Personnel

Megan Israelsen-Augenstein, PhD, CCC-SLP

Position: Assistant Professor, Human Performance - Communication Sciences and Disorders
Phone: 304-581-1958

Dr. Megan Israelsen-Augenstein is an Assistant Professor at West Virginia University specializing in developmental language disorder and narrative intervention. Her research focuses on improving implementation of evidence-based practices through innovative training models for graduate students and clinicians. With experience in early intervention and school-based settings, she integrates research, teaching, and clinical practice to support children with language-related learning difficulties. She regularly presents nationally and internationally on advancing clinical education and intervention outcomes.

Franchesca Sulli

Franchesca Sulli is a first-year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program at West Virginia University. She is actively engaged in studying and analyzing narrative language samples, collecting data for classroom language intervention, and utilizing the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts to evaluate linguistic abilities in children. Her research interests include the typical development of language in comparison to language acquisition in children with Developmental Language Disorder, cleft palate and craniofacial research, and speech and language intervention for children and adults.

Hannah Gain

Hannah Gain is a second-year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program at West Virginia University. She is from Morgantown, WV, and is currently a graduate lab manager for both the Supporting Language and Academic Performance through Stories (SLAPS) Lab and the School-Aged Language Acquisition (SALAD) Lab, under the supervision of Dr. Megan Israelsen. In her role, Hannah manages the daily operations for several research grant projects. These projects include a whole-classroom narrative intervention study, a multi-university complex syntax study, and a program focused on narrative-based professional training for SLPs across West Virginia. After graduation, Hannah plans to pursue a career working with school-aged children in a private practice or educational setting.

Holland Quinn

Holland Quinn is a second-year graduate student in the Audiology doctoral program at West Virginia University. She’s from Ashburn, VA and currently works as a graduate research assistant in both the Supporting Language and Academic Performance through Stories (SLAPS) Lab, the School-Aged Language Acquisition and Disorders (SALAD) Lab and on the Complex Syntax Study, supervised by Dr. Megan Israelsen. After graduating, Holland plans to pursue a career in Audiology working with children in a hospital setting.

Kalila Hames

Kalila Hames is a first year graduate student in the Master’s of Speech Language Pathology program at West Virginia University. She participates in collecting and analyzing data from narrative-based intervention programs at elementary schools and provides language-based teletherapy to elementary aged students. She is trained on utilizing the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts to analyze language samples. Her research interests include narrative-based language intervention and Developmental Language Disorder. Kalila is expected to graduate with her Master’s Degree in May of 2028.

Lexi Pullins

Lexi Pullins is a first year undergraduate student majoring in biology on the pre-med track at West Virginia University. She is originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina later moving to Charleston, West Virginia. She will be joining the team as a research lab assistant for the School-Aged Language Acquisition (SALAD) Lab, under the supervision of Megan Israelsen. After graduation, Lexi hopes to further her education in either graduate school for speech language pathology or medical school. Lexi is excited and looking forward to exploring both career paths.

Brenna Hakes

Brenna Hakes is a second year graduate student in the Online Speech-Language Pathology Master's program at West Virginia University. She is from Bountiful, Utah, and is a member of the School-Aged Language Acquisition (SALAD) Lab under the supervision of Dr. Megan Israelsen. Her interests include school-aged language development, childhood language disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). After graduation, Brenna plans to work with children in a clinical setting, helping support communication through AAC and empowering communicators of all abilities to express themselves.

Mykenzie Cochran

Mykenzie Cochran is a first-year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program at West Virginia University. She recently joined the School-Aged Language Acquisition and Disorders (SALAD) Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Megan Israelsen. Mykenzie looks forward to contributing to the lab’s ongoing projects while gaining hands-on research experience. Her research interests include Developmental Language Disorder, early literacy development, and school-based language interventions.

Anastin Hornsby

Anastin Hornsby is an undergraduate student researcher studying Communication Sciences and Disorders at West Virginia University. She is actively engaged in providing language-based teletherapy to elementary aged students, collecting and analyzing data for classroom narrative-based intervention, and utilizing the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts to analyze linguistic and narrative-based skills in children. Her research interests include cleft palate and craniofacial research, Developmental Language Disorder, swallowing disorders in children and adults, and Augmentative Alternative Communication Devices. Anastin is expected to graduate with her Bachelor's in May 2027.