Valerie F. McDaniel, PhD, CCC-SLP, MT-BC has clinical and research training spanning the fields of music therapy and communication sciences & disorders. She earned her BA from Loyola University Chicago in vocal performance with minors in biology and women’s studies. After completing Americorps-affiliated postgrad volunteering, a MA in music therapy at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, and a MA/PhD program at University of Memphis with a focus on speech & language science. She followed up her graduation with a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Missouri focusing on an Early Head Start study of maternal factors in early childhood interaction and language outcomes. Dr. McDaniel joined the Speech-Language Pathology Department at the University of the Pacific in 2021 and recently became the Faculty Fellow of Assessment for the university.