Grateful
Thankfully Inspired was founded by a passionate mother, leader, advocate, and therapist.
Our mission is to provide exceptional services that inspire and empower the lives we touch while fostering a culture of growth and gratitude.
Believing in (and living) our company's twelve core values make our Pediatric Therapy Clinic different. We value gratitude, growth, team work, integrity, heart, and hard work. We invest in professional (and personal) growth to ensure a compassionate and competent team of professionals.
Since our founding in 2019, we have expanded greatly but still provide the same intimate, personal, and excellent service we did when we opened. We are staffed by a team of highly-skilled and certified professionals and an exceptional administrative staff who keep our practice thriving and running efficiently.
Our Leaders and Learners
Jamie Smith, M.A., CCC-SLP/Owner/Founder
Jamie is the owner and clinic director of Thankfully Inspired, LLC. She earned her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University, and a master’s from Washington State University. Jamie is currently a licensed speech-language pathologist in California and Hawaii.
Jamie is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Hanen, Apraxia Kids, International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM), and previous Hawaii-Speech-Language-Hearing Association Educational Affairs Director, and Board Member.
Jamie provides professional training, speech-language evaluations, consultation, therapy, and support to families.
Jamie has worked with children for 25+ years and in the field of speech-language pathology for 18+ years. She has been a preschool teacher, speech-language therapy assistant, private practice SLP, and school based SLP. Before opening her private practice in Hawaii, she worked in several schools and locales across the United States (OH, GA, AK, WA, MT, CA, MD), providing an uniquely broad perspective and approach to education and speech-language intervention. Jamie is certified in the Hanen Program®, More Than Words, and has taken advanced courses in Social Thinking®. She is currently pursuing an additional certification in Orofacial Myology. Orofacial myology is used in feeding, trauma, cranial nerve deficits, swallowing, aversion and behavioral feeding disorders, apraxia, phonological processing deficits, tongue thrusting, and associated deficits in dental occlusion, orthodontic relapse, and craniofacial abnormalities.
When not working she enjoys spending time with her husband and three active children. She enjoys writing, reading, hiking, spending time in the water (scuba diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, and fishing), cheering on her kids, reading about Enneagram types, and listening to podcasts.
Candace,
Operations and Billing Manager
Candace is the Office and Billing Manager for Thankfully Inspired, LLC. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Liberty University and has over 4 years of experience in billing, insurance, and administration.
Candace has worked in the healthcare industry in locations across the United States, including Oklahoma, North Carolina, and California. She has moved often for her husband's job in the Marine Corps, and she is thrilled to call Hawaii home.
Candace is hard working, compassionate, and open minded. She understands our patients' families' struggles as a military spouse and the mother of two children who have received speech-language, feeding, and physical therapy services. With this firsthand experience, she is passionate about working to help other families receive this critical care.
When she's not working, Candace enjoys exploring the beauty of Hawaii. She enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, hunting for seashells, and visiting the beach with her family.
Shelia Madden,
PT, DPT, PCS
Lead PT
Sheila earned her bachelor's degree and clinical doctorate in physical therapy from The University of Minnesota. She completed a Certificate in Advanced Practice in Pediatric Rehabilitation with Drexel University in 2013 and, in 2021, became a board-certified pediatric clinical specialist. She is currently a licensed physical therapist in Hawaii and Mississippi.
She has worked in pediatrics for her entire career, 14+ years, and has a wide variety of pediatric experiences across the United States (MN, FL, CA, MS). Sheila is passionate about providing physical therapy services to meet the needs of both the child and the family. She loves promoting motor skills, strength, balance, and coordination in all children; so they can safely and effectively play with family and friends. She has special interests in early intervention, aquatic therapy, treadmill training for children with Down syndrome, and body-weight-supported treadmill training for children with cerebral palsy.
Sheila is the wife of a Naval Officer and the mom of two boys with endless energy. She enjoys pursuing her own fitness endeavors with her husband and has completed two Ironman triathlons. Sheila is a lifelong learner and strives to provide evidence-based interventions that maximize function. Not only does Sheila strive to educate herself, but she has the passion to educate others. She is also the co-creator and host of a weekly podcast (@PushingPediatrics) for other pediatric physical therapists looking to become board-certified pediatric clinical specialists.
Sheila is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and a member of the Pediatrics Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. She is a volunteer critical literature appraiser for the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy’s Cerebral Palsy Clinical Practice Guideline (CP-CPG) project entitled: ‘Physical Therapy Intervention to Improve Mobility in Children Aged 5-22 years old with Cerebral Palsy (CP) Classified at GFMCS I, II or III.’
Kristina Fuentes
M.S, CCC-SLP
LEAD SLP
Kristina earned her master’s degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders from New York University, where she is also currently an adjunct instructor for the graduate program. Kristina is currently a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Hawaii, California, Colorado, Michigan, and Indiana.
Kristina is the Past President and Board Member of the Hawaii Speech-Language Hearing Association (HSHA), member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She had presented research findings and assessment techniques at several ASHA conventions.
Kristina has an array of experience with clients with experience working in several settings including schools (elementary and high school), skilled nursing facilities and hospitals over the past 10+ years. Before joining Thankfully Inspired, she was the Director of Rehabilitation for several facilities across the islands. Kristina is certified in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment and Flexible Endoscopy Evaluation of Swallowing. She has special interests in Dysphagia, neurogenic disorders, executive functioning, and language. However, she is still actively pursuing continuing education courses in multiple areas of speech pathology and enjoys using person-centered interventions to address a multitude of areas.
When not working Kristina relishes in spending time with her husband and two new puppies, Baxter and Pacho! She enjoys house projects, listening to podcasts, hiking and let’s be honest—just lying on the beach and food!
Patricia Cortina, M.S., CCC-SLP
Patricia earned her bachelor's and master's degree from California State University- Sacramento. Patricia is currently a licensed speech-language pathologist in California and Hawaii.
Including her graduate experience, Patricia has worked with children for 4 years in the area of speech pathology. In addition, she has experience working as a Applied Behavioral Analysis Registered Behavioral Technician for 2 years. Patricia has worked in the school, clinic, and home health settings. As a bilingual SLP, she has worked with Spanish speaking clients and families across her time as a student and professional.
Her special interests include Autism Spectrum Disorder, early intervention, Dysphagia, neurogenic language disorders, and fluency.
When not working Patricia enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, cooking, going for walks on the beach, and photography.
Jordyn Sheriff, M.S., CCC-SLP
Jordyn earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania where she also served as a research assistant. Jordyn presented research findings at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) national convention in 2016 and 2017. In addition to academics, Jordyn was a member of Misericordia’s cross country and track and field teams.
Jordyn is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing association and is certified to practice in the state of Hawaii. She has worked with pediatrics in the field of speech-language pathology for two-years in the school setting. Prior to this, she worked as a day camp counselor and swim lessons instructor for children for six-years. Her special interests include play-based therapy, literacy-based intervention, gestalt language processing, and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
When not working, Jordyn enjoys running, paddle boarding, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family.