University of Wisconsin–Madison
Kayla Kristensen, MS, CCC-SLP

Kayla Kristensen, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Kayla Kristensen, MS, CCC-SLP

Biography

Profile

Kayla Kristensen is a speech-language pathologist and clinical researcher who provides patient- and family-centered services in the Waisman Center Clinics. Kayla enjoys working within interdisciplinary teams providing comprehensive speech and language assessment, as well as speech and language therapy with individuals using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Additionally, Kayla collaborates with individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in research settings, including a Waisman Center interdisciplinary research study focused on Auditory Function, Cognition, Language, and Brain Imaging in Down syndrome. One of Kayla’s special interests is increasing cultural responsiveness within speech and language assessment and intervention, including collaborating with individuals who are multilingual language learners and their families to identify AAC supports for each of the individual’s languages.

Clinic

  • [uw-reusable-content id=’14266′]
  • [uw-shareable-content id=’14251′ blog=’69’]

Professional Certification and Education

  • Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • Wisconsin State License in Speech-Language Pathology
  • MCH-LEND and Clinical Fellowship: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center Clinics UCEDD
  • Master of Science, Speech-Language Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Selected Publications

Anshu, K., Kristensen, K., Godar, S. P., Zhou, X., Hartley, S. L., & Litovsky, R. Y. (2024). Speech Recognition and Spatial Hearing in Young Adults With Down Syndrome: Relationships With Hearing Thresholds and Auditory Working Memory. Ear and hearing, 45(6), 1568–1584. https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0000000000001549

Harris, A. B., Seeliger, E., Hess, C., Sedey, A. L., Kristensen, K., Lee, Y., & Chung, W. (2022). Early Identification of Hearing Loss and Language Development at 32 Months of Age. Journal of otorhinolaryngology, hearing and balance medicine, 3(4), 10.3390/ohbm3040008. https://doi.org/10.3390/ohbm3040008

Kristensen, K., Lorenz, K. M., Zhou, X., Piro-Gambetti, B., Hartley, S. L., Godar, S. P., Diel, S., Neubauer, E., & Litovsky, R. Y. (2022). Language and executive functioning in young adults with Down syndrome. Journal of intellectual disability research: JIDR, 66(1-2), 151–161. DOI: 10.1111/jir.12868

Reidy PF, Kristensen K, Winn MB, Litovsky RY, Edwards JR. (2017) The Acoustics of Word-Initial Fricatives and Their Effect on Word-Level Intelligibility in Children With Bilateral Cochlear Implants. Ear and hearing, 38(1):42-56.