Moving toward bridging the gaps.
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      • BiRDI Team
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    • Dr. Fitton
  • Research
    • BiRDI R01 (2024 - )
    • Past Projects >
      • BiRDI R21 (2020-2023)
      • Reach Every Reader: Assessment >
        • RER Team
  • Resources
    • Infographics
    • Publications
    • Presentations >
      • Phonological variation among bilingual learners (SCSHA Poster)
      • What can errors tell us?
      • Enhancing Education for DLLs
      • Supporting DLLs in the US
      • Partnership in Identifying DLLs at Risk
      • Phonological Awareness in DLLs
      • Continuum Perspectives of DLLs
      • All Student Posters
  • Contact Us
    • Open Positions & Financial Support
    • Contact Form

Bilingual Reading Difficulty Identification (BiRDI) Team at USC

Projects
Publications

Meet the BiRDI Team

Our lab is fortunate to have a number of excellent undergraduate and graduate students who keep our research going every day. This group of individuals works on projects focused on improving educational assessment to better inform intervention to support Spanish-English speaking children's language and literacy development. We work in partnership with Dr. Marc Goodrich's BiRDI Team at Texas A&M University and often conduct research studies across universities.

Currently, the BiRDI Team's work is funded by a 
Supported by a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Grant (1R01HD114547: PIs Fitton & Goodrich). You can learn more about our current research here. 

From 2021-2024, the BiRDI Team was funded by a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Grant (R21HD106072: PIs Fitton & Goodrich). You can learn more about the project here. During 2020, this work was supported by a New Investigators Grant from the ASHFoundation.
Leadership Team
University of South Carolina

Gina Crosby-Quinatoa

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Co-Investigator

MSP, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT
Clinical Assistant Professor


USC Faculty Profile here

Juliana Gebhardt
Class of 2026

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Doctoral Student

LSLS Cert. AVT, Speech-Language Pathologist

Key Honors & Accomplishments:
Grace Jordan McFadden Professors Program Scholar
Started at USC in Fall 2022

Future Plans: 
Enriching bilingual (Spanish-English) children with hearing differences and their family's education through research, teaching, and clinical practice.

Kimberly Briseño
Class of 2020

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Project Coordinator

Biology B.S. Graduate

​Future Plans: Graduate School for Speech-Language Pathology


Maddie Tiago
​
Class of 2024
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Assistant Project Coordinator

Public Health B.A. Graduate 
​

Key Honors & Accomplishments:
Graduation with Leadership Distinction in Community Service 
Graduated Magna Cum Laude 
​

Future Plans: Attend a masters program for speech-language pathology to serve a wide range of diverse populations.
Graduate Research Assistants
​
University of South Carolina

​Ivet Juarez Lemus
Class of 2025

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Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)
​
​
Future Plans: Work as an
Speech-Language Pathologist with bilingual children and children with developmental disabilities.
Samantha Feeney
Class of 2025
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Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)

Future Plans: To become a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Andrea Cervantes
Class of 2025

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Savannah Jackson
​Class of 2026

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Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)
​
Future Plans: 
After completing my Master's in Speech-Language Pathology, I am interested in working with children in the bilingual community. With a commitment to cultural competence, I aspire to serve as a bridge for the gap in communication obstacles.
​Avery Cranford
​
Class of 2026
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Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)

​
Future Plans: To become a Speech-Language Pathologist.
Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)

Key Honors & Accomplishments:
Breaking Barriers Award 

Future Plans: To become a 
Speech-Language Pathologist.

Letizia Tamburini
​Class of 2026

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Masters in Speech-Language Pathology Student (M.S.)

Future Plans: To become a Speech-Language Pathologist, supporting individuals across all developmental stages and serving linguistically diverse communities.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
​University of South Carolina

Caleb Rogers
Class of 2024

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Biology Major with Spanish Minor

Future Plans: 
Attend medical school.
Joanna Godlewska
Class of 2024
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Public Health B.S. Major (Pre-Med)

​Future Plans: To go to MUSC for medical school and focus in pediatrics or emergency medicine​.
Jonathan Molina
​Class of 2025
Trevor Puzzio
Class of 2025
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Psychology Major with Air Force ROTC Minor

Key Honors & Accomplishments:
Type II Scholarship - AFROTC, LIFE Scholarship


Future Plans: Commission into the Air Force as a 2d Lieutenant, get my PhD and become a clinical therapist.
Human Resource Management Major with Spanish Minor

Key Honors & Accomplishments:
South Carolina Honors College Research Grant Recipient

Future Plans: Attend graduate school to become a speech-language 
pathologist.

Interested in Getting Involved?
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  • ​Individuals (especially undergraduate students) interested in working on this project are encouraged to contact me.
  • Detailed information about paid positions is available here.
  • Learn more about our partnership with schools in Columbia, South Carolina here.

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • What We Do
    • Research Teams >
      • BiRDI Team
      • Graduates / Alums
    • Dr. Fitton
  • Research
    • BiRDI R01 (2024 - )
    • Past Projects >
      • BiRDI R21 (2020-2023)
      • Reach Every Reader: Assessment >
        • RER Team
  • Resources
    • Infographics
    • Publications
    • Presentations >
      • Phonological variation among bilingual learners (SCSHA Poster)
      • What can errors tell us?
      • Enhancing Education for DLLs
      • Supporting DLLs in the US
      • Partnership in Identifying DLLs at Risk
      • Phonological Awareness in DLLs
      • Continuum Perspectives of DLLs
      • All Student Posters
  • Contact Us
    • Open Positions & Financial Support
    • Contact Form