Faculty and Staff

Julie Feuerstein is an Assistant Professor School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Central Florida. She obtained her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology at Boston University in Boston, MA and her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. She completed post-doctoral training in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, with an appointment to Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Feuerstein is certified a speech-language pathologist who has practiced in a variety of settings, including early intervention, private practice, and both outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation. Her teaching and research interests center around evaluating the effectiveness of early communication interventions for minimally verbal children with neurodevelopmental disorders and examining mechanisms for moving empirically supported interventions into clinical practice.

As Director of the Early Communication and Play (ECAP) Research Lab, Feuerstein works with faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy to provide interprofessional education and training opportunities for students to implement effective, evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions for young children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families in authentic, real-world settings.

Feuerstein’s research has been funded by the American Speech-Language Hearing Foundation, the Bailes Family Foundation, Irma & Orville Parker Charitable Trust, and the Margaret & R. Parks Williams Charitable Foundation. She has published in a number of peer-reviewed journals; presented her research at local, national, and international conferences; and has held CEU seminars on prelinguistic communication intervention for young children with complex communication needs and their families.

She is a member of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM), the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Credentials

  • Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy, Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington
  • MS, Master of Science, Speech-Language Pathology, Boston University
  • BS, Bachelor of Science, Communication Disorders, Boston University
  • CCC-SLP, Certificate of Clinical Competence for Speech-Language Pathologists
Areas of Specialty
  • Language Development
  • Language Disorders
  • Early Intervention
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • Implementation Science Research
Research Lab Affiliations

Research Grants

Communication Sciences and Disorders

RF: Facilitating Intentional Communication in Young Children with Complex Communication and Motor Needs: Integrating Communication and Motor Supports to Optimize Treatment Effects

  • PI: Julie Feuerstein
  • Amount: $35,000 | Timeframe: 11/29/2022 - 12/31/2023
    Funding Type: Foundation/Industry
    Funding Agency: American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation
  • SPA 6542: Intervention of Language Disorders in Children and Adolescents

  • SPA 6559: Augmentative and Alternative Communication

  • SPA 6401: Family-Centered Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers

  • SPA 3002: Introduction to Communication Disorders

  • LIN 2716: Language Development

  • 2026
    Distinguished Fellow,
    Speech-Language Pathology Academy
    National Academies of Practice (NAP)

    2024
    Award for Institutional Excellence in Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Health Care
    Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP)

    2023
    McLean-Yoder Award for Professional Excellence
    National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC)

    National Leadership & Review Roles

    2026–Present
    Public Policy Committee, National Academies of Practice (NAP), Speech-Language-Pathology Academy

    2026–Present
    ASHA Representative, National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities

    University & College Service

    2026–Present
    Faculty Senate, College of Health Professions and Sciences

    2025–Present
    Undergraduate Research Council, University of Central Florida

    2022–Present
    Inclusive Education Services (IES) Steering Committee, Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute, College of Community Innovation and Education

    School/Department Service

    2024–Present
    PhD Program Committee

    2022–Present
    Graduate Program Committee

  • 9 UCF Experts Inducted to National Academies of Practice

    Written By: Julie Harper and Heather Lovett | March 30, 2026
    Faculty members from UCF’s Colleges of Health Professions and Sciences and Nursing are now recognized as distinguished fellows, honored for their dedication to interprofessional research and practice. ne experts from...
  • CHPS Researchers Building Holographic Library of Adults Who Use Assistive Technology

    Written By: Grayson Keglovic | March 28, 2025
    The Rehabilitation Innovation Center’s hologram technology keeps advancing healthcare education in “out-of-the-box” ways. The next exciting expansion will be the development of a first of its kind holographic library focused...
  • UCF Honored Nationally for Interprofessional Health Education Excellence

    Written By: Heather Lovett | October 17, 2024
    UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Center is recognized by the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions, which focuses on critical issues affecting health professions.
  • Mighty Knights Program Helps Children with Complex Communication and Motor Needs

    Written By: Stella Canfield and Heather Lovett | December 8, 2023
    Speech-language pathologist and Assistant Professor Julie Feuerstein and pediatric physical therapist and Clinical Associate Professor Jennifer Tucker share a passion for improving clinical care and the quality of care for children...
  • Learning with Marlie: When Play Helps Complex Disabilities

    Written By: Ivanhoe Broadcast News | October 9, 2023
    Playing—it’s a rite of passage for children. But not all children get to enjoy a playground, birthday party or recess. Kids born with complex disabilities like cerebral palsy or down...
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