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The CI team works in a collaborative manner. Each of our amazing staff members has specific areas of training and expertise. We encourage you to visit us for a free consultation so that we can pair you with the therapist that best meets your needs!
Anma Ingeana, PT- Anma received her undergraduate in Exercise Physiology from the UW-Madison and her PT degree from SUNY at Buffalo. She has 20 years of experience working with children and Adults with a variety of diagnosis. She has worked at Frazier Rehab Center in Louisville KY on the Spinal Cord Unit and eventually became the Physical Therapist in Frazier Rehab's Gait Analysis Lab as well as working in the Pulmonary Rehab Clinic. She worked in home care for a few years before working at the Veteran's Hospital on the Cardio-Pulmonary Unit. She has been working in the school system for the last eight years where she enjoys making the school environment as accessible as possible for all students. Anma is certified in Pediatric Kineso- taping as well as certified by Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute in pediatric aquatic therapy. She is a long time member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the APTA pediatric section and the Aquatic Therapy section. anma@communicationinnovations.com
Beth Larson, PhD, OTR- Beth Larson is a pediatric occupational therapist with 20 year
clinical
experience and 10 years in academics. She has a bachelors in OT and
masters in motor learning from UW-Milwaukee and a Ph.D. in
Occupational
Science from the University of Southern California. She has worked
in
school systems and in private practice in Wisconsin and California
with
children with autism, learning disabilities, physical disabilities,
severe multiple disabilities,and developmental delays. She has
served
as a consultant to the Frostig school, a specialized center for
children with learning disabilities, and to the M.O.V.E. program (a
top-down program to develop sitting, standing
and walking for children who are not yet walking at three years of
age). She has expertise in the development of fine-motor skills and
handwriting; assistive technology for school-based applications and
mobility; and collaborative practice with families. Her research was
inspired by her work with families in practice; she continues to
study
the needs and experiences of caregiving families. Recent
publications
have examined dimension of caregivers' well-being, vigilance in
mothers
caring for children with autism, and parents attitudes toward
caregiving that support well-being.
Dana Bohrer, MA, CCC-SLP - has been a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist for the last 12 years. For the last six years, she has specialized in treating children on the Autism spectrum. She also provides individual and group treatment for children and adults including: initial assessment and evaluation of communication delays; therapy for disorders in articulation, voice, or fluency; treatment for functional and social language skills; treatment for language and auditory processing delays; treatment for oral and sensory dysfunction for speech and feeding; second opinion assessments and consultations. Dana has provided speech and language services for children with autism and other speech and language disorders in a variety of settings including public schools, health care centers and private practice. She earned her graduate and undergraduate degrees in communication disorders from the University of South Dakota and has practiced in Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. In her free time, Dana enjoys reading, crafting and spending time with her family.
Jennifer Rae MT-BC- Jennifer is registered with the state of Wisconsin in music therapy. Since graduating from Alverno College,
Milwaukee WI, she has served adults and children with physical, cognitive,
emotional, behavioral, and neurological disabilities. Jennifer began her private music therapy
practice in order to serve people around the Madison area and raise her family. This has led to her working at several places
including Sun Prairie Area School District, Madison Area Rehabilitation Center,
Prairie Music Academy, VSA of Wisconsin, The American Family Children’s
Hospital, and in private practice. She is excited to bring her experience in
early childhood education and music therapy to Communication Innovations. As Public Relations Chair for the
Wisconsin Chapter for Music Therapy, Jennifer promoted the profession of music
therapy and became an advocate for her clients. Her work in music therapy was highlighted most
recently as she appeared on “Live at Five” channel 3000, Madison WI.
Lisa Vinney, M.S. CCC-SLP -
Lisa enjoys working with children and adults of all ages and their families. She received her B.S. in psychology and communication sciences and disorders at Northwestern University and M.S. in speech-language pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her clinical training, Lisa worked with children from birth through adolescence with autism spectrum, articulation, fluency and language disorders. Lisa has also worked as a specialist in voice disorders at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison voice clinics. She has additional experience with swallowing disorders, oral motor deficits, and cognitive communication disorders. Lisa is currently pursuing her PhD in communicative disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her dissertation research focuses on the relationship between vocal behavior and self-regulation. Previous research has focused on a range of topics including effective methods for facilitating the learning of speech and voice pathology concepts, and methods of assessing quality of life in children with and without communication disorders. Lisa is very pleased to be part of the CI team and to have the opportunity to work with the wonderful children and families that it serves.
McKenzie Main, MA CF-SLP - McKenzie received her both her B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Northern Iowa. She grew up in Freeport, IL - and just moved to Madison from Des Moines, Iowa. In Des Moines, she gained experience working with feeding and swallowing in the NICU at Mercy hospital and experience working with a variety of children at a pediatric outpatient clinic. McKenzie has a great deal of experience working with individuals with autism, Down Syndrome, language disorders, articulation and phonological disorders, TBI’s and other neurological disorders, and feeding and swallowing. When she is not at work, McKenzie loves spending time with
Vanessa Covi- Vanessa is an occupational
therapy intern here at Communication Innovations. She is currently
pursuing a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at St.
Catherine University
in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Vanessa enjoys working with children and cannot wait to spend her summer
meeting and playing with all the wonderful kiddos that come to CI!
COMMUNICATION INNOVATIONS is seeking PT, OT, and SLP for our Madison location. Call or fax resume! |
Abbey Eckhoff- Abbey graduated with a bachelor of science in Human
Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in child development. She will
be co-leading the summer boost programs and helping as an office assistant and
therapy aide. In the future she will be attending graduate school for her
master’s in occupational therapy. She has worked with children throughout her
schooling and thoroughly enjoys it. abbey@communicationinnovations.com
Amy Shelton, COTA- Amy is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who brings 19 years of pediatric experience. She has provided services to children age preschool through high school in the public school system setting. She has experience working with a wide range of diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, autism, cognitive disability, learning and emotional disability. Amy is trained in the Intensive Model of Therapy and the Therasuit Method. Her love of working with children has brought her to Communication Innovations. She has great admiration for the caring work everyone provides here. amys@communicationinnovations.com
Andrea Hermanson, M.S. CCC-SLP- Andrea knew she wanted to be a speech/language clinician ever since she received speech therapy as a young child. She received her B.S. in Communication Disorders and M.S. in Speech and Language Pathology, both from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. After graduate school, Andrea was hired to work for the Madison Metropolitan School District and in her six years, she has had experience at every level. She has also worked for the DeForest Area School District for the last seven summers. She has worked with a variety of disorders including, but not limited to autism, traumatic brain injury (TBI), cerebral palsy and rare genetic disorders. In the schools, Andrea primarily helps students with fluency and speech disorders, as well as teaching strategies to students to be able to use and understand language to learn successfully. At Communication Innovations, Andrea is passionate about generalizing pragmatic skills through social groups, teaching phonemic awareness to increase reading success and enhancing fluency skills. Andrea holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence and is currently in the process of enrolling to receive her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in the area of Exceptional Needs Specialist. She is ecstatic to be a part of Communication Innovations and looks forward to having fun with children while working hard! 
Andrea Kluender , PT, MS- Andrea enjoys working with children of all abilities to uncover their strengths and to assist them in reaching their fullest potential. She enjoys motivating children’s inner drive to play and move. Prior to getting her PT license Andrea was trained as a teacher, working both in Wisconsin and Austin TX area. She holds a BS in both Elementary Education and Physical Education from Carroll College (Waukesha, WI). She completed the entry level Master of Science program in Physical Therapy at Texas Woman’s University on the Houston Campus. She has over 25 years of experience practicing PT, with a focus on neuromuscular disorders. She has worked at Healthcare Rehabilitation Center (formerly known as the Brown School) with adults and teenagers with Traumatic Brain Injury, and at UWHC in the NeuroMuscular Retraining Clinic using an intensive model of treatment and bio-feedback to re-train the brain with people with post-acute brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. For the last 20 years she has been working with children with a variety of disabilities in the school setting. She has taken numerous continuing education classes to keep updated on the latest methods and therapeutic interventions. She was drawn to practice PT at Communication Innovations because of their holistic approach of care and their progressive variety of therapeutic interventions that they have available, including the Universal Exercise Unit, Therasuit and partial weight bearing gait training. She is a long time member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the APTA pediatric section. Andrea has lived in Madison for the past 23 years, with her husband and three sons.
Anna Vierck, M.S. CCC-SLP- Anna grew up in Baraboo, Wisconsin. She received her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Upon graduation she moved to Seattle, Washington to work for a pediatric clinic and hospital. Her husband brought her back to be close to family here in the mid-west where she has worked for Rock County Birth-to-Three Program and for Mercy Hospital. Currently she works for Evansville School District on the early childhood and elementary level teams. Anna has had the opportunity to work with children and adults with a wide variety of communication challenges, as well as feeding and swallowing challenges. Anna is excited to be part of the Communication Innovations team and is looking forward to making learning how to communicate fun and meaningful. anna@communicationinnovations.com
Becky Lotto, MSW- Becky
has a Master of Science degree in Social Work from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison where she specialized in school social work and educational
policy. She has over 8 years of experience working with children with physical
and developmental disabilities, Pre-K -12. Her formal training encompasses: Verbal
Behavior, Play Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Positive Behavior Support. Becky specializes
in social-communication skills, peer relations, community safety, anti-victimization
education, self-esteem development, mental-health, behavioral modifications and
home-school connections. Becky is a strong advocate for families and aims to
increase the family voice in therapeutic services. She likes to use a
person-centered, eclectic approach when working with children and families, as
she believes every child and family has unique strengths that, when fostered,
encourage positive change. Outside of work, she enjoys running, painting,
playing piano and reading and is happy to be a part of the CI team!
becky@communicationinnovations.com
Faith Leaich, CCC-SLP- Faith is a speech-language pathologist with a passion for working with children birth-21. She grew up in Belvidere, IL and is very excited to become apart of the Madison community. She received her B.A. in communication, sciences, and disorders from Augustana College and her M.A. in communication disorders from Truman State University. Faith has had a great deal of experience working with individuals with autism, Down syndrome, TBI's (traumatic brain injuries), language disorders, apraxia, other neurodevelopmental disorders, and articulation & phonological disorders during her clinical experience and in working in the Belvidere School District and Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. When she is not at work, Faith loves spending time with her family, running with her dog, and curling up with a good book. Faith is very excited to be apart of the wonderful CI team! faith@communicationinnovations.com
Jennifer Gilles-Bauer, B.S- Clinical Director Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Studies from Edgewood College. She has over 11 years of experience as a reading and academic support specialist for clients pre-kindergarten through high school, with learning challenges in a private clinic setting. Formal training includes expertise in a variety of training approaches such as phonic-based reading programs, multi-sensory programs, Reading Connections, Touch Math, Cloud Nine and overall academic strategies. Jen has facilitated programs to jump start learning, increase confidence, and build academic skills using methods that make learning fun! Her goal is to help kids by giving them the tools necessary to succeed in school and life and most importantly believe in themselves as learners. Jennifer is also available for individual social skill development sessions. 
Jill Kiesau MT-BC, NMT, WMTR- Jill is a board certified Music Therapist with 13 years of experience specializing in children with various developmental disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and spina bifida. Her passion for Music Therapy has led Jill to share her knowledge and "tricks of the trade" through presentations at local, regional, and national music therapy conferences and PBS's annual Early Learning Education Institute. Jill has practiced co-therapy with Occupational, Physical, Recreational, and Speech therapists in public and private schools. Most recently, Jill has enjoyed working with children and families 1:1 to target goal areas. In October 2006, Jill completed course work through Colorado State University in Neurologic Music Therapy. In February, Jill completed her fellow status in NMT. Jill is passionate about helping individuals lead more independent lives through the enjoyment of music. 
Joan Abendroth, COTA- Joan graduated from Madison Area
Technical College
in 1990. She started her career as a
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in the Madison Schools
where she has worked for 20 years. Her passion
for working with children with disabilities is evident as she has worked with a
variety of children with various disabilities including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, mental health illness, autism,
traumatic brain injury, and developmental delays. Joan has experience and
training in assistive technology, sensory processing, self-care needs and
specific fine motor delays. She is a certified provider of the Interactive
Metronome as well as being certified in Aquatics Therapy. Joan is excited to join the CI team! joan@communicationinnovations.com
Julie Malliet-Novak- Julie is an Early Childhood Educator with 34 years experience in the field of developmental disabilities from birth through adulthood. Julie joined the Communication Innovations team in September of 2008 from the Waisman Early Childhood Program. Julie provides augmented education and facilitated play for birth to 8 year olds in individual and/or small group environments including in-home, clinic, and preschool settings. Children learn through play environment, early academics, sensory integration, art, music, and movement. Julie is also available for in-home play environment consults, IEP and IFSP goal augmentation and advocacy. Julie is truly excited to be part of the CI team in providing services that meet your child and family needs. 
Laura Nagel, M.S. OTR/L- Laura has always had a passion for working with children and is veryenthusiastic about the opportunity to collaborate with the rest of the CI team. Laura completed her collegiate career at UW-Madison, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Psychology in 2007 and her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 2010, during which she conducted research on children's executive functioning. Laura has worked extensively with children on the autism spectrum for over 5 years while providing in-home Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. Laura has also worked with a variety of diagnoses in both pediatric and adult populations, including burns, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, traumatic burn injury, spina bifida, and other medically fragile populations. Additionally, Laura has experience with Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and adolescent transition groups. Laura has participated in leadership opportunities throughout her collegiate career and looks forward to continued opportunities for professional development. In her free time, Laura enjoys hiking, coloring with crayons, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Luke Lang, Therapy Aide- Luke
recently graduated from UW-Madison with a BS-Zoology degree. Currently,
I work as a SEA in the Madison School District and plans to go back to
school for pursuit of a degree in PT.
Meg Leonard, M.S. CCC-SLP- Meg earned both her B.S. in Communicative Disorders and M.S. in Speech and Language Pathology at UW-Madison. Meg
has worked with children from birth through adolescence through her
clinical training and employment in public schools around Madison and
surrounding areas. Meg has extensive experience working
with children with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome,
articulation and phonological disorders, and other cognitive and
developmental delays. One of her favorite aspects of
working at CI is the opportunity to collaborate with children and
parents in a truly child and family-centered environment. Meg loves being active outside and spending time with her family, especially her husband and her five siblings. She is thrilled to be able to contribute her passion and skills to the Madison community – her favorite city in the world! meg@communicationinnovations.com
Melissa Schlimgen, COTA- Clinic Administrator- Melissa graduated from Madison Area Technical college in 2007. She began working at Communication Innovations shortly after becoming a licensed COTA. Melissa has a passion for working with children in the private pediatric model where she has the ability to work one to one directly with the child and the family. Melissa has knowledge based experience with the Therasuit Method and utilizing the Intensive Model of Therapy. Melissa is also well versed in the Hand Writing Without Tears program as well as creating a variety of sensory diet options to fit any child's needs. Recently, Melissa has been accepted and is currently studying in the TOTA program through Concordia University, Mequon, WI. Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. She is delighted to collaborate with the fabulous team at CI! 
Melissa Wegner, M.S. CCC-SLP- Melissa received her
B.S. and M.S degrees in Communication Disorders/Speech and Language Pathology at
the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After graduating, Melissa began her
career in Madison's Birth to Three Program. From there she moved on to the
Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, and has been at the high school for
the past 6 years. Melissa has worked with children and adults with a
variety of disorders including (but not limited to), PDD/Austism spectrum
disorders, Traumatic Brain Injury, Learning Disabilities, Emotional-Behavioral
Disabilities, Craniofacial/Cleft Palate, Pediatric and Adult Voice, Mild to
Severe Cognitive Disabilities, Social Skills, Stuttering, OHI (other health
impairments), Cerebal Palsy, and Fragile X. Melissa is passionate about
working with families to learn how to best meet the needs of their child.
In her free time, Melissa loves to hang out with her 23 month old son and her
husband, spend as much time outside as possible, read a good book on
parenting, and watch the Packers and Badgers play. Melissa is very excited
to be a member of the CI team!! 
Pam Ottery, DPT- Pam received her undergraduate degree in kinesiology/pre-physical therapy and her certificate in nutrition from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She graduated from Northwestern University with her Doctorate in physical therapy. She had the opportunity to work with a pediatric population at Children's Memorial in Chicago where she worked with children with a variety of diagnoses and children at different functional levels. She is very excited to join the Communication Innovations team and has the opportunity to work with children with all ages and abilities! 
Sara Smith, M.S. CCC-SLP- Sara received her Masters in Speech Language Pathology from Purdue University after completing her undergrad at Central Michigan University. She currently works in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District at both the elementary and High School levels. During her internship at CI she fell in love with the staff and kids and is very excited to continue as a part of CI! She is passionate about working with Augmentative and Alternative Communication and children with Autism. In her free time, Sara loves to play racquetball and learn to cook.
Suzette Raes, OTR- Suzette completed her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy at UW Madison in ’98. She has practiced as a pediatric occupational therapist in early intervention, school based therapy, child and adolescent mental health, and at this pediatric clinic since its opening. Suzette enjoys working with children of all abilities and has worked with children with a variety of disorders. She has experience and training using a variety of handwriting methods, including Handwriting Without Tears. She has experience and training with sensory processing and sensory motor treatment. She has been trained in the Intensive Model of Therapy and joins us in the summers toprovide traditional Occupational Therapy as well as the Intensive Therapy Programs. Suzette has a special interest in nutrition and its impact on development. Suzette enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and granddaughter. She enjoys the outdoors, volleyball, tennis, cross country skiing,and long walks with her dogs. Suzette's passion for working with children is evident in her work. 
Amanda Houdek-Hoechst, M.S. CCC-SLP- Amanda is the director of Communication Innovations, Inc. Amanda has extensive experience with early-childhood, public school, and private speech therapy service models. Amanda's goal is to provide all of the therapy services a family could need under one roof! She oversees and is certified in a variety of specialty therapies including Auditory Integration Training, Interactive Metronome, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Autism based language development, and Social Groups. Amanda is a Certified Autism Specialist. Amanda is proud and excited to be part of this amazing team!!! 
