Claudia Raines MS CF-SLP, Ph.D. Student

About Me:

Claudia Raines is a Speech-Language Pathologist Clinical Fellow, concurrently pursuing a doctoral degree at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in the field of Speech and Hearing Sciences. She holds the prestigious positions of University Graduate Fellow and Russel G. Hamilton Scholar. Recently, Claudia was appointed T32 support for Translational Interdisciplinary Research Training in Communication Sciences and Disorders under Dr. Melissa Duff. In addition, Claudia Raines is an active participant in the Vanderbilt University Speech Kinematics and Acoustics Laboratory (VUSKAL) as a Research Assistant under the guidance of Dr. Antje Mefferd. Furthermore, Claudia has expanded her involvement by joining the Innovative Research in Aerodigestive Disorders (iRAD) Laboratory, where she collaborates with Dr. Cara Donohue on pioneering research endeavors.

Claudia Raines’ research interests lie in the realm of utilizing speech kinematics to investigate how neurological diseases impact speech production. She currently employs an electromagnetic articulograph (EMA) to analyze the movement impairments of the tongue and jaw across various dysarthria diagnoses secondary to ALS, MS, HD, and PD. The primary objective of her project is to characterize the underlying kinematic patterns associated with dysarthria, with the ultimate goal of enhancing dysarthria treatment strategies in clinical settings. Furthermore, Claudia Raines is also collaborating with Dr. Cara Donohue on dysphagia research. For further details about her ongoing projects, you can explore the “Research” section of this website.

Before her current endeavors, Claudia Raines earned her Master of Science in Communication Science and Disorders at Oklahoma State University. During her time at OSU, she collaborated with Dr. Ramesh Kaipa in the Motor Speech Laboratory. Her involvement encompassed a study that incorporated delayed auditory feedback (DAF) into a structured motor learning framework for individuals dealing with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s disease (HPSPD). The focal point of this effort was to evaluate the influence of this approach on speech intelligibility among the subjects.

In her free time, Claudia enjoys volunteering with the ALS Association’s Young Professionals Council, running, rollerblading, playing tennis, horseback riding, and hiking.