Meet the Aspire Team
Caring. Experienced. Effective.
Aspire therapists are licensed, insured, and active in regular continuing education. All Aspire team members uphold the highest ethical standards in their profession.
I love my job because it’s so fun to watch the kids grow with us! I love working for Aspire because it feels like a family”
- Aspire Therapist
Speech and Language Therapy
Abby Duininck, MS CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist (PRN)
Brittany Csuy, MS CCC-SL
Speech-Language Pathologist
Oksana Kindiuk, MS CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Carly Ranum, MS CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kelly Sung, MS CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist; Feeding Program Coordinator
Favorite activities as a child: Play piano, paint, doodle on scrap paper, and play tea parties
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I really liked learning about languages, culture, and people; I almost was a linguistic major in college! However, I also really wanted to do something in healthcare and work with people. I discovered speech language pathology as the perfect blend of both my passions! The more I explored this field, the more I fell in love with pediatrics; working with kiddos taps into my inner child!
I am very passionate about pediatric feeding, swallowing, voice. It's super interesting and exciting how feeding is so unique to each child and really relies on building relationships with the child and their family.
Outside of work I love to play tennis, volleyball, and swim as well as read and write poetry.
Kelly earned a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UW-Madison and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Occupational Therapy
Mary Claire Paulus , MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Maija Fredrick, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Favorite activity as a child: Play sports (mostly basketball and volleyball), make art, use my imagination, and spend time with animals!
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My inspiration for being an OT began by hearing stories of my grandmother working with an OT to learn skills to care for her newborn grandchild after her stroke. My professional interests include sensory/reflex integration and Interactive Metronome. Outside of work my interests include music and reading.
Maija holds a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from UW-La Crosse and a bachelor’s degree from Edgewood College.
Lexi Landsverk, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Favorite activity as a child: Playing house & Barbies at my babysitters and creating pretend cooking shows in my kitchen.
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I discovered my passion for pediatric occupational therapy during one of my 100 level courses in undergrad. We had professionals come in to talk about their work, and when I was called on to try on a body sock during a demonstration with a pediatric OT, I knew this was the right profession for me!
Professionally, I'm interested in sensory integration and interoception, seeking to understand how these aspects impact children's development and well-being.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends & family and golfing in the summer.
Lexi holds a Master of Occupational Therapy degree and a Bachelor of Science in Excercise Science and Psychology degree from Carroll University.
Laura McBain, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist; OT/PT Team Lead
Favorite activity as a child: Anything outside like swimming, fort building, biking, skiing, camping. My favorite toys were my Fisher Price house and my Rainbow Brite kitchen play set.
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When I was at Viterbo College, my dad met an OT and suggested I look into it. I started volunteering in the OT department of a local hospital the next week and just loved the ways in which the OTs helped people. I loved the science behind the profession, but also the caring and compassion, and the time that OTs got to spend with their clients. Once I learned about pediatrics, during my OT program, I never looked back. I love working with kids and their families. I love helping them to enjoy each other and rejoice in the miracle of childhood!
I specialize in working with kids diagnosed with ASD, particularly girls as they are so different from boys and often get overlooked and labeled instead of helped. I am also interested in all things related to the bathroom part of daily living skills.
Deb McKernan-Ace, OTD OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Mary Claire Paulus, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Favorite activity as a child: Playing with American Girl dolls, Barbies, and Polly Pockets. I also enjoyed doing art projects, playing outside with my sister and neighborhood friends, and dancing.
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I've always loved helping others, but my interest in OT started at a young age when my sister was hospitalized with transverse myelitis and received OT. Seeing the impact it had on her recovery really stuck with me. I've also watched other family members benefit from OT, which continued to grow my interest and ultimately led me to pursue this field. My professional intersts include feeding, pelvic floor therapy, and sensory integration, and understanding how these areas impact children's development and daily functioning. Outside of work, I love spending time with family and friends, working out, baking, and exploring the Madison area.
Mary Claire holds a master’s degree from Mount Mary University and a bachelor’s degree from UW-La Crosse.
Physical Therapy
Angela Kloiber, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist (Consulting)
Favorite activity as a child: Playing soccer from childhood through college and long-distance biking
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As a Pediatric Physical Therapist, Angela says she feels called to help children find the joy of movement no matter what limitations they may have.
“I love helping children find ways for them to have as much independence as possible, enjoy moving, and to continue to support their growth and development. I have an older brother who went to physical therapy from a young age throughout his adolescence; I was the tag along to appointments. It is one of the few health professions where you get to spend quality time with children and their families and build a close rapport. Plus, I get to sing, dance, and be creative while still making a clinical impact.”
Because no two children are the same, Angela says each visit and treatment plan is unique. Treating children keeps her on her toes, and she is continually learning and growing. The children's (sometimes brutal) honesty keeps her grounded.
Angela has a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Carroll University.
Behavioral Health & ABA Services
Christine Wilkins, MSW, BCBA
Vice President of Behavioral Health Services
Favorite activity as a child: Camping and playing volleyball
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I have always enjoyed being around children. When I first found ABA I was inspired by how using this technology could help children learn new skills from communication, to daily living skills, to social interaction. Seeing their (and their parent's) delight when they could do something new like say, "mama" or get a cookie when they asked for one rather than being frustrated because they could not communicate their needs or wants has been very reinforcing for me. Over the past several years, learning more about Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and using these strategies at work and seeing teammates reduce their stress because of improved systems has expanded my love of the field. My current professional interests include Early Intervention, feeding, empowering caregivers, and OBM. Outside of work, I enjoy time with my family, traveling, and spending time outdoors (yes, even in the winter).
Chris holds a master’s degree from Florida State University, a bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison, and BCBA education from Florida Institute of Technology.
Lisa Zurbuchen, BCBA
Diagnostic Team Lead &
Family Guidance Specialist
Favorite activity as a child: Reading and creating art
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My professional interests are autism diagnosis and treatment, and parent and/or caregiver education and coaching. I have spent my career primarily focused on supporting autistic children and their caregivers to learn more about their diagnosis and the environmental adaptations we can create to enhance meaningful, motivating, and family-centered interactions during play and everyday life activities. My passion is partnering with families to discover how their child learns, their family values and needs, and create opportunities for learning within current family routines. Families deserve to have access to effective strategies that can support their child at home, as well as at school and in the community. Away from work I enjoy spending time with my daughter and husband, watching Badger sports, crafting, antiquing, listening to music, and enjoying time by the fireplace or a bonfire in our backyard.
Catherine Ford Bard, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
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Cate holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, a master’s degree in special education and developmental disabilities from Northeastern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University.
Mental Health
Emily Bessler, LPC-IT
Mental Health Therapist
Sarah Quamme, LPC
Mental Health Therapist
Administration
Dana Bohrer, MA CCC-SLP
President and CEO
Favorite toys as a child: Barbies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake
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From a very young age, Dana knew she wanted to help people. “My aunt is a speech pathologist, and I had the opportunity to observe her work as a teenager and immediately fell in love with all things speech!”
Dana started Aspire with the idea that we could better help kids and families if we could "meet them where they are" physically and otherwise. She wanted to eliminate the "drop off and pick up" feel of traditional therapy and include the family in therapy as much as possible. In doing so, we’re able to support the whole family and to encourage generalization of skills to other environments.
Today, Dana oversees the operations of the clinic, marketing, outreach, and managing the staff.
“I LOVE that we have the opportunity to help support the growth of kids at Aspire but also love and support their families. Each therapist here has a heart and passion for what they do and the love they have for their work shines through every day.”
Dana believes all kids should have the opportunity to meet their full potential. She founded Aspire to help ensure kids have access to the care that they need and deserve, and says we shouldn't try to change who they are, but celebrate them for who they are.
“My favorite moments are the ‘small’ victories and the joy that you see from the child and their parent when those moments happen.”
Dana has a Bachelor Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of South Dakota.
Emily Jollota, MS OTR/L
Sr Clinical Services Specialist
Favorite activity as a child: Playing outside and playing board games with her family
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Emily always wanted to work with children and be in a profession that improved the lives of others. Pediatric occupational therapy has been the perfect balance for her.
“I get to play with children on a daily basis and know that I am improving their lives and their families’ lives as they learn new skills and reach their highest potential. I also love coming to a job where the clients inspire me daily.”
Emily is the Lead Occupational Therapist at Aspire and is working within/developing the Feeding program.
She loves the core values that Aspire strives to uphold, especially the focus on family-centered and play-based child-led therapy. She appreciates being part of a team of therapists who are so passionate about their jobs and would do anything for their clients.
“I feel so strongly about empowering families and children and making therapy fun and enjoyable for everyone. I want each child I work with to know anything is possible.”
Emily received a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation and Human Services from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Salus University.
Jeff Bohrer
Vice President, Business Operations
Favorite activity as a child: playing baseball and football outside, collecting sports cards, and going camping
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As part of Aspire’s leadership team, Jeff is responsible for most aspects of business administration, including finance, payroll, benefits, and technology. “My mission at Aspire is to create a great workplace for our team and build a strong company that makes a long-term impact in our community.”
Jeff brings a lot of experience managing programs, projects, and people to Aspire, which his wife Dana founded. He believes strongly in the clinic’s mission and in the talented, experienced team of therapists who work with your kids and help them do great things.
While he doesn’t work directly with children, Jeff says, “I love hearing their excitement and laughter in the clinic - especially when there is clapping and cheering involved!”
Olivia Steil
Client Care Coordinator
Addie Ritsch
Billing Coordinator
Favorite activity as a child: I loved to paint and draw.
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I love working in a clinic setting where I get to converse with clients and see how people progress. My professional interests include administrative work. Outside of work, I enjoy crafts and reading.
Jasmin Bough
Clinical Operations Coordinator
Favorite activity as a child: Draw and play Clue.
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I’ve always been drawn to environments where I can help make a difference in people’s daily lives, and a children’s clinic is especially meaningful. What really sparks my interest is being behind-the-scenes support in helping kids and families get the care they deserve.
I am passionate about creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for children and families of all abilities and backgrounds. My interests include family-centered care, accessibility advocacy, and community collaboration to ensure every child receives the best possible care experience.
Outside of work I love being outside with my dog Hershey, being active with sports and working out, and coaching high school gymnastics!
Katrina Kahl
Client Care Coordinator
Aspire Therapy has been an INCREDIBLE PLACE for our son who has autism... Our son has come so far in the past few years, and we attribute this to his amazing therapists at Aspire. We recommend Aspire to everyone we know!"
- Caitlin