Northwest Hearing + Tinnitus’ Hearing Healthcare Professionals

Kindra Veith, Au.D., MHA, CH-TM

Doctor of Audiology & Director of Audiology

Dr. Kindra Veith completed her Audiology Residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. While there, Dr. Veith specialized in audiologic intervention services including cochlear implants, hearing aids, and bone-anchored hearing systems. She also completed rotations that included vestibular diagnostics, tinnitus management, and pediatric and adult comprehensive hearing assessments. Currently, Dr. Veith is ABA certified in tinnitus and decreased sound tolerance management, and enjoys problem-solving with the highest level of patient-centered care. She enjoys working with all populations including musicians, children aged 5 and older, and those with tinnitus and hearing loss.

Dr. Veith comes to Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus with a Doctorate of Audiology and Master’s Degree of Healthcare Administration from Pacific University in Hillsboro, OR. She grew up in Portland, OR and moved to Seattle with her husband and dogs. She enjoys getting outside with her family, fitness, wine, animals, and traveling. 

Education you can trust

• Doctor of Audiology: Pacific University
• Master of Health Care Administration: Pacific University
• Bachelor of Science in Health Science: Portland State University

A strong commitment to continuing education & professional contact

• President: Washington State Academy of Audiology
• Certificate Holder—Tinnitus Management (CH-TM™)

Tyler Ellis, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA, CH-TM

Doctor of Audiology

Dr. Tyler Ellis joins Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus in Seattle, from Charlotte, NC, where he practiced clinical audiology, specializing in tinnitus management, within a large otolaryngology medical group. Dr. Ellis earned his doctorate in audiology from the University of Iowa Graduate College, and completed a clinical residency wherein he received advanced training and experience in adult and pediatric diagnostic audiology, hearing aids, tinnitus, cochlear implants, and vestibular (balance) assessment and rehabilitation. Dr. Ellis obtained an undergraduate degree in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences from the University of Minnesota. Following his education, he has committed himself to continued education and has obtained several certificates. Dr. Ellis is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and is awarded the Certificate in Tinnitus Management by the American Board of Audiology. He also maintains the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

A classically trained pianist and avid music hobbyist, Dr. Ellis understands and advocates for the importance of hearing health, not only for the safety of knowing what is happening around you and for the understanding of day-to-day conversation, but also for engaging fully with what brings joy and deep purpose to your life, such as connecting with a long-distance loved one over the phone, hosting movie nights with friends, taking in precious moments with a soft-spoken child, following each verse of a theatre performance or sermon, picking out individual voices in the symphony orchestra, or experiencing the cacophony of chirps, buzzes, whirs, and stirs on a solo nature hike. Dr. Ellis is eager to share with you the tools to manage your hearing loss, tinnitus, noise sensitivity/intolerance, and prevent further loss of hearing function. He is committed to providing you accessible, patient-centered, evidence-based consultation and care for all your hearing health needs.

Outside of clinical practice, Dr. Ellis is looking forward to finding community in the local music scenes and enjoying all the offerings of nearby state and national parks with his canine pal, Franklin. 

Education you can trust

• Doctor of Audiology: University of Iowa Graduate College
• Bachelor Degree in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences: University of Minnesota. 

A strong commitment to continuing education & professional contact

• Fellow: American Academy of Audiology
• Member: Washington Speech Language Hearing Association 
• Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Certificate in Clinical Tinnitus Management administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Certificate Holder—Tinnitus Management (CH-TM™)

Tamsyn Baumgartner

Audiology Assistant

Tamsyn Baumgartner is the Audiology Assistant at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus.

She is specially trained to see patients for repair and maintenance appointments.

Tamsyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Western Washington University. She has years of exceptional customer care. Her goal is to create an environment of compassion, and respect, with our patients always being heard and feeling acknowledged.

She grew up in Monroe, Washington with her sister and has always called the PNW home. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family and cooking in her spare time.

Traciemichael “Tee” M. Skolrud

Patient Care Coordinator

Traciemichael “Tee” Skolrud is the Patient Care Coordinator at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus. Tee acts as a liaison between patient and audiologist, answering any clinical questions and creating a positive and welcoming energy to the clinic. Tee is born and raised in the greater Seattle area, has always considered the PNW to be home. When she is not assisting patients she enjoys exploring the city, reading mystery novels, listening to true crime podcasts and spending quality time with her family and friends.

Madison Cole, Au.D., CH-TM

Doctor of Audiology

Dr. Madison Cole received her Doctorate of Audiology from Pacific University, in Hillsboro, Oregon. Prior to obtaining her doctorate, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.

Dr. Cole completed her Audiology Residency at Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic in Redmond, Washington. While there, Dr. Cole completed rotations that included audiological intervention services, tinnitus management, vestibular diagnostics, and comprehensive audiological assessments in both the adult and pediatric populations.

She enjoys working with a collaborative team that delivers the most precise and quality patient care.

Dr. Cole is from the Arlington, Washington area and is excited to provide care to her new community in Olympia. Outside of clinical practice, Dr. Cole enjoys traveling, baking, craft beer, reading, and spending time with as many dogs as possible. 

Education you can trust

• Doctor of Audiology: Pacific University
• Bachelor of Arts: Western Washington University

A strong commitment to continuing education & professional contact

• Certificate Holder—Tinnitus Management (CH-TM™)

Emily Tourtelotte

Audiology Assistant

Emily Tourtelotte is the Audiology Assistant at Northwest Hearing + Tinnitus, Olympia. Emily is who you will see for your routine hearing aid maintenance or repairs.

In addition to her primary duties, Emily goes above and beyond, passionately driven to provide top-of-the-line patient care. She strives to cultivate a compassionate, all-inclusive, welcoming environment for any and all who come to the clinic.

Emily was born in South Korea and raised in Olympia for a better part of her life. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, accompanied with a minor in Human Development. In her off time, you can catch Emily expressing her love for any and all kinds of cooking (and cuisine!), exploring the outdoors, and creating a lifetime of memories.

Melanie K. Hecker, Au.D.

Doctor of Audiology & Owner

Dr. Hecker is the owner of the Northwest Hearing + Tinnitus clinics. After receiving her Doctorate of Audiology from Towson University in Maryland, she provided hearing healthcare in a multitude of clinical settings. Each setting varied in services, specialites, and cultures. Her preferred clinical setting is working in private practice due to the closer relationship that can be developed between the provider and patient as well as the individualized care that can be provided. She then spent over 5 years working in the hearing aid manufacturing industry providing Continuing Education Seminars and training; as well as assisting providers across the west coast with patient care.

Through these experiences, she found passion in tinnitus management and public speaking and developed a desire to create a company and culture of her own. She fervently went on to pursue her dream of designing an inclusive, equitable, fun, and healthy work atmosphere for staff and the best patient experience possible for all who come into the clinic. She acquired her first established private practice in Seattle, WA in 2018.

The Northwest Hearing + Tinnitus Brand was born in 2019. Dr. Hecker set out to ensure a extraordinary patient care and a healthy team culture and developed her company’s core values: 

Providing genuine care · Working with integrity · A culture of positivity

Based on these values, she assembled a team of compassionate and competent professionals with the desire to grow personally and professionally. Her mission for the company goes beyond providing exceptional patient care and aspires to reconnect those with hearing loss and tinnitus with the best parts of their lives. Because NWH+T is privately owned and independently operated by Dr. Hecker, she leads the Providers to do what is in the best interest of the patient. Thus, all patients receive personalized hearing healthcare for hearing and tinnitus management. If the treatment is a device, providers are not limited to a particular manufacturer, make, or model.

Having transitioned out of patient care and into Leadership & Growth Operations, Dr. Hecker is actively building her version of hearing healthcare to be accessible to a greater population. Furthermore, as an Employer, she strives to employ an equitable and inclusive team. Each of the clinics is co-managed by a team of Directors. Dr. Hecker leads this team to ensure that the company’s core values are instilled on every level and that each clinic delivers an environment and experience in alignment with those values.

Going beyond the reach of those who come to the clinic, Dr. Hecker is passionate about sharing the company’s resources to support the local PNW community. The NWH+T team participates in quarterly philanthropic activities to show our gratitude and support to our neighbors and other local businesses. 

Dr. Hecker grew up in Florida and has resided in Washington for the last decade. She is the mother of one wonderful son. Outside of her career, Dr. Hecker spends her time traveling, being outdoors, cooking, running, and reading.

Kindra Veith, Au.D., MHA, CH-TM

Director of Audiology

In addition to providing patient care as an Audiologist at our Seattle location, Dr. Veith oversees the clinical protocols and procedures across all locations as the Director of Audiology. In this leadership role, she ensures all team members are following best practices and that each patient receives stellar care in accordance with our company’s core values.

In alignment with these values, Dr. Veith oversees our quarterly philanthropic efforts. Her leadership role helps guide our clinical staff in their continuing education and commitment to personal and professional development. Additionally, Dr. Veith uses her education and experience to mentor aspiring Audiologists during their clinical rotations.

Casey King

Director of Operations

Casey King is the Director of Operations at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus.

Casey recently moved to Seattle from New York City, where he spent the last 5 years managing fitness centers. He’s passionate about improving the patient and employee experience, always striving to create industry-leading standards in every aspect of operations. Casey received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Sociology with a minor in Business Administration.

In his free time, you can find him rock climbing, roller skating, and dancing. He enjoys staying active and spending as much time as possible with friends and family.

Katielynn “Kayte” Maza, BA, HIS

Director of Marketing

Katielynn is the Director of Marketing at Northwest Hearing + Tinnitus.

As a passionate accessibility advocate, Kayte works to ensure that NWH+T can serve the Washington State communities’ hearing healthcare needs by promoting the company brand and services by building genuine relationships with community members. She works in collaboration with the NWH+T Creative Team as a content creator, marketing strategist, and client-facing company brand representative. In this leadership role, she co-manages the NWH+T clinics with the Owner, Director of Operations, and Director of Audiology to ensure that the framework of the company values is reflected across the clinics. Kayte wholeheartedly believes in the company’s mission to support local; with this in mind, she opts to use the local services for advertising and event planning.

Kayte was born and raised in Chicago, IL where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in American Sign Language Interpretation / Deaf Studies. Before that, she studied Communication Sciences and Disorders at Saint Xavier University. She is a licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist. She has a little under a decade of administrative, technical, clinical, and executive experience in private practice audiology.

Kayte works behind the scenes in Madison, WI with her loving husband, adorable an adventure-driven son, and cuddly pup. You can connect with her by e-mail: Kayte@northwestaudiology.com.

Marian Brightwell

Digital + Graphic Designer

Marian Brightwell is the Digital + Graphic Designer at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus.

She lives in Henderson, Nevada but was born and raised in the Philippines. She is fluent in Tagalog and English.  

Marian fuses her creative skills and passion for digital and graphic design to keep Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus’s marketing content and materials up-to-date, aesthetically pleasing and fun! She also manages our social media platforms to provide up-to-date hearing health information to our online readers.

Marian holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business and Entrepreneurship. She also loves to travel, watch movies, be outdoors and spend time with her husband, son and puppy.

Marian aims to deliver the latest news and updates on hearing health and audiology to our patients at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus!