Meet Our Team

Nicole (Niki) has over 24 years of experience working with children and families as a SLP and over 10 years of experience in pediatric administration. She is passionate about family centered care, community involvement, and program development. “While my first love is helping our kids find their voices, I also love supporting these wonderful therapists and helping them grow their professional development.

Having worked at the clinic for over 25 years, there are many things that rank as my “Favorites” such as Story with Friends, being able to offer services at no cost, Parents and Children Communicating (PACC), the Fourth of July Kids’ Parade, and our own version of the Polar Express. But by far the best are the relationships that grow out of working in tandem with parents and children while fostering communication. When I’m not at work, you might find me hiking Oberg Mountain, making yarn on my spinning wheel, or enjoying live performance in one of Duluth’s many venues.

I love doing crafty things! Whether it is prepping and laminating materials for therapy, sewing Halloween costumes for my own children or wrapping presents with extra ribbon, I enjoy all aspects of being crafty!

I love making therapy activities out of boxes, creating anything from school buses, to reindeer, to dragons. I’ll make anything that is motivating!

About Me

Hello! My name is Jillian, and I’m dedicated to helping children achieve their full communication potential. I’ve been a licensed speech-language pathologist since 2011 and have been a part of the team at Minnesota Masonic Children’s Clinic since 2018. I love working with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), gestalt language development, speech sound disorders, including phonological disorders and childhood apraxia of speech, and early language development.

Education & Experience

I earned my Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Minnesota State University Moorhead, where I developed a strong foundation in augmentative and alternative communication, early language development, speech sound disorders. In the early years of my career, I worked in a rural critical access hospital serving clients of all ages but developed a love for working with pediatrics.

My Approach

I believe in child-led, play based and evidenced based therapy approaches while working closely with families to facilitate effective communication skills. I want to foster meaningful connections and empower children to communicate with confidence.

Why I Love What I Do

Being a speech-language pathologist allows me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. Communication is fundamental to everything we do, and being able to support children in finding their voices is incredibly rewarding. Every child is unique and every day I step into my therapy room presents me with an opportunity to celebrate progress, solve new challenges, and build lasting relationships with children and their families.

Fun Facts About Me

When I’m not at the clinic, you can find me with my husband, Patrick, and two sons, Jack and Barrett. I enjoy hiking, mountain biking, weightlifting, and knitting in my free time.

Let’s Connect

I would love to opportunity connect and make communication more accessible, confident, and meaningful for your child!

About Me

Hello! My name is Tamara, and I enjoy partnering with caregivers to find the “just right” level to engage with a child in order to help them continue to grow and develop their language, social communication , and emotional regulation skills. I’ve been a licensed speech-language pathologist since 2001. Although I’ve worked in other settings, I’ve been privileged to work at the Masonic Children’s Clinic for over 20 years.

Education & Experience

I earned my Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. I had the privilege of having Tahirih Bushey, speech language pathologist, creator of www.autismgames.org, and former co-worker at the Scottish Rite Clinic ( previous name of Masonic Children’s Clinic) as a mentor. She informed my approach in working with autistic children and their families and led the clinic in groundbreaking approaches. She invited me to participate and develop my own path. Under her leadership, Autism parent education groups, social friendship groups for children with social communication difficulties, and our Stage Play acting classes for neurodiverse children were created. I have had the pleasure of continuing to adapt these groups to the changing needs of children and our community since I began to focus my career on autism related topics in 2007.
As of 2024, I am the only certified PLAY Project consultant in Minnesota. The PLAY Project (www.playproject.org ) is an evidence based parent coaching model that teaches parents to identify their child’s sensory needs and development levels in order to engage with their autistic child at the “just right” level for learning through play.

My Approach

I believe that play is a doorway to connection, and connection is the highway to learning for children and adults. It is my mission to provide child-led, evidence based services that facilitate a child’s communication goals while empowering parents to learn new strategies and access resources they can turn to when they leave our clinic.
Parents benefitting from the PLAY Project are drawn in by figuring out their child’s profile, not just what they like to play, but why they play that way. Teaching parents the why is the great “aha” moment as we parse out their child’s different sensory needs and social and developmental level to find the “just right” approach to engage their child in active learning.
Parents are learning about AAC and different ways their child is processing language. They have access to education in their child’s sessions, but we are also directing them to other resources.

Why I Love What I Do

I love when a child and I are in a flow of exchanges while sharing an experience. When the child is well regulated and having fun, it’s amazing how their skills develop. It’s even more amazing when I get to watch a caregiver and a child have a similar experience using strategies they’ve learned here. I love that we have the time inside and outside of sessions to accommodate the child’s interests and needs.
I love that this setting has allowed me to reach out to the community to share my knowledge.
I love that this clinic has a culture of collaboration as we are constantly learning and helping one another.

Fun Facts About Me

I am a big reader in all genres (except horror) and formats (audiobooks count, too). I also enjoy singing on my church’s worship team.
When I get nostalgic, I can watch video models on the Autism Games website and Stage Play YouTube channel that my daughters made for me when they were SO little.

Let’s Connect

I’m excited to partner with you and your child on their communication journey. Together, we can help them thrive!

I love a great cup of dark roast coffee, good company, and a relaxing environment! A fun fact about me is that I love baking. Recipes don’t always turn out beautiful but mostly taste delicious. I consider my baking a hobby in progress!

About Me

Hello! My name is Rachel, and I strive to make my sessions at Masonic Children’s Clinic fun. Because I’m fun! I’ve been a licensed speech-language pathologist since 2018.

Education & Experience

I earned my Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Minnesota – Duluth, where I developed a strong foundation in pediatric communication disorders. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working here at Masonic Children’s Clinic right out of graduate school, while leaving for a period of time as my family moved out of state where I worked within an early intervention program, before returning back here to MCC, helping children and their families with articulation impairments, language delays, or social communication challenges. I’ve supported a variety of children gain access to communication, including autistic children, children who are deaf or hard of hearing, children who are gestalt language processors, children who speak a language where I need an interpreter present, children who speak using a signed language, children who speak using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, children with fluency disorders (i.e.: stuttering), and children with a motor speech disorders (childhood apraxia of speech).

My Approach

In my speech therapy sessions, I prioritize creating a fun, engaging, and supportive environment where each child feels comfortable and connected. I use play-based activities, interactive games, and personalized strategies that match a child’s interests and strengths. By fostering a positive and trusting relationship, I ensure that they feel heard and are motivated to participate. This approach not only promotes meaningful progress towards their speech and language goals but also makes learning enjoyable and empowering for each child. Because of this, I frequently hear from the caregivers of the children I support that they’ve been asking to come back.

Why I Love What I Do

Seeing the progress children make in their communication skills and knowing that I’ve helped them express themselves and connect with others is deeply rewarding. Watching a child overcome challenges or adversity while reaching their potential is incredibly fulfilling. Working with children allows me to form unique, meaningful connections. As a pediatric speech therapist, I get to witness firsthand the trust and bond I’ve built with each child, helping them feel comfortable and supported in their journey.

Fun Facts About Me

When I’m not at the clinic, you can find me with my husband, Shane, and son, Atticus, or our dog, Indie (they’re both my first babies). I also enjoy sourdough baking, reading a hard-copy book, and creating sensory-rich experiences for Atticus, because I feel we all need the extra regulation. I’m a novice gardener but established plant lady and I look forward to the snow every year!

Let’s Connect

I’m excited to support you and your child on their communication journey. I believe in connection over compliance, following the child’s lead over my own agenda, and the idea that a child must be regulated before they can meet expectations. Let’s get started!

I have 35 years of experience as an audiologist in a variety of settings. By far the area I am most passionate about is working with children.

Most of my career has been spent in the educational setting working with children from birth through high school graduation. It has been a blessing to be a part of a family’s journey from identification of hearing loss, to developing spoken language, learning about hearing technology and seeing the child grow up.

In addition to audiology, my life is filled with activities with my husband, mostly outdoors with hiking, biking, camping, traveling, skiing, paddling some type of watercraft, etc.! We are parents to 2 young adult children, and we have been fortunate to share most of our summers together as they were growing up. I also treasure times and activities with friends, including an amazing women’s book club, and we actually read the monthly book (mostly).

Being a part of the Masonic Children’s Clinic staff is a wonderful new opportunity for me and I am excited to be on the team.

I have worked at the clinic for 5 years and continue to enjoy every minute of it! If you call, more than likely I will be the one to answer the phone and answer your questions. A fun fact about me is that in 2022 we took in a kitty who was left behind by previous owners, and it turned out she was pregnant with 6 kittens! All kittens were born healthy and found very loving families. Of course we had to keep 1 kitty with her Mama : ).

About Me

Hello! My name is Andrea, and I love helping children and families feel welcome at the clinic. I have worked with kids for more than 5 years and I’ve been part of the Masonic Children’s Clinic team since 2023.

Education & Experience

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where I realized my passion for helping others. Over the years, I have enjoyed providing childcare for families both in their homes and at schools, and I am now able to help families by providing childcare at our clinic.

My Approach

At the Masonic Children’s Clinic, we believe that it is extremely beneficial for families to be involved in their child’s therapy sessions. For this reason, I am available to provide childcare for siblings, allowing parents or guardians to join their child while in therapy. Our waiting room childcare is a safe space for children to play and enjoy their time at the clinic. If I’m not watching siblings, you can find me answering phone calls or doing crafts at the front desk! My focus is to make sure that everyone feels welcome and comfortable in our space.

Why I Love What I Do

I love being able to watch children grow from the moment they step into our clinic, until their graduation. It is very powerful to see children find their voice during their time with us, and I am inspired by their growth every day. I feel honored to be a small part of your child’s journey.

Fun Facts About Me

When I’m not at the clinic, you can find me cuddling with my cat while watching a good movie or tv show. I also love the holiday season when I can put up fun lights and decorations to make my space feel extra cozy.

Let’s Connect

I look forward to supporting all families that walk through our doors. I can’t wait to see your child grow on their communication journey.

I keep the building running, and solve problems affecting the efficient operation of our program. I maintain and refurbish the various educational and entertaining props our clients use. One of my principal joys in life is seeing our clients come to our staff, scared and unable to communicate, and watch them walk out, proud and talkative. I am privileged to be part of this fantastic program, offered at no charge, to children in need.

I am an occupational therapy consultant specializing in sensory processing difficulties with 20 years working with children, first as a special education teacher, then as an OT.

I am a part of a small family with my husband, my daughter and our yellow labrador retriever. We all feel so fortunate to call Duluth our home, as we love all things outdoors. From cross country skiing, hiking and camping, mountain biking, to paddleboarding on the big lake, we have found many favorite places to explore and soak in the beauty of nature in and around Duluth.