No Limits is proud of its dedicated staff, whose collective passion has helped thousands of children with hearing loss and their families reach their full potential and achieve their dreams.
Dr. Michelle Christie
Founder, Executive Director
michelle@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Michelle Christie, Ms.Ed., CCC, Ed.D, founded No Limits in 1996. After 18 years in the entertainment industry, Dr. Christie decided to follow her dream of working with children with hearing loss who speak and listen. She changed her career path and earned a Masters Degree in Education, with a full fellowship and distinguished honors from the USC/John Tracy Clinic Program. She later received her Doctorate in Education from UCLA. Her dissertation focused on the needs and experiences of low-income Latino parents of school-age children with hearing loss. She has been invited to present her findings throughout the country, as well as internationally, including the Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) Conference in Italy with representatives from over 60 countries.
Julie Heimler
M.Ed. LSLS Cert. Aved
Listen Listeners Specialist
julie@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org  
Julie has been working at No Limits for almost ten years as an AVT therapist and a program director. Her knowledge, passion, creativity and love for families and children make her a great asset to No Limits and the community. She leads the way in partnerships between No Limits and the community, and is instrumental in running the Educational Centers in Los Angeles, Oxnard and Las Vegas. ​​
Eileen Nelson
National Theater Program Director 
​eileen@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Eileen Nelson is a producer, director and writer with over 30 years experience in the theatre industry. As the National Theater Manager, she is responsible for coordinating No Limits productions nationwide, as well as educational outreach performances across the country. Eileen has been with No Limits since 1998, when her daughter, Christen, performed in the very first No Limits production of Building Blocks in New York City. Eileen provides guidance to parents who enroll in the program and offers them help not only during the productions, but also throughout their child’s school-age years. Eileen credits No Limits for teaching her how to be an advocate for her daughter, who now has a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy and works with special needs children as part of the NYC Board of Education.
Sofia Ramirez
Oxnard Program Director
sofia@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Sofia Ramirez, M.S. has been a D/HH teacher for over twelve years, working with deaf children from birth through high school. She is an expert in Remote Learning and has spearheaded No Limits' successful efforts to provide remote services to our community. An Adjunct Professor with Cal Lutheran, she prepares future D/HH teachers for excellence in the field. Sofia believes that teachers can foster language by making learning fun, interesting, and new.
Andrea Lacey
MS. Ed., DHH-Ed.Spc. 
​LA Program Director
andreal@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org

​Andrea has worked at No Limits for 3 years as a Speech and Language teacher and as a teacher for kids with hearing loss at Echo Horizon School. She has also served as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing itinerant teacher, working with students of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds in Los Angeles. With her multiple subject teaching credential, and Masters in Education from Mount St. Mary's, Andrea brings experience and passion to running the educational programs at No Limits.
Adam Cooper
Director, Digital Media
adam@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org

Adam is a digital content veteran who has served as a New Media Director for Barack Obama and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a marketing director for startups, and a content strategist for brands like Coolhaus and Power Rangers. A board member of The Inner-City Shakespeare Ensemble, Adam produced the organization's first film venture, the award-winning Iago. Adam is passionate about filmmaking, service, and helping tell the No Limits story. ​
Veronica Rodriguez
​Executive Assistant
veronicarodriguez@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
​
With over 12 years of executive assistant experience and a passion for education, Veronica brings skill and commitment to her role supporting the No Limits mission. Having served as the chief assistant to an Avon Global Ambassador, where she played key roles in successfully staging The Walk to End Breast Cancer and various Foundation for Women events, Veronica knows first hand the importance of logistics and planning to a successful nonprofit organization. She loves getting students excited about reading, and in her free time volunteers at several Southern California elementary schools.
Picture











Ericka Duesterhaus
Las Vegas Theater Director
ericka@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Ericka is a teacher of the deaf with over 20 years experience in the Clark County School district, a BA in Deaf Education, and an MA in Early Intervention. Her expertise, combined with her love of theater and children, make her an integral part of No Limits' Theater Program. When not working with deaf children, she can be found spoiling her nieces and nephews or working on her photography.
Jeannette Robles
Oxnard Program Coordinator and Outreach
jeannette@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Having worked for over 10 years as a teacher and administrator, coordinating with over 150 school districts throughout California, Jeannette brings a wealth of experience to the Educational Center in Oxnard. Her great passion is seeing the light in her students’ eyes when they achieve a goal they thought was impossible, which is the embodiment of  the No Limits motto: “I Can Do It!” When not at work, Jeannette enjoys cooking and volunteering for her son’s Little League baseball team. ​
Dr. Maura Martindale
Parent and Teacher Specialist
maura@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Maura Martindale, EdD, LSL Cert. AVEd, is a certified Auditory Verbal Educator. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California in 1999. She is the founder and director of the Master’s Degree of Science in the Education of the Deaf and Credential Program, and is an Associate Professor, at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. She has provided guidance and support to families of children with hearing loss in listening and spoken language at No Limits for deaf children centers in Southern California for over 15 years. Throughout her 40-plus years teaching at numerous universities, Dr. Martindale has prepared hundreds of teachers of the deaf for schools and programs throughout the US. 
Dr. Brittney Medina
Head of Audiology
​brittney@nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Brittney Medina, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA, is a pediatric audiologist board certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association and a member of the American Academy of Audiology. She received her doctorate degree in Audiology at the University of Washington and completed her training at USC Keck Medical Center/Caruso Family Center for Childhood Communication. Passionate about improving the quality of life for her patients, Dr. Medina has worked with children and adults in a variety of settings, and has a specific interest in helping children with cochlear implants and vestibular disorders. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and in her free time, enjoys hiking, camping and playing with her chihuahua, Smakie.
No Limits is proud of its certified teachers of the Deaf, auditory verbal therapists, reading specialists, music and arts teachers, and collaborating audiologist.  No Limits also appreciates all its theater directors, workshop team members, and volunteers nationwide.