Amanda C. (Heller) Stark, MS, CCC-SLP, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona studying under Dr. Robin Samlan. Amanda’s research focuses on the biomechanics of voice production, cellular function and cytoarchitecture of vocal fold tissue, and tissue/muscular fatigue. Beyond her research, Amanda has been a speech pathologist specializing in voice, upper airway, and swallowing disorders for nine years. She holds a position as a research associate at the Utah Center for Vocology (previously named the National Center for Voice and Speech).

Amanda has served as first author and co-author for peer-reviewed publications in Acta Biomaterialia, Annals of Otolaryngology, Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, Dysphagia, European Respiratory Journal (ERJ) Open Research, PLOS Computational Biology, Journal of Singing, Journal of Voice, and The Laryngoscope. She was co-author of the paper “Exploring the Neural Bases of Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Case Study Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” which was awarded Best Paper in Basic Science by the Journal of Voice in 2019. 

She has given presentations for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Conference, American Thoracic Society (ATS), Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM), and Fall Voice, and served as a co-presenter at the International Conference on Voice Physiology and Biomechanics, the Phonosurgery Symposium, and the Voice Foundation Annual Symposium. She was co-author of the poster “Exploring the Neural Bases of Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (pMTD): A Case Study using fMRI,” which was awarded the Third Place - David W. Brewer Award for Best Poster at the 2017 Voice Foundation Annual Symposium. She also co-authored “Effects of Nebulized Isotonic Saline vs. Water after Laryngeal Desiccation in Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome,” which earned the Meritorious Poster Award in the Voice, Resonance, and Alaryngeal Speech Section at the 2013 ASHA Convention.