Research Staff


PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR


Pamela Rollins

DR. PAMELA R. ROLLINS

Pamela R. Rollins, Professor, and director of The Social Communication Lab, is a faculty member in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program within the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). She is a faculty affiliate of the Callier Center for Communication Disorders, and the Center for Children and Families. Rollins obtained a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Boston University (1981), a master’s of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1983), and a doctorate of education from Harvard University (1994). Dr. Rollins has spent over 30 years dedicated to understanding, identifying, and treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She was a four-time gubernatorial appointee to the Texas Council for Autism and PDD and the lead author on the Robots4Autism social skills curriculum. Her research focuses on defining the social and communication processes necessary for the acquisition of joint attention and true language. Her current project, funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Autism Grants Program is a translational study, evaluating the efficacy in parent-mediated interventions for children at risk for or diagnosed with ASD.


RESEARCH CLINICIANS


Sara Brantley

SARA BRANTLEY, MEd, BCBA

Sara Brantley, M.Ed., BCBA is a clinical trial researcher and the project manager for the intervention studies in the Social Communication Lab, where she has worked since 2016. Sara is responsible for conducting research intakes, administering study assessments, and providing Pathways Parent Training to parents and children suspected of/diagnosed with autism. Prior to working in research at UTD, she worked in early childhood intervention (ECI). During her career at ECI she worked with families and children with a wide array of developmental delays and held leadership positions such as quality management specialist, early interventionist supervisor, and assistant program director. She completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Houston in psychology in 2002 and her master’s degree at Arizona State University in education in 2018. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has been working with children on the autism spectrum for more than 20 years.


Cristina “Cris” Payne

CHRISTINA “CRIS” PAYNE, MS, CCC_SLP

Cristina “Cris” Payne, MS, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual clinical trial researcher in the Social Communication Lab. Cristina is responsible for conducting research intakes, administering study assessments, and providing parent-mediated intervention services in English and Spanish to families whose children are suspected of/diagnosed with autism or social communication delays. In addition, Cristina assists with data collection, organizational systems, development of caregiver education modules, and serves as contact for recruitment and referral services.

Cristina has 14 years of clinical practice as an evaluating and treating speech language pathologist with pediatric field experience in early intervention programs, home health agencies, outpatient clinics, and school contracts working with culturally diverse, medically fragile, and at-risk populations and their families. During her career, she has been a part of interdisciplinary teams, caregiver education programs, and has held supervisory, educator, and clinical lead positions.

Cristina completed her education at The University of Texas at Dallas where she earned a bachelor’s in psychology and a bachelor’s in speech-language pathology and audiology in 2007, and her master’s degree in communication disorders in 2008. She has been working with children on the autism spectrum for 17 years.


Christina Rangel-Uribe

CHRISTINA RANGEL URIBE, MS, CCC-SLP

Cristina Rangel Uribe, MS, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual clinical trial researcher in the Dr. Rollins’ Social Communication Lab. She first began working in Social Communication Lab in 2013 as a student and has worked on three research grants funded by THECB AGP to investigate the efficacy of Pathways Early Autism Intervention. Cristina is responsible for conducting research intakes, administering study assessments, and providing Pathways Parent Training in English and Spanish. In addition, she gives presentations to parents and professionals in English and Spanish. Cristina completed her undergraduate degree at The University of California at San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in linguistics in 2009. She earned her master’s degree in communication disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2014. She has been working with children on the autism spectrum for 15 years.


Aide Rodriguez

AIDE RODRIGUEZ, BS, SLP-A

Aide Rodriguez, BS, SLP-A is a bilingual clinical trial researcher and the assessment coordinator for the intervention studies in the Social Communication Lab. Aide is responsible for conducting research intakes, administering study assessments, data collection, scheduling, and assisting in recruitment and referral services. Prior to working in research at UTD, she worked as a bilingual speech therapist in clinic and home health agencies. Aide completed her bachelor of science in speech-language pathology and audiology at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2019. Aide has 10 years of experience working with children and adults with autism and other developmental delays in case management and HCS.


DOCTORAL STUDENTS


Erin Kosloski

ERIN KOSLOSKI

Erin is a doctoral student in the speech, language, & hearing sciences program at UT Dallas. She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with an individualized bachelor’s degree in psycholinguistics applied to Autism, minors in Spanish and psychology, and a certificate in intercultural communication. She has been working with autistic children and young adults since 2015, and she is passionate about supporting and advocating for people on the spectrum.


Siddhi Patel

SIDDHI PATEL

Siddhi is currently a doctoral student in the speech, language, and hearing science program at UT Dallas. She worked as a speech-language pathologist for about a year with a focus on the assessment and treatment of pediatric language disorders. She is interested in understanding the social development of autistic children.


UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS


Martha Paola Golemon

MARTHA PAOLA GOLEMON

Martha Paola Golemon is an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Dallas. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a double major in psychology and child learning and development and a master’s degree in human development and early childhood disorders through UTD’s fast-track program. She was a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates fellow in the 2022-2023 academic year and completed a research project in the Social Communication Lab. She has a special interest in early intervention for children with developmental and cognitive disorders, especially in underserved communities.


LAB STAFF


Sebastian Oliva

SEBASTIAN OLIVA

Sebastian Oliva earned his bachelor’s degree with a double major in psychology and child learning and development from The University of Texas at Dallas in 2023. He was a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates fellow in the 2022-2023 academic year and completed a research project in the Social Communication Lab before joining as a full-time staff member. He hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and is especially interested in furthering mental health advocacy among LGBTQ+ and Hispanic populations.


ALUMNI


Lisa Greenwald

LISA GREENWALD

Lisa Greenwald is the Chief Executive Officer at Kindering, the largest not-for-profit Neurodevelopmental Center of Excellence in Washington State. Lisa holds a PhD in communication sciences and disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas, an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Duke University, and has been a speech-language pathologist since 1997. She holds a governor-appointed seat on the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) and serves on its executive steering committee. She has published peer-reviewed articles and contributes to research in her field.

Kindering Bellevue | 16120 NE 8th Street, Bellevue, WA 98008 | www.kindering.org


Michelle (Neilon) McFarlin

MICHELLE (NEILON) MCFARLIN

Michelle (Neilon) McFarlin, MS, CCC/SLP, is owner and founding director of the Social Communication Connection (SCC), a private practice specializing in early childhood speech-language and social communication disorders. SCC offers comprehensive speech-language evaluations and interdisciplinary autism diagnostic services, as well as individual and small group therapy to facilitate social skills, speech, and language development. Using a whole-child and family-centered approach, we facilitate each child’s highest potential for functional communication across natural contexts.

Social Communication Connection | contact@scc-slp.com | scc-slp.com


Carol Trautman

CAROL TRAUTMAN

Carol Trautman, PhD | Texas Education Agency | Autism Coordinator, Division of Special Education
1701 N Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 | 512.463.8859
carol.trautman@tea.texas.gov


Rachel Wehner

RACHEL WEHNER

Rachel graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2005 and from The University of Texas at Dallas with a master’s degree in communication disorders in 2008. She has worked as a speech-language pathologist at the UTD Callier Center for Communication Disorders since completing graduate school, specializing in the assessment and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder and feeding disorders. Since 2014, she has also been a member of the interdisciplinary team that provides diagnostic evaluations for autism spectrum disorder at the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.