultures and sharing exciting things with each other.

Chia En (Ann) Lu is a graduate student at CSU East Bay. She is from Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Before beginning graduate studies, she earned a bachelor's degree in Nursing and had previous clinical experience in hospital settings. She transitioned to speech-language pathology after working as a research assistant at the ENT department. She likes hanging out with friends and watching k-dramas in her free time.

Patricia Almaraz is a second year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology extended program at Cal State East Bay. Prior to her graduate studies, she attended UC San Diego where she obtained two bachelor's degrees in Human Developmental Science and Spanish Literature. Since the fall of 2022, Patricia has been part of the Center of Student Research (CSR) Scholar's Program. Her research focuses on promoting the best quality of life among individuals with neurogenic communication disorders from diverse backgrounds. In her spare time, she enjoys going on walks, exercising, and going to coffee shops.

Aislyn Swift is a first-year CC2 graduate student at CSU East Bay, where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology with a minor in Human Development. She has been a member of CSU East Bay's National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter since 2020. Her interests and career goals include working with adults in a clinical setting, specifically with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other brain-related injuries. In the Fall of 2023, she will be an Aphasia Treatment Program (ATP) graduate clinician, where she is leading the in-person Art Group and co-leading the online Art Group. During her free time, she can be found making crafts, obsessing over BTS, and curating Pinterest mood boards at 2 AM.

Chloe Fleischer is a second year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology extended program at CSU East Bay. Before joining the program, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Child Development and Ethnic Studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is passionate about neuroscience, neurodiversity, mental health, and how they intersect. She enjoys running, climbing, watching K-dramas, playing video games and reading.

Alejandra Lopez is a current junior in CSU East Bay’s Speech Pathology Program. Her prior experience as a tutor during high school inspired her to pursue the field of Speech Pathology. Having a passion for supporting others, Alejandra seeks to expand her knowledge of working with diverse populations in efforts of making a positive impact on their life. In her spare time, she enjoys going on runs and watching documentaries. 

 Elijah Quineri is a 4th year Speech-Language Pathology and audiology Major at CSUEB. He has always had a passion for service and staying active. Whether it's for academics, career, or personal endeavors, he wishes to be a helping hand and lift up those around him. With this being his first year being part of the NRRL Lab, he looks to learn as much as he can and aid in the research of improving the lives of people with Aphasia