Meet the Staff

Kaye Koelker Baumgardner, MS CCC-SLP

Kaye is one of the co-founders of MPTC and has more than 16 years of professional experience. She is a member of American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology (AAPPSPA), Minnesota Speech Language Hearing Association (MSHA), Past President of OSACS - Overseas Association of Communication Sciences, is licensed by the state of MN, and holds a B.S. in Speech Pathology & Audiology and M.S. in Speech Pathology from Illinois State University.
Kaye takes a holistic and eclectic approach to therapy looking not only at the physiological and neurological factors that impact upon communication and feeding but also considering mind, body, emotional, family, and environmental factors.
She specializes in oral-motor, feeding, and muscle-based speech disorders. She has particular interest in the area of Down syndrome and orofacial myofunctional disorders. Kaye has written two articles for the Down Syndrome Congress Newsletter and regularly speaks at Parent Support Groups.
Kaye has extensive post graduate trainings and certifications including but not limited to PROMPT, Verbal Behavior Analysis, Handling the Rib Cage, Baby Treatment, Integrated Listening System, Orofacial Regulation, Feeding Therapy: A Sensory-Motor Approach, Developing Oral Motor and Feeding Skills in the Down syndrome Population, Sara Rosenfeld Johnson, Debra Beckman, Diane Chapman Bahr, Char Boshart, Marsha Dunn Klein, Suzanne Evan Morris, Dr. Kay Toomey (SOS), and Rona Alexander. Kaye is the only SLP in the Twin Cities with specialized muscle based oral motor Level IV certification from Sara Rosenfeld Johnson, Talk Tools.
Her passion is to help each child improve their quality of life, achieve their potential, empower parents, and give hope!

Julie Ernest, MS CCC-SLP

Julie Ernest, MS CCC-SLP, is a cofounder of MPTC. She has 20 years of experience as a speech pathologist and has worked in hospitals, rehab centers and schools. For the past 10 years she has been in private practice. She received her Masters Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Julie has worked with a multidisciplinary team of both occupational and physical therapists to better serve children and their families. She has experience working with children who have a variety of medical diagnoses. Her special interests are in Autism and feeding problems.
Julie has specialized training in the areas of myofunctional therapy, augmentative-alternative communication, feeding and swallowing disorders, auditory processing and oral-motor and apraxia therapy. Some of these areas include SOS, PROMPT, Integrated Listening Systems, Hanen, It Takes Two to Talk, Sara Rosenfeld Johnson's Talk Tools for Oral-Motor Therapy, Apraxia Tools, Apraxia, Auditory Processing and Autism, Phonological Processes, Debra Beckman's facilitation stretches and Pam Marshall's Apraxia and Dysarthria techniques.
Julie loves working with children and their families; she finds nothing more rewarding than helping a child find their voice.

Karen Diaz, MS CCC-SLP

Karen received her B.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Florida. Karen has over 16 years of experience working with multidisciplinary teams and working closely with caregivers to facilitate their child's communication skills. Karen has a particular interest in and experience with children who have motor speech disorders (apraxia), autism spectrum disorders, fluency, auditory processing disorders, and feeding difficulties. Karen has worked with children birth to 18 years of age with multiple diagnoses and has completed numerous continuing education training in the following select areas: autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, apraxia of speech, fluency disorders, auditory processing disorders, developmental delay, feeding disorders, and sensory integration impairments.
Karen is trained in PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets), Beckman Oral Motor, Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson's Oral Motor Program, and is a licensed Fast ForWord provider (for children with auditory and language processing issues).
Karen is both a member of the Minnesota Speech-Language Hearing Association and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association

Traci Smallwood, MA CCC-SLP

Traci graduated from Michigan State University with a master's degree in communication sciences and disorders. She has been working for 14 years in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and home based services and clinics. Traci has worked with children of all ages from birth through the teenage years. She is trained in PROMPT technique (Prompts for restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets), Sarah Rosenfeld Johnsons Oral Motor Program, she is a licensed Fast ForWord Provider, and she is trained in the Beckman Oral Motor Program. Traci has been to many continuing education courses focusing on autism, apraxia, phonological processing delays, and oral motor function. Traci is a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association. Traci enjoys working with children of varying needs and providing them with every opportunity to communicate to their fullest potential!

Heidi Miller-Esguerra, M.S., CCC-SLP

asdf Heidi is a bilingual (English/Spanish) SLP who received her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Florida Atlantic University in 2000. She has 11 years of experience working in different settings with clients with varying diagnoses, ages 2 months - 82 years. Experience and continuing education has included but not been limited to: apraxia, phonological disorders, articulation, feeding, oral motor, myofunctional, sensory integration, autism spectrum disorders, assistive technology, cleft palate, fluency, and auditory processing. In 2007, Heidi moved to Minnesota from Florida, where she had her own private practice for more than 5 years, serving clients in the natural environment, and working closely with families, teachers, OTs, PTs, and behavior specialists. She has a special interest in the pediatric population, with a particular focus on early intervention (Birth-3). Before Heidi joined the MPTC team, she worked as a Birth-3 SLP on an ECSE team for Eden Prairie Schools, evaluating and treating children in their homes and at the education center. Heidi feels that training the families how to incorporate therapy into their daily lives is the key to optimizing success and believes there is no cookbook approach, paying particular attention to the individual needs of each client and family. Heidi finds no greater reward than participating in the firsts and the milestones, and considers herself privileged to have found a profession that allows her to wake up every day and feel that she has truly found her calling.

Marissa Bodiker, M.S., CCC-SLP

Marissa received her B.A. in Communication Disorders from the University of Connecticut, and her M.S. in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State University. She has worked as a school-based speech-language pathologist for nine years, working with preschool, elementary, and middle school children in the evaluation and remediation of various communication disorders. She has worked collaboratively with both teachers and parents to enhance students’ performance in the classroom and community with respect to the area of speech and language. Marissa has worked with children with various speech and language/communication disorders, including: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down syndrome, hearing impairments, fluency disorders, voice disorders, apraxia of speech, articulation and phonology disorders, specific language impairments, specific learning disabilities and auditory processing disorders. Marissa has completed many continuing education courses, including training in Lindamood LIPS and Visualizing and Verbalizing Programs, Cued Speech, Assistive Technology, and is a licensed Fast ForWord provider.

Lindsay Barrett, M.A., CCC-SLP

Lindsay received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and her Master of Arts degree in Pediatric Speech Language Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa. She has worked as a pediatric speech language pathologist since May 2007. Before coming to Minnetonka Pediatric Therapy Center, Lindsay worked in both inpatient and outpatient pediatric therapy settings. She has worked with a variety of children with various disabilities including Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Velocardialfacial Syndrome, ADHD, PDD, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, fluency, phonology, global developmental delay, articulation, oral motor feeding and expressive and receptive language disorders. Lindsay has also completed research in the area of Specific Language Impairment. She is PROMPT Level 1 trained and trained in the sequential oral sensory (SOS) approach to feeding.

Alison Mirelez, M.S., OTR/L

Alison Mirelez graduated from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts in 1997 with a Master of Science degree in occupational therapy. She has practiced pediatric occupational therapy in a variety of settings, including school systems, pediatric hospitals, and outpatient clinics. Alison is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) and has a special interest in sensory integration theory. She has additional training in Therapeutic Listening, Wilbarger's treatments for sensory defensiveness, the Kawar protocols, S.O.S feeding techniques, Interactive Metronome, and Stanley Greenspan's DIR approach.

Toni Bluemke, B.S., OTR/L; B.S. Psychology

Toni Bluemke is the sensior OT at MPTC. She graduated in 1994 with a degree in Psychology from University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, and in 1998 graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in pediatrics with a focus on early intervention, ages birth-three. Her experience includes working with a variety of diagnoses including Down syndrome, Autism, ADD/ADHD, etc. Her area of interest is sensory processing and how it relates to independence and success in daily living activities. Toni has post graduate education and certifications in Yoga Kids, Handwriting Without Tears, Integrating the Reflexes - Baby course, Therapeutic Listening, Interactive Metronome, and Integrated Listening Systems.

Debbie Mintz, M.S., OTR/L

Debbie received her M.S. degree in OT from NYU in 1975. She is a neurodevelopmental (NDT) therapist who took the 8 week basic course in 1979 and the baby course in 1981. She also took the Ayres sensorimotor integrative therapy course in the 70s. She also took the week long Brain Gym class and use all her training together as a pediatric OT. Debbie loves children and wants to help them become the best they can be.

Kim Dieken, B.S., OTR/L

Kim is a graduate of the University of North Dakota with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She has practiced in both hospital and a variety of out patient pediatric settings. Kim has worked with children from birth to 18 for the past 18 years. She is certified in Neuro Developmental Treatment (NDT),and has additional training in Therapeutic Listening, Interactive Metronome, Sequential Oral Sensory Feeding(SOS), and the Beckman Oral Motor approach. She has a special interest in the area of feeding.

Kara Quist, B.A., Athletic Training & Health Fitness, B.S., Physical Therapy

Kara received her B.A. in Athletic Training and Health Fitness from Gustavus Adolphus College and her B.S. in Physical Therapy from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo. Kara has been working in pediatrics for the past 20 years in hospital based inpatient, outpatient and home based settings. Kara has had experience with infants and children with a variety of diagnoses including Torticollis, Cerebral Palsy, oncology, cardiac, orthopedic injury, neurological conditions and delay in gross motor skills. Kara emphasizes core strengthening, modifying Pilates techniques for young children and infants. Kara is also certified in Infant Massage and instructs families individually or in group settings in techniques for calming and communicating with their infant.

Diane Fester, B.S., Physical Therapy; B.A., Physiology

asdf Diane graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physiology from the University of Minnesota in 1990. She has practiced pediatric physical therapy in a variety of settings including home-based care, school systems, pediatric hospitals and outpatient clinics. Diane is certified in TAMO Pediatric Treatment technique and Yoga for the Special Child™. She has worked with children birth to 21 years of age with a variety. She has worked with children birth to 21 years of age with a variety of diagnoses and has completed numerous continuing education courses on a wide range of topics including torticollis, Pilates for children and infants, managing lower extremity dysfunction, treatment for motor delay, manual therapy for neurologically involved children and Kinesiotaping for pediatric populations. She has presented on a variety of topics including neuromuscular electrical stimulation for strengthening and torticollis treatment and outcomes. She is a member of the APTA and Pediatric Section. Diane emphasizes child and family-centered care for optimal gains in motor skill development.

Maura Arnoldy

Maura is an administrative assistant here at Minnetonka Therapy. She received her B.A. in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences with a minor in Spanish from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is currently a graduate student in their Speech-Language Pathology program. When she graduates, she hopes to work with bilingual Spanish-English speaking children. Her areas of interest include bilingual language development, working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, Alternative & Augmentative Communication (AAC), and phonological and articulation disorders. Maura is a student member of both the Minnesota Speech-Language Hearing Association and the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Joe Moore

Joe began as the billing specialist at MPTC in January 2010. He received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Minnesota in 1988. During his career, Joe has worked in the corporate accounting world for Unisys Corporation and MTS Systems Corporation. He has also worked in small business as co-owner of Arsenal Sand Inc. Joe resides in Hugo with his wife, Terri, and their three children.