Research Assistants

David Faller

David Faller

David Faller is from Ohio and was graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A. in psychology. Not a one-trick pony, he spent a couple years working at the Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, directing and managing high school students navigating the fraught world of Cincinnati Theatre. At Children’s, David works in Dr. Amanda Griffin’s Audiology Research Lab, with a primary focus of studying outcomes of cochlear implantation. He also works with Dr. Derek Stiles on creating and managing departmental databases to improve clinical and research data collection. David enjoys learning about language, getting angry about politics, and over-analyzing film and TV. He is also an aspiring diner aficionado.

Stacy Jo Headshot

Stacy Jo

Stacy Jo grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and graduated from Harvard University in 2021 with a B.A. in Human Evolutionary Biology and Music. While in university, Stacy worked as a student researcher in the Harvard Evolutionary Neuroscience Laboratory. Stacy’s current research primarily focuses on pediatric voice and voice-related disorders, working as an assistant for Drs. Roger Nuss and Anne Hseu. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, dancing, and songwriting, and she hopes to attend medical school in the future.

Mele Mafi

Mele Mafi

Mele Mafi grew up in Seal Beach, California and graduated from Brigham Young University in 2022 with a B.S. in Public Health, emphasizing in Epidemiology and minoring in Statistics. While at BYU, she worked as a research assistant on a project investigating the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATs) and specifically, the relationship between widowhood and cognitive decline with depression as a mediator. She also spent just under two years volunteering with immigrants and refugees in Atlanta, Georgia by teaching English and leading US naturalization classes in English and Spanish. She now works as a clinical research assistant to Drs. Gi Soo Lee and Karen Watters at Boston Children's. Currently, Mele is a part of numerous projects involving tracheostomy care as well as procedures related to the ear and sleep apnea. When she isn't working, she enjoys reading, doing yoga, and going to concerts.

Tieqi Sun Headshot

Tieqi Sun

Tieqi Sun grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 2022 with a B.S in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. At UMass Amherst, Tieqi worked in a lab specializing in the genetics of mammalian embryo development. After graduating, Tieqi joined the Boston Children’s team as Dr. Kenna’s research assistant and has worked on a variety of projects involving the genetic etiologies of pediatric hearing loss. Outside of work, Tieqi enjoys going to the gym and playing basketball.

Alice Yun

Alice Yun

Alice Yun grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Northeastern University in 2022 with a B.S. in Health Science. While in college, she worked as an ophthalmic assistant at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary conducting diagnostic testing on patients in the comprehensive ophthalmology clinic. Currently, Alice works with Dr. Brodsky and Dr. Licameli on projects centering on pediatric vestibular disorders and cochlear implant outcomes. Outside of her role at Children’s, she volunteers as an English tutor for immigrants in the Greater Boston area and a mentor for local students. In her free time, she pursues the visual arts and loves to explore nature.