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Chantelle B. Varnado, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Varnado completed her Bachelor's (1999) and Master's (2001) degree at Southeastern Louisiana University and her PhD from Louisiana State University (2015) in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has 19 years experience in the treatment of children with developmental disabilities in Livingston Parish Public Schools, at Children's Hospital of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Launch. Her research interests include treatments addressing speech breathing in children with cerebral palsy.
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Katelyn Schexnaildre, LOTR
Katelyn graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from ULM in 2009. She was a certified elementary educator for grades 1-5 from 2009-2011. She returned to ULM to pursue her associate degree in occupational therapy and graduated May 2012. She practiced in adult inpatient rehabilitation with various diagnoses such as traumatic brain injuries, cerebral vascular accidents, orthopedic injuries, and spinal cord injuries. She has also practiced in outpatient pediatric clinics, pre-schools, and Pat Walker’s Children’s House for Abused and Neglected children while a resident in Fayetteville, AR. She returned to Louisiana to pursue her master’s degree in occupational therapy and was a member of the first graduating class of master’s of occupational therapy from ULM in December 2015.
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Brandi Olivier, COTA
Brandi received her Associate’s degree (2016) in Occupational Therapy from Delgado Community College. She has worked in pediatrics since graduating and has experience in outpatient clinics and with early intervention. She specializes in sensory and behavioral integration. Brandi is excited about returning back to Launch! Helping the children to learn through play and assisting in their growth is very rewarding!
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Courtlyn Hood, DPT
Courtlyn received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in 2020 from Louisiana State University. She then received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in 2023 from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport. She gained clinical experience in a variety of settings including outpatient pediatrics, adult and pediatric acute care, and outpatient adult neuro-rehabilitation. Her pediatric population experience includes a variety of needs such as Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Torticollis, and Developmental Delay. Courtlyn loves working with kids to help achieve their full potential through fun, individualized therapy!
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Rebekah Ghawaly, SLP
Rebekah received her Bachelor’s degree (2017) and her Master’s degree (2019) at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. After graduating she worked as a contract therapist in the public school systems where she gained further experience serving a variety of pediatric populations including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), speech-sound and phonological disorders, fluency disorders, receptive and expressive language delays. She and her husband relocated from Knoxville, TN to Denham Springs, LA in 2023. She is excited to join the team at Launch and help her patients and their families reach their highest potential.
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Rebecca Walker, SLP
Rebecca received her bachelor's degree (1998) and master's degree (2000) from Southeastern Louisiana University. She spent the firs six years of her career treating adult and geriatric populations, with a variety of communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders, in an acute care and inpatient rehabilitation setting. Rebecca has spent the last nine (+) years working with people who have intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. She enjoys advocating for her patients and helping them have the best quality of life possible.
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Anna Walker, MOT/LOTR
Anna is a Central native who received her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University in 2018. She then moved to Mobile where she gained her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of South Alabama in 2021.
During her time in college and graduate school she became passionate about advocating for individuals with autism and seeing teens with disabilities acheive independence. She is ecstatic to join the team at Launch and live out her purpose of helping people. She can’t wait to support her patients and their families as they achieve all that they’re capable of with fun and functional activities. |
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Katie Levy, MPT
Katie graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2000. She then attended Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans receiving her Master’s in Physical Therapy in 2002. She has a wide variety of clinical experience including inpatient rehab, home health, and outpatient settings. Katie is excited to be apart of the Launch team and help kids be the best they can be through “fun”ctional therapy. |
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Meaghan Neyrey, SLP
Meaghan received her bachelor’s degree (2017) and master’s degree (2019) in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Southeastern Louisiana University. Her clinical experiences include serving pediatric patients in the school system and outpatient settings as well as adult patients in skilled nursing facilities and hospice care. She has clinical experience serving pediatric populations including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, hearing impairment, speech sound disorders, speech and language delays and disorders, social communication deficits, augmentative communication, and feeding disorders. Meaghan is passionate about providing a way for every individual to share their thoughts and ideas with the people around them to improve overall quality of life for the client and their loved ones.
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Tina Joiner
Tina has been in the medical field since 2004. She has worked in chiropractics, family practice and psychiatry. She’s worked with the foster care system for over ten years to help children achieve permanency in safe and loving homes. During that time she has gained valuable experience in helping children with special needs access medical services. She had a sister with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus who greatly influenced the passion she has for helping children and families. Her extensive insurance and billing knowledge allow her to assist families by helping them get the most of their benefits. She joined the Launch team in May of 2018 as our office manager.
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Ashlie Erwin, SLP
Ashlie received her bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2005 from Louisiana State University and her master's degree in 2008 from Southeastern Louisiana University. She has spent the 13 years of her career treating the pediatric population in the local public-school setting. She has spent the last 4 years providing PRN speech therapy services at Launch. Ashlie believes in the importance of early intervention and the implementation of functional life skills within and outside the clinical setting. Her goal is to help her patients have the best quality of life possible. When not providing therapy, Ashlie enjoys spending time with her husband and sons. |
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Jill Broussard, PT
Jill graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Cal State Long Beach in 1990 and relocated to Louisiana in 1992. She has specialized in pediatrics for the past 12 years. While working as an Early Interventionist she serves the birth to three population and is especially fond of medically fragile children. Her caseload includes Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Pediatric Stroke, Prematurity and Developmental Delay. When she isn’t helping children meet their physical therapy goals she enjoys spending time with her eight wonderful children.
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Jade Coxe
Jade earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Southeastern Louisiana University in the Fall of 2019. She is an integral part of the Launch team! She has a servants heart and enjoys helping the community. In her spare time Jade enjoys traveling and selling real estate. |
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Jordan Johnson
Jordan is a graduate of Medical Training College and has a diploma in Medical Office Health and Information Technician. At Launch, she works as our Patient Care Coordinator supporting billing, scheduling, and maintaining HIPAA Regulations. Jordan spends her spare time enjoying her three beautiful girls. |
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Aleah Arsenault, SLP
Aleah received her Bachelor’s degree (2021) at The University of Southern Mississippi and her Master’s degree (2023) in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Southeastern Louisiana University. She gained clinical experience providing services in the pediatric and adult outpatient settings, as well as early intervention in the home/childcare facilities. She has experience serving pediatric populations including Autism Spectrum Disorders, feeding disorders, augmentative communication, and speech sound/language delays and disorders. Allie is passionate about helping each child achieve their greatest potential through evidence-based, individualized services. |
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Lauren Shuler, SLP
Lauren is a Kentucky native who received her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary and Special Education from the University of Louisville in 2014. She then decided to pursue Speech-Language Pathology and received her Master’s of Science in Communicative Disorders from the University of Louisville in 2017. Her first job was at Launch in 2017 and she is so happy to return to her “home” after working in different pediatric clinics in South Carolina and Kentucky. Lauren’s clinical interests include infant feeding and swallowing difficulties, tethered oral tissues, orofacial myofunctional disorders, complex medical diagnoses, and pediatric dysphagia. She also enjoys learning more about AAC and early intervention. Lauren enjoys establishing long lasting relationships with her families and creating personalized goals to help children meet their highest potential. Outside of the clinic, she can be found hanging out with her husband, Stephen, and their daughter, Phoebe. |
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Tara Urban
Tara has been with us since the beginning of Launch. She is one of our skilled, compassionate, hardworking patient care coordinators. Tara also has experience in teaching and taps into her creativity by leading water color painting classes and recently acquiring web-design skills. Tara is happily married and has two kids!
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Abigail Prescott
Abigail received her Bachelor's degree (2022) in Business Administration along with Sports Medicine & Exercise Science from Belhaven University. She has since started her Master's degree for an MBA with a concentration in Health Administration. At Launch she works as our Fundraising and Event Coordinator. And on the side helps with Patient Coordination. Abigail has a true passion for helping others and advocating for children ! |
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Taylor Stumbo
Taylor has a degree in Early Childhood Administration and has worked with children for over a decade. Between teaching Kindergarten, 5th grade, and nannying, she has also had a passion for bookkeeping and the business side of things. She is one of our Patient Coordinators as well as helps with billing and payments. Outside of work, you'll often find her pursuing another passion: music. She sings in a local band which brings her joy and allows her to unwind creatively. |
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Kiah Jackson
Kiah is the welcoming face you see when you enter our front office! She works as our front desk, patient care coordinator. She is a recent high school graduate and enjoys reading, traveling, and music in her spare time! |
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Drew TranDrew graduated from LSU Baton Rouge receiving her bachelor's degree in (2020) and venturing to LSU New Orleans to receive her masters degree in Occupational Therapy where she graduated in the top 5% of the class (2024). She has a variety of clinical experiences including pediatric outpatient, school system, adult neuro-rehabilitation, and inpatient rehabilitation. She loves working with children to create more functional independence for them in their daily lives!
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Grace LemoineGrace received her bachelor's degree (2022) and master’s degree (2024) in Communication Disorders from Louisiana State University. Her clinical experiences include pediatric and adult outpatient care and pediatric patients in the school system. She has experience working with pediatric populations including children with speech sound disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), social communication deficits, and feeding difficulties and disorders. Grace is passionate about building relationships with clients and their families and encouraging each child to reach their fullest potential by helping them communicate their wants, needs, and ideas as well as connect with loved ones.
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Blayne ShepherdBlayne received her bachelor’s degree (2022) and master’s degree (2024) in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Southeastern Louisiana University. She has clinical experience working with adults in a skilled nursing facility, pediatrics in the school system, and in early intervention settings. Blayne has experience serving pediatric populations with speech sound disorders/delays, autism spectrum disorder, feeding disorders, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and expressive and receptive language deficits. Blayne is passionate about providing services that build confidence and allow for each child to reach their ultimate potential!
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Mary Claire, SLP
Mary Claire received her bachelor’s degree in Pre-Professional Speech Language Pathology from Louisiana Tech University in 2022 and her master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Louisiana State University in 2024. Her clinical experiences include pediatric and adult outpatient care and pediatric patients in the school system. She has experience working with pediatric populations including children with autism spectrum disorder, expressive/receptive language disorders, speech sound disorders, cleft lip/ palate, feeding disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Mary Claire loves helping her patients build confidence in themselves and improve their functional communication skills! |
MORE THAN THERAPY SERVICES
LAUNCH provides high-quality evidence-based practices conveniently located for the residents of Livingston Parish and surrounding areas. This enables children to participate in optimal therapy, academic, and family time.