MUSIC SPEAKS IN the Great Lakes Region
The Great Lakes Region includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Of these, Music Speaks serves in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Music Speaks has been proudly serving in the Great Lakes Region since 2012, when we first began offering music therapy services in Chicago, Illinois. Since then, we’ve grown both within the suburbs of Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. In early 2020, Music Speaks had the opportunity to expand services to the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. We’re excited to be serving in these states and hope to continue to grow.
If you live in any state within the Great Lakes Region and are interested in music therapy services, please let us know!
Music Speaks is hiring! To learn more, check out our open positions.
Meet our Great Lakes Region therapists:
Arni Gmeiner, Intern
Arni earned their Bachelor's in Music Therapy from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He is currently doing his internship with Music Speaks in Wisconsin. Arni has experience working with young children in early intervention, adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities, and adult mental health.
Aryana Smith, Intern
Aryana is earning her Bachelors degree from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She is completing her Internship with Music Speaks, LLC in Janesville, Wisconsin. Aryana is excited to be serving children and adolescents with ID/DD.
Ellen Lind, MME, MT-BC
Ellen earned her Master of Music Therapy in Music Education from the University of Kansas. She completed her internship at Institute for Therapy through the Arts in Evanston, IL and Kansas City Hospice. Ellen serves in Madison, Wisconsin and has experience working with children with disabilities and older adults.
Grace Parlier, MT-BC
Grace earned her degree in Music Therapy from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She completed her internship with Park Nicollet Health Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Grace serves in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has experience working with older adults, memory care, hospice patients and families, and in oncology and inpatient medical settings.
Joshua Morano, MT-BC
Joshua earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, and his music therapy equivalency from Western Michigan University. He completed his internship at Metro Music Therapy in Denver, CO. Joshua serves in Madison, WI. Joshua has experience working with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Mackenzie Leighty, MT-BC
Mackenzie earned her degree in Music Therapy from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. She completed her internship with Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, KY. Mackenzie serves in Madison, Wisconsin. She has experience working with young adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
MCKENNA SMITH, MT-BC
McKenna earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI and has an additional bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She is an Internship Supervisor with Music Speaks and serves as direct therapist in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. McKenna has experience working in many settings in music therapy including hospice, memory care, and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Meara Hillman, MA, MT-BC
Meara earned her master's equivalency from University of Iowa in Iowa City. She completed her internship at Park Nicollet Methodist in Minneapolis, and now lives and works in St. Paul, Minnesota. Meara has experience working with hospice and older adults in facility settings.
Nichole Koch, MT-BC
Nichole earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. She completed her internship at VA Iliana Health Care System Danville, Illinois. Nichole serves in Rockford, Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Nichole has experience working with older adults, adolescents, Veterans, memory care, hospice patients, and adults in-patient psychiatric care.
Olivia Watkins, MT-BC
Olivia earned her Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. She completed her internship at Cedar Community in West Bend, Wisconsin. Olivia serves in Chicago, Illinois. Olivia has experience providing music therapy in the following settings: pediatrics, early intervention, older adults, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and memory care.
Skyler Davidson, MT-BC
Skyler earned her Bachelors of Music in Music Therapy from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She completed her internship at Lawrence Hall Youth Services in Chicago, Illinois. Skyler serves in Chicago, Illinois. Skyler has experience working with at-risk adolescents, foster care youth, IDD youth and adults, and adults in Inpatient and Outpatient Mental and Behavioral Health.
Tressa Meyer, MT-BC
Tressa earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, and her Music Therapy Equivalency from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. She completed her internship at Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, Maine. Tressa serves in southern Wisconsin; she has experience working with adults and children with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental health, and older adults with Alzheimer's and dementia.