Mackenzie Fama

Mackenzie Fama, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at The George Washington University (GWU). She holds a secondary faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. Her research focuses on aphasia, a language disorder caused by stroke or brain injury, with a focus on inner speech, group therapy, and neural bases of language processing. Fama leads the Fama Aphasia Recovery (FAR) Lab, dedicated to improving language recovery and quality of life for individuals with aphasia.

Education:

• Ph.D., Neuroscience, Georgetown University
• M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• B.A., Linguistics and Philosophy, The College of William and Mary

Research Interests:

• Inner speech in aphasia and its relationship with executive function
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communication and quality of life for individuals with aphasia
• Neural correlates of language processing and recovery

Her work employs subjective and objective methodologies to understand stroke survivors' experiences and promote equitable research practices.

Grants and Funding:

• National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program (2021–2024)
• NRNTN K12 Scholar award (2022–2024)
• Internal Seed Grant, GWU (2024–2025)

Labs/Teams:

• Fama Aphasia Recovery Lab (FAR Lab): Focuses on aphasia recovery, using innovative methodologies and antiracism commitments to ensure inclusivity in research tools and practices.