David Horn, M.D., M.S.
Primary Investigator
Dr. Horn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington and holds an adjunct appointment with the Department of Speech and Hearing
Sciences. He is a pediatric otolaryngologist and Co-director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. His research employs behavioral (psychoacoustic) methods to study auditory development in pediatric cochlear implant patients. Dr. Horn’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, American Otological Society, Seattle Children’s Research Fund, and private donations.
Dr. Horn earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin and then completed an Otolaryngology residency at Indiana University. During residency, he completed 2 years of dedicated research with Drs. David Pisoni and Richard Miyamoto on cognitive and behavioral development in pediatric cochlear implant patients. His Pediatric Otolaryngology fellowship training was subsequently completed at the University of Pittsburgh and he joined the UW faculty in 2010. Originally from Los Angeles, Dr. Horn is thrilled to be back on the west coast. His lovely wife and three tempestuous daughters keep him busy enough when away from the hospital and the lab. When he has a free moment, he spends his time cycling, cooking, watching old movies, and playing guitar.
Destinee M Halverson, AuD, CCC-A
Research Audiologist
Dr. Destinee Halverson is the Research Audiologist for PADL. She is also a Pediatric Audiologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital where she sees newborn infants through young adults with hearing loss. Dr. Halverson graduated with her Doctorate of Audiology from Western Washington University in 2021. Prior to graduation, she received a NIH/NIDCD T35 research traineeship at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Her research and clinical interests include pediatric cochlear implants, brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) testing, auditory development and processing differences, and audiovisual speech perception. In her free time, Dr. Halverson enjoys thrifting, road trips, live music, and searching for all the best happy hour spots in the city!
Mariette Broncheau, B.S.
Research Coordinator
Mariette is the Research Coordinator for PADL. She is the first point of contact for most people who enroll their infants in any of our studies. Mariette studied Speech and Hearing Sciences here at the University of Washington, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 2013. She is the proud mom of two and enjoys campfires, video games, and attending live music concerts with her uproarious life partner.
Olga Peskova, M.S., Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Olga Peskova is a postdoctoral scholar for PADL. She earned her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2017 and her Ph.D. in 2020 from The University of Texas at Dallas, where she worked with Dr. Emily Tobey and Dr. Peter Assmann. She completed her clinical fellowship at Listen and Talk and earned her license in Speech Language Pathology in 2022. Her research focuses on the development of communication skills in children with cochlear implants (CIs). In her dissertation, she examined perception and production outcomes and associated error patterns in children using CIs. She likes to spend her free time with her husband and their twins. She also enjoys reading, yoga, board games with friends and family, long walks along the ocean, and travelling.
Ananya Uliyar
Research Study Assistant
Ananya is a 4th year undergraduate student at University Washington studying Public Health-Global Health. She also hopes to attend medical school after undergrad. Within the lab, her main responsibility is to assist testing with research subjects by keeping them engaged. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, reading, and watching movies and TV shows from other countries.
Marissa Bulder
Research Study Assistant
Marissa is a 4th year undergrad at the University of Washington majoring in Speech and Hearing Sciences and double minoring in Education, Learning & Society and Ethics. Marissa hopes to go to graduate school to earn a Doctorate of Audiology and eventually focus on the pediatric age range. She is a Lab Assistant and her primary role is working with the participants being tested. She is originally from Vancouver, WA and enjoys exercising, spending time with family and friends including her pet goldendoodle, Archie, and finding the best oat milk vanilla latte in Seattle.
UW Prosthetic Auditory Development Lab 