The Center for AAC and Autism

Cindy Halloran, OTR/L

Cindy Halloran is an occupational therapist with over 20 years experience working exclusively in the field of pediatrics. She obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Central Arkansas, and has received additional training in the area of sensory integration. She is also NDT certified and a NAHRA registered therapist. She has worked in school, home health, and private clinic settings; was co-owner of Integrated Therapy for Kids, a private clinic in North Little Rock, for seven years; and has also served as the therapy department head for Arkansas Easter Seals. She also has a wealth of experience treating children with autism. She is currently serving as the Director of The Center for AAC and Autism.

John D Halloran, M.S., CCC-SLP

John Halloran, a speech-language pathologist, is the Senior Clinical Associate for The Center for AAC and Autism. John has worked in the field of AAC since 1994. He has a special interest in children who are challenged by severe physical or cognitive disabilities. He also finds much reward in exploring ways to best implement assistive technology with children who have autism.

John Halloran graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders. He received his masters in Communicative Disorders from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1992. After graduation, he worked at Arkansas Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center, specializing in assistive technology. He has also owned a pediatric therapy clinic and after-school care for children with disabilities. He has taught augmentative communication at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

John maintains membership in several professional organizations, including the American Speech Language Hearing Association and the Arkansas Speech Language Hearing Association.

Christine Grubbs, M.S., CCC-SLP

Christine received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and worked as a speech pathologist in the Pennsylvania public school system for 21 years. She has worked extensively with communication disorders in students K-12, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, AAC and multiple disabilities. Christine is member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association and the Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association.

Teresa Parrill, M.S., CCC-SLP

Teresa acquired her undergraduate degree in speech pathology from the University of Northern Iowa in 1995, and her Master's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1997.

Teresa Parrill is a speech-language pathologist employed in several areas of her field. She works with local companies in Colorado to provide speech and language services for children ages 0-16. Her first love is augmentative communication, and she enjoys consulting with individuals around the state on providing the most appropriate means to enhance their communicative abilities.

Lindsey Cargill, M.A., CCC-SLP

Lindsey Cargill is a speech-language pathologist and the Speech Department Supervisor at Helping Hands Center for Special Needs, an education and therapy center for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Columbus, Ohio. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Florida. Lindsey has worked with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, cleft palate/craniofacial anomalies, hearing impairments and global delays in out-patient clinics and school-based settings. She is enthusiastic about applying research and best practices to the facilitation of language development through Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Lindsey maintains membership in the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and with the Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

Lynn P. McConnell, M.S., CCC/SLP

Lynn is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with a certificate of clinical competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas and Masters of Science from Texas Woman's University in Speech-Language Pathology. Lynn's experience includes over 14 years in public schools and rehabilitation settings, including early intervention, elementary and secondary school-age students. Currently, she provides evaluation, treatment and training in the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to persons with communication impairments at the TK Martin Center for Technology and Disability at Mississippi State University. Lynn is licensed by the Texas and Mississippi Departments of Health and the Mississippi Department of Education.

Janie Cirlot-New, M.S., CCC-SLP

Janie is the Director of the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability at Mississippi State University. Janie has a Master's Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of South Alabama and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Janie is licensed as a Speech Language Pathologist in the state of Mississippi. Janie has provided augmentative and alternative communication services to individuals of all ages. She developed the augmentative and alternative communication evaluation and training program at the T.K. Martin Center and continues to provide evaluations, intervention and training in the area of augmentative communication. She served as principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Education funded project to assist local education agency teams in utilizing assistive technology to allow students access to the general curriculum and to improve literacy skills of students with expressive communication disorders.