Christina Akbari

Dr. Christina Akbari is an Associate Professor of Communication Disorders at Arkansas State University's College of Nursing & Health Professions since 2014. A Texas native with over 30 years of clinical experience, she specializes in speech-language pathology for pediatric populations in school settings.

• Education: PhD in Communication Disorders (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 2013), MA in Communication Disorders (University of Houston, 1991), BA in Communication Disorders Magna Cum Laude (Lamar University, 1988)

Research Focus includes:

• Acoustic characteristics of speech across bilingual, monolingual, and disordered populations
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) applications for diverse age groups
• Literacy development in bilingual individuals

She actively collaborates with community organizations like iCAN of Arkansas and El Centro Hispano, founding an AAC loaner program and facilitating literacy tutoring initiatives connecting university students with second language learners.

Professional Affiliations:

• ASHA (Certified Member)
• Acoustical Society of America
• Arkansas Speech and Hearing Association

Dr. Akbari teaches undergraduate courses in Introduction to Communication Disorders, Multicultural Issues, and Organic Communication Disorders, alongside graduate courses in AAC and Research Methods.