NAU AAC Evaluation and Training Program

• Experienced Teams: Our evaluation and training services are provided by an experienced team consisting of a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist.
• Community-Based Services: We provide statewide comprehensive services for clients, families, and support teams.
• Remote Services: We offer remote telehealth services for intake, evaluation, and training through secure video conferencing with families and support team members.
• Interprofessional Teaming: We review detailed client information and seek input from family and support team members regarding the client’s communication needs and abilities.
• A Feature Match Approach with Device Trials: Each evaluation includes hands-on device trials with a range of communication devices. The client’s individual needs are matched to a device with the necessary features to make an appropriate recommendation.

Nikkol Anderson, OTD, MA, OTR/L, ATP
Nikkol is an occupational therapist and credentialed as an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) through the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). She earned her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from College of St. Catherine before going on to earn a master’s degree in special education and rehabilitation from University of Arizona and a doctoral degree from University of Utah. Nikkol has over 20 years of experience working with individuals who utilize assistive technology (AT) and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) statewide in Arizona. She is program manager for the Institute for Human Development’s AAC Evaluation and Training program and coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Assistive Technology at Northern Arizona University. The certificate program helps prepare students for the RESNA ATP credentialing exam.  Nikkol and her team also provide demonstrations and equipment loans to persons with disabilities in Flagstaff and Northern Arizona. She believes that quality assistive technology services require the expertise and experience of skilled clinicians who work in collaboration with the client, their family, and other service providers. She is passionate about supporting communities in which people use their AT and AAC devices to fully participate in all life experiences. 

Keziah Conrad, Ph.D., M.S., CCC-SLP
Keziah is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in cultural and linguistic anthropology from UCLA before training in communication sciences and disorders at NAU. Keziah is certified in DIR Floortime (DIR-Basic). She specializes in supporting emergent communicators and their families or care teams, and she loves using tools such as AAC to strengthen language skills, build attunement between communication partners, and deepen relationships. At NAU, Keziah provides AAC evaluations and works as part of the Growing in Beauty Early Intervention team.

Staci R. Dover, M.Ed., M.S., CCC-SLP
Staci Dover specializes in augmentative and alternative communication and literacy and has served over 20 years in public education.  She is a former National Board Certified Teacher, reading specialist, and literacy coach. Staci received a master’s degree in special education in reading disabilities from the University of Florida in 2010 and completed a second master’s degree in clinical speech pathology from Northern Arizona University in 2018. Her specialties include dyslexia, literacy, and augmentative and alternative communication. Staci holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is a member of SIG 12 and SIG 16.  Ms. Dover is an active volunteer member of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ArSHA). Staci founded ArSHA’s AAC committee in 2018, which received the President’s Award for their advocacy work in 2021. She received the ASHA Aces award in 2022 and the ASHA Early Distinguished Career Professional Certificate in 2023. She currently serves as President of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a member of CSAP, the Council of State Association Presidents. Staci enjoys volunteering at CATI Clinica and Mi Escuelita, part of the Educarte non-profit organization in Puerto Penasco, Mexico and is planning a mission trip to Guatemala for the summer of 2024. Staci is passionate about meeting families where they are and making them feel comfortable and competent on their AAC journey. Her passion is working with children, coaching families and mentoring other professionals in evidence-based practices for language and literacy. She and her husband have six kids and six grandkids, and a very needy Goldendoodle. 

Lauren Janke OTD, OTR/L
Lauren Janke graduated from NAU’s Occupational Therapy Doctoral program in May of 2021 and has been working as a direct service provider with the pediatric population ever since. From the start of her career, she has been passionate about augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and has worked closely with AAC users to support communication access and independence. She also works in adaptive video gaming and is deeply passionate about creating opportunities and fostering inclusion through play. Her goal is to empower individuals through positioning, access to assistive technology, and meaningful engagement for every child.

Sasha Perry, MS, OTR/L, ATP
Sasha Perry is an occupational therapist and credentialed as an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) through the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). She earned her bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. She has been working with individuals with disabilities for 10 years in a school setting. Her work for the past 6 years has been focused on assistive technology, specifically alternative access for communication and play/leisure activities. 

Michelle Raymond, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Michelle is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and board-certified specialist in child language and language disorders. Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and her master’s degree from Hampton University. Michelle has extensive training and experience working with individuals with complex communication needs across the life span including evaluation and intervention related to augmentative and alternative communication. Michelle works at the University of Arizona as an assistant clinical faculty member where she provides supervision and training to preservice SLPs and teaches Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Michelle has experience in schools, private practice, and outpatient facilities. Michelle has also taught a course on instructional strategies for inclusion and intervention for Colorado Mesa University’s early childhood special education program. Michelle has provided training and consultation and training numerous school teams, families, and professionals to support children who use AAC. She is a recipient of the McLeod-Yoder Award for her work with children with severe disabilities.  

Courtney Rogers, M.S., CCC-SLP
Courtney is a bilingual, speech language pathologists in Phoenix, AZ who specializes in early intervention and augmentative and alternative communication. Courtney received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minors in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Spanish from Ohio University and her Master’s in Communication Disorders from Arizona State University, with pediatric and bilingual emphases.  She holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Courtney has served over 10 years in public education with a focus in preschool and multicultural populations.  She loves working with emergent communicators, whether they are one or one hundred years of age. Courtney is driven by helping people improve the overall quality of their daily lives by giving them a voice. She is passionate about working with multicultural and multilingual families. Courtney and her husband have two daughters. In her spare time, Courtney enjoys reading, visiting to the zoo/botanical gardens and going on road trips!

Meliah Roman M.A., CCC-SLP
Meliah is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist. She graduated from Clarion University with a bachelor’s degree in speech-language and audiology and a minor in special education. She went on to get her masters at the University of Akron in speech-language pathology and a specialization in AAC.  She currently works full time as a speech therapist working with patients from birth to adulthood. In addition, she does AAC evaluations and trainings through NAU in the Phoenix area. Meliah is passionate about providing families with a positive experience when navigating the AAC world and connecting with her patients. Outside of work, Meliah loves to spend time with her fiancé and sweet yellow lab, Forrest.

Angeline Skowronski, MBA
Angeline Skowronski is a Financial Oversight Analyst at the Institute for Human Development (IHD) at Northern Arizona University, where she provides fiscal leadership and strategic support for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Evaluation and Training Program. With a Master of Business Science (MBS) focused in Health Administration, Angeline brings a unique blend of financial expertise and healthcare insight to her role. Her work ensures the sustainability and efficiency of AAC services, which support individuals with complex communication needs across Arizona. Angeline collaborates closely with clinical staff to align operational goals with service delivery, helping to expand access to AAC evaluations, training, and device implementation. Her contributions play a vital role in empowering individuals to communicate more effectively, participate more fully in their communities, and improve their overall quality of life.

Stacy Smith, OTD, OTR/L
Stacy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a minor in Psychology from the University of Arizona and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Stacy went on to complete a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Midwestern University and a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at the University of Utah. Stacy has over 12 years of experience working with the pediatric population and specializes in working with sensory integration and physical disability access. She has worked for over a decade at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind performing evaluation and treatment for children with multiple disabilities and severe sensory impairments. She is certified in Ayres Sensory Integration (CASI) and trained in the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI) and is the owner of Tucson Occupational Therapy Services, PLLC (TOTS), where she provides sensory integration and play-based therapy services. For more than 10 years, Stacy has served as a member of Northern Arizona University’s Institute of Human Development (IHD) AAC Evaluation and Training team working in the Southern Arizona Region. She is passionate about advancing knowledge in sensory processing and physical access and is committed to providing inclusive care and technology opportunities for all clients.

Danika Stampfel, M.S., CCC-SLP
Danika Stampfel graduated NAU with a Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, Speech – Science and Technology with Minors in Special Education and Psychology. She went on to earn a Master’s of Science in clinical speech-language pathology from Northern Arizona University. She currently works at North Valley Pediatric Therapy in North Phoenix working with patients from birth through adulthood and also serves as the Deer Valley Speech Lead. She is also an AAC evaluator and trainer for Northern Arizona University’s AAC Evaluation and Training Program servicing the greater Phoenix area. With over eight years of experience, she specializes in various AAC devices and access methods for clients who have complex communication needs. She also volunteers with ArSHA, Arizona’s Speech Hearing Association. She is also a member of ASHA’s SIG 12. She is passionate about helping clients find their voice and empowering families to implement AAC into everyday life. 

Lydia MacKay, MA, CCC-SLP

Rui Hernandez, MA, CCC-SLP

Halli Schmittenberg, MOT, OTR/L

Erin Herling, MS, CCC-SLP

Stacy Smith, OTD, OTR/L