Overview
My research program’s overarching goals are to improve the diagnosis and management of dizziness, falls, and vestibular disorders. Her research focuses in three strategic areas: 1) improving the identification of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in primary care settings to enable timely access to cost-effective treatment, 2) characterizing the role of vestibular function and rehabilitative strategies in post-concussive/mild traumatic brain injury related dizziness; and 3) identifying and understanding the mechanisms that mediate the association between falls and hearing loss in an effort to develop interventions that will modify falls risk in the hearing impaired population.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
·
2025 - Present
Communication Sciences,
Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
Recent Scholarly Works
Evaluating speech dysfunction in patients with congenital cytomegalovirus - A multicenter retrospective study.
Journal article Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol · April 2026 OBJECTIVE: Despite the known impact of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) on hearing, implications on speech have been understudied. In the absence of hearing loss, 2% of cCMV patients may still develop speech and language impairment. This study will descri ... Full text Link to item CiteTest-Retest Reliability of the Triangle Completion Test.
Journal article J Am Acad Audiol · March 2026 BACKGROUND: The triangle completion test (TCT) is a clinical measure of spatial navigation that has been associated with vestibular function. There are limited data on its statistical reliability. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the test-retest reliabi ... Full text Link to item CiteA description of self-selected treatments and self-reported improvement following treatment among post-9/11 veterans experiencing disruptive dizziness following a comprehensive traumatic brain injury evaluation.
Journal article Brain Inj · 2026 BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore what treatments were sought by post-9/11 Veterans with and without a formal diagnosis related to their long-term dizziness following completion of a Comprehensive Traumatic Brain Injury Evaluation (CTBIE). METHODS: T ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Identifying mechanisms between hearing loss and falls
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders · 2023 - 2028Otolaryngology Surgeon- Scientist career Path (OSSP) program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders · 2022 - 2027Falls Related Injuries and Hearing Loss: Understanding the role of hearing healthcare intervention
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2024View All Grants
Education
East Carolina University ·
2011
Au.D./Ph.D.
Appalachian State University ·
2005
B.S.