About Us
Our History
Hearing and Speech Connection’s roots go back to the 1990s when Curtis Whicker, an audiology student and future hearing aid doctor, married Tana Thorley, a speech pathology student.
That dream came true in 2002 when they opened their first office together in Miles City, Montana. Fast forward to 2021, and their audiologist son, Joshua Whicker, and speech pathologist daughter-in-law, Natalie Whicker, have now joined the team! Who could have imagined then the direction this family business would one day go!
With offices in Billings, Miles City, and Glendive, we are southeast Montana’s ONLY integrated hearing and speech clinic.
Our Providers
Curtis Whicker MS FAAA CO-OWNER
Curtis Whicker
MS FAAA CO-OWNER
Curtis Whicker, MS, FAAA, co-owner, graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelors degree in speech and hearing science, a masters degree in audiology, and is currently enrolled in an audiology doctoral program.
He is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and holds a Montana state license in audiology.
His professional interests include treatment of tinnitus and fitting of advanced hearing instrument technology.
He enjoys 3D printing and building motorized longboards as well as drawing and painting. He loves spending time with his family.
Tana Whicker MS CCC-SLP CO-OWNER
Tana Whicker
MS CCC-SLP CO-OWNER
Tana Whicker, MS, CCC-SLP, co-owner, also graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelors degree in speech and hearing science and a masters degrees in speech-language pathology.
She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and a Montana state license for speech-language pathology.
Tana is our practice manager and oversees operations in our three locations.
She enjoys reading, playing the cello, and baking.
Josh Whicker AuD FAAA
Josh Whicker
AuD FAAA
Josh Whicker, AuD, FAAA, grew up in Miles City, Montana. He obtained his bachelors degree at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and his doctorate in audiology from Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.
He received specialized training at St. Luke’s Hearing and Balance Center in Boise, Idaho with emphasis on providing audiological services to patients with hearing aids and cochlear implants, and assessment of balance disorders.
Josh’s clinical interests include adult and pediatric hearing diagnostics, hearing aid fittings, and cochlear implant activation/mapping. He holds a Montana state license in audiology.
In his free time, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and their two golden retrievers. He enjoys hiking, camping, longboarding, playing guitar, and playing board games with family and friends.
Natalie Whicker MS CCC-SLP
Natalie Whicker
MS CCC-SLP
Beth
Beth
Our SUPPORT STAFF
Adam is completing an internship to become a board certified hearing instrument specialist (BC-HIS), and travels among our three clinic locations assisting with patient care. He is a former college and professional bareback bronc rider (Northwest regional champion and college national finalist), who hung up his hat and spurs when he graduated college with a degree in wildlife ecology. He is now a husband and father to four energetic kids, and a self-proclaimed plant and wildlife nerd. He loves fishing, hunting, camping, and working with his hands to build and create, and his skills come in handy with our in-house hearing aid repairs.
Jamie is our patient care coordinator. She was born and raised in Miles City, returning home to our community after 20 years away. She has worked in the medical field for 22 years, and is a billing and scheduling guru. She loves gardening, baking, cooking and spending time with her husband and son.
Monica is our billing specialist and the office manager at our Billings clinic. She was born in Sweden and has been married for 43 years, and has worked with us since we began our practice in 2002. She loves spending time with her two children and six grandchildren, and enjoys traveling, camping, reading, knitting and crocheting.
Maizie is our clinic receptionist. She is a college student studying elementary education and plans to be a teacher when she graduates. She enjoys playing the piano, spending time with friends, and organizing social events.
Ethan is our repair technician and IT specialist. With all the advanced computers and equipment necessary for our office administration and patient care, Ethan stays busy keeping everything running in tip-top shape. In his free time, Ethan enjoys listening to music, graphic design, and spending time with his family and friends.
