Our Team

Administrators

• • 
  • Julie Cooper, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT
  • Executive Director
  • Julie Cooper is the Executive Director of the Baker Institute for Children with Hearing Loss. She founded the Listen to Me! Conference through work initially developed at Stanford University in 2009 and continues to guide its growth in California, Hawai‘i, and internationally. Julie also leads the Hear Kenya Initiative, which unites global partners to deliver medical and audiology supplies, expand professional training, and launch Kenya’s first teletherapy program for children with hearing loss. Previously, Julie served as the speech-language pathologist on Stanford’s Cochlear Implant Team (2008–2013) and has provided listening and spoken language (LSL) therapy at the Weingarten Children’s Center since 2007. She has been selected to serve as Topic Chair for Listening, Language, and Speech for Children with Hearing Loss for the 2027 ASHA Convention. She holds an MS in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist in auditory-verbal therapy. Julie is most inspired by the resilience of families and the joy of seeing children with hearing loss learn to speak, connect, and thrive.
• • 
  • Caroline Montgomery, MSDE, LSLS Cert. AVEd
  • Senior Development Strategist
  • Caroline Montgomery serves as the Baker Institute's Senior Development Strategist, focused on California and international initiatives. She is a Teacher of the Deaf and certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS). Caroline earned her master’s degree in deaf education from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Santa Clara University in California. Caroline also serves as Coordinator for the TeachLSL Tele-intervention Program at Weingarten Children’s Center in Redwood City, CA. Caroline’s experience includes serving as the Cochlear Implant Education Coordinator for the ENT Department at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and as a Teacher of the Deaf at The Moog Center for Deaf Education in St. Louis, Missouri. Caroline has contributed her expertise as both a teacher and therapist for the Listen to Me! conferences, working with children, families, and professionals in California, Hawaii, and Kenya.
• • 
  • Dawn Harman
  • Operations, HR & Development Manager
  • Dawn serves as the Operations, HR & Development Manager for the Baker Institute for Children with Hearing Loss. Dawn brings over twenty years experience in program coordination, HR administration, donor communication and relationship building across diverse and multicultural communities. She has assisted nonprofit and charitable organizations dealing with social justice and human rights, children’s issues, and humanitarian disaster relief efforts. While living abroad, Dawn volunteered with social service organizations in Germany, and served as the Charity Coordinator for the International Women’s Club of Bratislava, Slovakia. Dawn has a passion for mission-driven initiatives and believes in the life-changing opportunities Baker is providing for children and families, supporting them with knowledge, encouragement and care.
• • 
  • Danielle Bourque, MS, CCC-SLP
  • Engagement & Communications Manager
  • Danielle Bourque is the Engagement & Communications Manager for the Baker Institute. Danielle holds a BS in Kinesiology – Exercise Science from Saint Mary’s College of California, a second BS in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education from Utah State University, and an MS in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. With a passion for supporting children with hearing loss, Danielle has been an integral part of the Listen to Me! program since 2014. She began as a volunteer and has since served in various roles, including Baby Class Teacher, LSL Teacher Assistant, and Administrative Assistant. Danielle also provides speech and language services at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), where she supports children’s communication development and collaborates with the cochlear implant team to foster listening and spoken language skills. Danielle’s favorite part of her work with the Baker Institute is connecting with families during the Listen to Me! application process and witnessing the transformative outcomes and lasting relationships that develop throughout the program.
• • 
  • Julienne Cancio
  • Admin & Communications Coordinator
  • Julienne Cancio is the Admin & Communications Coordinator for the Baker Institute. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a B.S. in Human Development, a B.A. in Communication, and a minor in Public Health. Her education and professional experiences have fostered a passion for health communication and using digital media to connect communities with evidence-based resources. At Baker, Julienne plays a key role in coordinating conference registration, program communications, administrative operations, and development initiatives. She works closely with the team to support families and professionals participating in Baker's programs while helping strengthen the organization's outreach and engagement efforts. Drawing on her background in education, research, and digital communications, Julienne brings a thoughtful, organized, and creative approach to advancing Baker's mission. She hopes to pursue a master's degree in health communication and continue finding innovative ways to translate research into meaningful community impact.