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FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
READING INTERVENTIONIST
I am a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) with over fifteen years of clinical experience. I believe my responsibility as a therapist is to help empower every client to live their most confident, secure, and joyful life.
I have always specialized in dyslexia and enjoy training other professionals in best practices for speech, language, and literacy interventions. I created Launch to be a place where SLPs and literacy experts could work together to help individuals with communication, whether that be in oral or written form. I have always striven to be authentic, even with the youngest of clients, and believe that authenticity and personal connection are the keys to positive intervention. My staff reflect that core value and share a common mission of effective service.
It has been a joy to work with so many wonderful clients over the years and to celebrate their successes with them.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
READING INSTRUCTOR
Kristen is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, licensed in both Florida and Wisconsin, with over 20 years experience working with individuals with speech and language challenges. Kristen started her career in the public school system where she worked with pre-k and school aged children with a variety of diverse needs. Her family then moved to Thailand where Kristen enjoyed helping families who lived in Thailand and the surrounding countries, by evaluating and creating plans for their children with various learning, language, and speech needs.
Kristen believes that working with clients from a holistic perspective is important for treating the whole person. Family support, addressing negative emotions gently and encouraging positive outcomes with the client, setting high expectations but with attainable goals, and building a supportive network for the client are all key ingredients to success. Kristen, her husband, and two daughters moved to Madison from Florida in 2019. In Madison they enjoy exploring nature, meeting friends from other countries, eating Thai and other international foods, theater, and staying active.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
READING INSTRUCTOR
Audra is originally from Minnesota, but fell in love with Madison when she attended UW-Madison for her undergraduate. After, Audra attended graduate school at Minnesota State University Moorhead where she gained exposure to a variety of high tech AAC with both adults and children in their Regional Technology Center. Audra also has experience within public schools, skilled nursing facilities, private practice, and teletherapy.
Audra is trained in ABA and PROMPT. Her areas of interest include phonology, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Audra loves putting the “fun” in functional when providing treatment, and enjoys working with kids and adults of all ages.
READING INSTRUCTOR
READING INSTRUCTOR
Annie holds a Master of Education degree, with teaching licenses in the areas of Reading Teacher, Reading Specialist, Special Education, and Psychology. She brings over 25 years of public school teaching experience to Launch. She believes learning to read proficiently allows people neurological, educational, psychological, social, and linguistic advantages and is the cornerstone of living a fulfilled life.
Annie believes using consistent and explicit strategies in literacy instruction, catered to the needs of each student, results in reading growth. She believes it is crucial to foster trust with her students by building positive connections with them and their families. Holding to the premise that learning is a collaborative effort, one in which each student’s voice is valued, she feels that when students feel supported, they are more likely to engage in learning.
In her free time, Annie spends time with family and friends, walking her dogs, making art, reading, traveling, and checking out local music events. She also is an avid photographer, with interest in the areas of portraiture and street photography.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Amara is a certified speech-language pathologist with experience in the k-12 grades student population. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Amara fell in love with UW-Madison and obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees there. She lives in Madison with her fiancé, Christian, and is a dog mom to her Weimaraner puppy, Axel! Amara's hobbies include taking Axel on long walks, reading, spending time at her family cabin, and wedding planning.
Amara believes that every child deserves equitable learning experiences so they have the highest possible chance at finding success. Each individual has strengths, experiences, and learning styles that are unique to only them and therefore require individualized service plans. Amara's interests include articulation & language disorders as well as dyslexia and literacy skills.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
READING INSTRUCTOR
Jessica has over 15 years of experience working with infants and toddlers through school-age children. She started her career by working in private speech-language clinics and gained valuable knowledge during her years working at a reading center that followed the Orton-Gillingham approach. After moving to Wisconsin, Jessica worked as a school-based speech therapist for Early Childhood and Elementary students and as an early interventionist with the Birth-to-Three program in Dane county. She has closely studied and practiced the Parent Coaching philosophy, helping caregivers practice communication, sensory, and feeding strategies with their children in daily routines.
Jessica was born and raised in MT and loves to take her husband and two children out west for family visits and adventures. In WI, she and her family like to discover beautiful, unique hiking and camping locations.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
READING INSTRUCTOR
Gabby is a certified speech-language pathologist with experience in outpatient clinical settings
as well as public, private, and Montessori school settings. Gabby is originally from the Duluth,
Minnesota area and obtained both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the
University of Wisconsin – Madison in communication sciences and disorders.
In her free time,
she enjoys cooking, traveling, spending time outdoors, and exploring new restaurants.
Gabby values client-led services that incorporate a child’s strengths, interests, and unique
talents into each session. She strives to build positive relationships with all of her clients, as she
believes children thrive when they feel engaged, empowered, and respected.
READING INSTRUCTOR
Gail is an Orton-Gillingham certified practitioner as well as an elementary Montessori teacher. As a proponent of multisensory reading instruction, Gail creates and delivers language lessons that are systematic, sequential, cumulative, explicit, and diagnostic. She believes her responsibility as a reading instructor is to provide students and their families with evidence-based reading instruction through a structured literacy approach informed by the science of reading.
Gail recognizes that students learn best in an environment that cultivates a growth mindset, persistence, and resilience, sharing this motto with all her students: Practice makes progress. Building relationships and focusing on strengths are key to successful learning experiences, and Gail prioritizes the creation of safe and warm learning environments for her students.
Gail has her WI teaching license in Montessori elementary education as well as dyslexia practitioner certification through the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Madison, WI. She also holds a master’s degree in education with a focus on teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).
OFFICE MANAGER
Alison was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin but has lived as a proud Madison resident for over 9 years. Alison has a degree from UW Madison in Interior Design as well as a Minor in International Studies. She began her career in design. Her eye for detail and organizational skills are put to good use in the office management portion of Launch.
Alison has always had a passion for helping others. She loves making everyone feel welcomed and has experience working in the therapeutic setting with children and families with special needs. she looks forward to continuing to help make life a little brighter and a little easier for all Launch clients and staff.
When not in the office, Alison loves traveling, cooking, art, and being with family and friends. She is excited to be part of the Launch team and can’t wait to meet YOU!
BILLING ASSISTANT
Sharon has recently retired from a long and fulfilling career working as a multi-county director in the Illinois Head Start Program . She relocated to Madison to be closer to her family and is now embracing the Wisconsin lifestyle! She is excited to be a part of the Launch team and to continue serving families and children.
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