Meet the Myofunctional Therapy Team
Amy Chouinard, M.A., CCC-SLP, COM®
Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Orofacial Myologist
Amy Chouinard, M.A., CCC, COM® is a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She received her bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology from Marquette University and then went on to complete her Master's degree in Communications Disorders from the University of Minnesota. She has worked with clients in both hospitals and private practices, including her speech therapy practice, Kidspeak Ltd. (which she recently sold). After working with patients with oral myofunctional disorders for nearly 2 decades, Amy went on to complete the requirements to become a Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM®) through the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) and opened Midwest Myofunctional Therapists in 2020. She also specializes in feeding for infants and children. In her free time, Amy can be found at the lake, spending time with her husband, their three children, and two dogs.
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Julie Ernest, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Orofacial Myologist
Julie received her master’s in communication disorders from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. She has spent most of her career in private practice in outpatient clinics. Her specialties include oral motor apraxia of speech and feeding and swallowing disorders. Julie is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), won an ACE award in April 2022, and completed initial training through the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) in 2022 and many other oral motor and feeding courses and trainings. When she is not working, Julie enjoys traveling, spending time with her, family and playing with her dogs.
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Kristen Forsman, RDH
Orofacial Myologist
Kristen has practiced clinical dental hygiene for the past 20 years. Providing her patients with the best possible care has always been a priority. In 2016 she began learning about orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD's) and how they can affect dental development. Her desire to learn more led her to complete initial training through the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) in 2019. It was after this that she began looking at the mouth in a whole new way. Realizing the mouth is the gateway to overall health, she connected and mentored with Amy Chouinard, SLP, COM, and has been with Midwest Myofunctional Specialists for over two years. Kristen currently sees clients for initial evaluations and myofunctional therapy. In her free time, Kristen enjoys traveling, dancing, reading, working out, and always loves learning something new. She and her husband have 3 children and a yellow lab.