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About Us: Students

First-Year LSL Students: 2022-2024

Chrissie Barcelona
Chrissie Barcelona – Deaf Education
Hello. My name is Chrissie Barcelona. I am an Early Intervention Specialist at the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh, PA. This past school year was my first year back to teaching since I started a family back in 2008. Prior to that, I was a Preschool Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing at the Summit Speech School, New Providence, NJ. I received my undergraduate degree in Education for Persons with Hearing Loss from IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with my family, gardening, and other outdoor activities.
C. Bailey Call
C. Bailey Call – Audiology
Hi everyone! My name is Bailey Call and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the LSL program. I graduated from BYU with my bachelor’s in Public Health and Statistics and have been at Utah State as part of the audiology program and am loving it so far. I have always loved learning about and working with diverse and special populations. In my free time, I enjoy being creative and doing things like DIY projects, making jewelry, and taking pictures. I try to be outside as much as possible and enjoy the beautiful scenery around us. I am so excited about this new chapter in my life and can’t wait to learn and grow as a care provider.
Megan Carter
Megan Carter – Speech-Language Pathology
Hello friends! My name is Megan Carter and I am from Morgan, Utah. I just graduated this May with my bachelor's in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education and I am so excited to stay here at USU and continue into the grad program! A fun fact about me is that I am almost completely deaf in my right ear, so that personal connection is what drew me into this field and also created that interest in the LSL program. I have three younger sisters and a bunch of little cousins so I have always loved working and being around kids. I am happiest outside! So if anyone needs a hiking, camping, rock climbing, hammocking, skiing, or any outdoor adventure buddy, let me know! I also love just spending quality time with people and watching good movies. I am super excited to get to know and learn from you all and to start the LSL program!
Mandy Durland
Mandy Durland – Speech-Language Pathology
Hi, my name is Mandy! I grew up in Provo and just graduated from BYU in April with my bachelor's in communication disorders. Taking ASL for four years in high school gave me a deep love and appreciation for Deaf Culture. I'm so excited to learn more about how to serve this unique population in the LSL program. I grew up with just two sisters, but my family adopted two young children when I was in college, growing our family from five to seven! My little brother and sister both went to speech therapy which inspired me to pursue a career in Speech Language Pathology. When I'm not studying (which I do most of the time), I enjoy baking, running, and playing the piano. I have recently gotten into biking thanks to Aggie Blue Bikes bike rental (10/10 would recommend)! My favorite beverage is chocolate milk and I'm a big fan of cheeseburgers and Mexican food. (Really I just love food! If food was a love language, it would be mine haha.) I'm excited to get to know you all!
Morgan Gailey
Morgan Gailey – Speech-Language Pathology
Hi! My name is Morgan Gailey and I’m from Washington State. I have 2 undergraduate degrees, one from BYU-I in Public Health and the other from USU in COMD. I worked in Logan School District at a SPED preschool working as both a teaching aid and a speech aid and loved every minute of it! I am conversational in ASL and when I’m not in school I love to read, crochet, and take my dog for hikes! I am excited to meet and learn from you all!
Bayli Godderidge
Bayli Godderidge – Speech-Language Pathology
My name is Bayli Godderidge and I am from Smithfield, UT. I received my bachelor’s degree from USU in COMDDE with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies in May 2022. I have lived in Cache Valley for almost my whole life and I love it here! In my free time I enjoy running, golfing, biking, baking, reading, and doing puzzles. I also love spending time with my family, especially my nieces and nephews! I love kids and I am excited to be able to have a job where I can be around them all day! I am looking forward to being a part of this program!
Diego Guillen
Diego Guillen – Audiology
Hi all! My name is Diego Guillen and I’m in my second year of the Audiology program here at USU. I’m so excited to be interacting with you all! I’m from Fresno, CA and currently enjoying all of the wonderful things Cache Valley has to offer while living in Logan. I’m looking forward to being part of this wonderful program and hope to gain as much knowledge about evidence-based early intervention and family-centered services. Some things I like to do in my free time is watching movies and shows, spending time with my family and friends, go on walks around the area, play games, and collect/listen to vinyl’s.
Matt McHan
Matt McHan – Deaf Education
My name is Matt McHan and I am an educator who is passionate about LSL and early intervention. I have been a high school Art teacher for the past five years and look forward to growing my teaching skills as I dive into the exciting and impactful field of Deaf Education. I am thrilled to be a part of the USU program while also working and learning hands-on at Weingarten Children’s Center, an Option school for LSL in California where I live with my wife and our young daughter. My interests outside of education include oil painting, music making, travel, and reading. I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you!
Abbey Pickett
Abbey Pickett – Speech-Language Pathology
My name is Abbey Pickett, and I'm in the Speech-Language Pathology program here at Utah State. I began my education and BYU and transfered to USU to complete my bachelor's degree. My husband and I have lived in Logan for the last 2 years, after meeting where we both grew up in Utah County. We love it here. I have a sister who has autism, which led me to years of experience working as a caregiver for people with disabilities. I especially love working with children, from all ability backgrounds, and hope to continue to do so in my career as an SLP! Some of my favorite things include nighttime walks, movie theater popcorn, and spending time with my two cats.
Jennifer Zicka
Jennifer Zicka – Audiology
Hi everyone! My name is Jenna Zicka, and I just started my second year in the Audiology program at USU. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to Logan last summer. I received my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton. I love living in the mountains and enjoy going backpacking with my boyfriend and dog. I am also an avid plant collector and bread baker. I can’t wait to start learning more about listening and spoken language and working with children!

Second-Year LSL Students: 2021—2023

Rachel Cardon
Rachel Cardon – Speech-Language Pathology
My name is Rachel Cardon and I am from Logan, Utah. I received my bachelor’s degree here at USU in COMD and I am excited to be able to stay here for graduate school. I love spending time with my family, cuddling with my dog, eating ice cream, and playing the piano. I enjoy drawing as well as reading and some of my favorite books are Harry Potter, Eragon, and Percy Jackson. I love all things Disney and recently started earnestly watching the Marvel movies. I also like sports, especially playing volleyball. I am so excited to be a part of this program and to get to know you all!
Mackenzie Cottrell
Mackenzie Cottrell – Speech-Language Pathology
Hi my name is Mackenzie Cottrell and I and from a small town in Northern Wyoming. I just graduated this spring of 2021 with my bachelors degree in COMD with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. I have completed all four years at Utah State University and love living in Logan! I live in a house with all of my best friends and it is my favorite thing about life right now. I love playing volleyball, basketball and singing. If you hit shuffle on my music you will find that I love Disney, and am forever stuck in the mid 2000’s. The LSL program hits home for me as my mom was one of the first deaf children mainstreamed into public school in the US! This is my dreeeeam so I can’t wait to start!
Jared Drollette
Jared Drollette – Deaf Education
Hello colleagues and friends! Though we don’t know each other yet, in some ways we do. Since we all share common passions like learning about and working with people that have Hearing and/or Language disorders, I feel you are all my friends. I have been involved in working with 1 person who is hard-of-hearing (My Son) for the last 12 years. This continues to be a challenging and rewarding experience, but I feel that there is more I need to do and share with others in similar situations. I finished a Bachelors in COMMDE at USU in the spring of 2020 and have since been exploring a career in education. My journey so far has been a much different than many which taught me a lot about growth, which I feel can’t happen without a few key things: Failure, Sacrifice, and Perseverance. (All of which I feel I have become an expert in.) I really enjoy reading fiction, mostly epic fantasy (If it has less than 400 pages in each book and less than 3 books in the series I probably won’t be interested; I love the long haul!), I play some videogames, but only ones that I can play casually (no shooters or really competitive games), I don’t like bored games (That is the correct spelling :P) but I love to socialize with and be around people playing them. I have 3 children all boys ages: 14, 12, & 7. I love to talk to people about their hobbies and learn about new things. I am so excited to get to know more about you all and work with you in the coming years.
Savannah Frankman
Savannah Frankman – Speech-Language Pathology
Hello, I am Savannah Frankman. I am from Weston, Idaho, which is only a short 30 minute drive from Logan. I did my undergraduate degree in COMDDE here at USU. I have really loved it here so when I had the opportunity to attend grad school here, I was ecstatic! I love spending time outside and moving my body, but I also love reading a good book or watching a good TV show. My favorite series is Psych. I love the beach and hope to live near one someday. I can't wait to become a SLP because of the people I will have the opportunity to meet and help. I know I will learn so much from all of you and look forward to learning together in class and clinicals.
Christie Fritz
Christie Fritz – Deaf Education
Hello my name is Christie Fritz and I live in beautiful Wyoming. I was a K-12 mainstream teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing in SD, WI, MN, and MT before taking on my current position as an education outreach consultant at the Wyoming Department of Education. While my career spans many (many) years, I still have a great deal to learn in this field that I feel so fortunate to have chosen to be my life’s work. My husband Mark is a school administrator and together we have one son, Jaren, who is a college student-athlete. When we are not chasing him around for his sports or trying to survive our never ending house projects, we love to camp, hike, explore, and be outdoors as much as we can. I am excited to meet and learn from all of you soon!
Avery Hansen
Avery Hansen – Speech-Language Pathology
My name is Avery Hansen and I am from Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a lifelong fan of the Aggies, I’m so excited to be continuing my education at Utah State after completing my undergraduate degree here this spring. When I’m not cheering on the Aggies at athletic events, you can find me enjoying the great outdoors! I love hiking, downhill and cross-country skiing, hammocking, rappelling, boating, and anything else where I can enjoy the sunshine. I’m excited that I’ve been given the opportunity to participate in this program and am looking forward to working with all of you!
Megan Hansen
Megan Hansen – Speech-Language Pathology
Hi! I'm Megan Hansen and I just graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelors in speech and hearing sciences. I've lived in the Salt Lake area my whole life and am excited to be coming up to Logan! While in school, I worked as a newborn hearing screener at a hospital in Salt Lake City. When I'm not in school or working I love to play pickleball, go hiking, camping, travel, eat good food, go to concerts, and cheer on the Jazz and the Utes (I'm still getting used to saying Go Aggies :)).
Emma Horvath
Emma Horvath – Deaf Education
Hello all! My name is Emma Horvath and I currently live in Chicago, Illinois. Although quite frigid in the winter months, I have enjoyed working and living in the city for the past three years. I have worked as a newborn hearing screener, and as Cochlear Implant Audiology Assistant at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. I graduated with a bachelors degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Central Florida before moving to Chicago. I have always been exposed to and interested in children with hearing loss learning to listen and speak. I am fortunate and thrilled to begin this journey with you all!
Katie Johnson
Katie Johnson – Deaf Education
Hi! My name is Katie Johnson and I’m from West Valley City, Utah. I received my undergrad in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education from Utah State University. For the last two years I’ve been able to work for a non-profit supporting individuals with disabilities. I have adored working with this population and can say I have learned more from them than they have learned from me. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with children in Ukraine teaching them English. While there I was able to travel to several other countries. I caught the travel bug and now absolutely love it! I’m a Disney fanatic and can’t wait for my next visit. I enjoy baking, going to sporting events, spending time with loved ones, and going to musical productions. I’m thrilled to be back in Logan and starting up in the LSL Deaf Education program. Looking forward to this new adventure and meeting everyone!
Isabel Lee
Isabel Lee – Deaf Education
Hello, I am Isabel Lee from San Rafael, CA. I am very excited to be continuing my education in the LSL Deaf Education Master’s program at USU. I have a BS in ASL/English interpreting and a master’s in early childhood education. I have been a preschool teacher for 9 years and working at a DHH non-public preschool in Berkeley, CA for the last 3 years. My husband and I recently welcomed our first child, Otis, who is the love of our lives. After being a teacher for a long time it is truly magical to have a child of my own. I look forward to learning from you all!
Angelica Martinez
Angelica Martinez – Deaf Education
Hi, my name is Angelica Martinez. I am from Miami, Florida. I graduated in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. I have been on the path to become an educator for as long as I can remember but my passion in the field of Deaf Education was sparked by my personal experiences as a mom of a child who is deaf and hard of hearing. I am a mom of two boys and my oldest was born with hearing loss. I currently work for the University of Miami's Debbie School Auditory Oral Program. I love to spend my free time with my family by trying new things and traveling to new places. I enjoy listening to all genres of music and watching movies with my sons. I am excited to be part of the program and become more knowledgeable in Deaf Education to help other DHH families in my community.
Angela Myers
Angela Myers – Deaf Education
Hi everyone, I am Angela Myers. I am from Indianapolis Indiana. I currently work at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in Indianapolis. I have a bachelor’s degree in deaf education from Kent State University and a master’s degree in education from Columbia College in Columbia South Carolina. I have been a teacher of the deaf for 16 years. In my free time I love spending time with my family and doing DIY projects on my house. I'm excited about getting to know all of you and about this journey we are taking together.
Holly Plunkett
Holly Plunkett – Deaf Education
Hello, my name is Holly Plunkett. I was born and raised in Cedar City, Utah, which I loved. I attended my undergraduate at SUU in Psychology with a minor in Family Studies. While there I was able to do a short-term study abroad in Italy, where I found my love of traveling and can't wait until I can see more of the world. While I was working at the Child Time preschool this last year, I discovered the LSL Deaf Education program and knew I wanted to be a part of something that makes such a positive impact, I am thrilled that I get to spend the next two years in Logan furthering my education! Outside of school I love spending time with my friends and my family. I love to read books, play the piano, volleyball, long drives with my favorite music and watching movies. I just feel so lucky to be able to learn and grow with everyone over the next couple of years in such an incredible program!
Kylie Rich
Kylie Rich – Audiology
Hi, my name is Kylie Rich and I'm a second year in the Audiology program at Utah State University. I'm originally from Riverton, Utah but have been living in Logan for the last four years. I received my Bachelor's degree from Utah State in Communication Disorders and have loved every second of my graduate program. I love doing anything creative, whether it be watercolor, calligraphy, or photography. I'm also a sucker for dogs and try to pet every one I see. In our free time, my husband and I like to play pickleball, visit Bear Lake, and attend game nights with our friends. I am beyond excited to be a part of the LSL program and work with and learn from everyone involved.
Ethan Watson
Ethan Watson – Audiology
Hello all! My name is Ethan Watson and I am part of the audiology program here at USU. I am from right here in Logan, and am proud to have been an Aggie since before I can remember. I received my bachelor's degree in communication disorders and deaf education in 2020 here at Utah State and then applied to be a part of the USU audiology program knowing it was my number one choice all the way. A little about me: I am recently married to my high school sweetheart (January 2021), and couldn't be happier about it. After spending most of my years living and breathing the game of baseball (which ended due to a shoulder injury), I now have taken up golf and really enjoy it. This past year I pushed myself into the world of children's books and wrote a short book titled A BOY and His ELEPHANT. It has been an exciting journey so far and I have learned a lot about business, marketing, and publishing. I have been eagerly waiting to begin the LSL program and can't wait to get to know everyone!