The 2024-25 academic year has brought changes for some faculty as they shift into new roles.
Amy Yacucci, who has been serving as a clinical educator in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), steps into her new position as an assistant professor this fall. Yacucci is preparing to defend her dissertation, which considers children with complex communication needs. Her expertise in the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) will continue to benefit both Illinois State students and local families, as she continues her collaboration with The Autism Place while also teaching courses in language development and disorders.
Dr. Ciera Lorio, who has taught in the CSD department since 2018, was promoted to associate professor and granted tenure. Lorio’s current research focuses on parent- and teacher-implemented language and literacy interventions for young children with or at risk for developmental disabilities. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on topics related to language, literacy, and professional issues in speech-language pathology.
Dr. Tony Joseph is now a full professor in CSD. In 2014, following 24 years of service in executive medicine and audiology, Joseph retired from the United States Navy and started work at Illinois State. His Hearing Loss Prevention Laboratory research agenda stems from his background in occupational audiology, interprofessional education and collaboration, population health, and audiology student recruitment.
Dr. Jamie Mahurin Smith was also promoted to full professor. Her research focuses on the short- and long-term needs of children who have experienced early medical challenges, particularly prematurity. She is credentialed as both a speech-language pathologist and a lactation consultant, and she studies feeding challenges in young infants as well as language/cognitive difficulties in older children.
