Our Team
Music therapists at West Music
assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills;
they design music sessions based on client needs using music improvisation, music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, and learning through music;
and they participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, & follow-up.
Meet Our Team of Music Therapists
Rachael Willeke, MT-BC: Director of Music Therapy
Rachael became the Director of Music Therapy Services in August of 2021 but has worked as part of the Music Therapy Team at West since 2006. She was inspired by music therapy because she wanted her impact to stretch beyond the practice room; in college it felt like a lot of the music-making happened in a practice room. Rachael loves to see the power of music therapy at work across the music therapy team every day! Her best days are spent with patients facing the end of life: celebrating lives well lived, witnessing heartfelt emotions, and proving comfort and support.
Rachel Burchett, MT-BC: Assistant Director of Music Therapy
Rachel started at West Music in 2015 and became Assistant Director in 2021. Rachel is also diriector of the West Music - Coralville internship, and enjoys helping aspiring music therapists through that final portion of their education! Rachel particularly loves working with folks with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and she's passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance client outcomes. Rachel directs Iowa City's SoundReach Choir, and she facilitates a summer program called "Rock the Summer," which gives young adults with disabilities the opportunity to join a band. Rachel is a coffee lover, D&D player, stepmom, and wife.
Amanda Neira, MA, MT-BC
Amanda was born and raised in Iowa and has been a music therapist since 2012. She spent 8 years in California running a music therapy private practice, and in 2022 she joined West Music in Des Moines to be closer to family. Nothing beats “Iowa Nice!” She is passionate about working in hospice, and loves opportunities to listen to patients’ stories and wisdom. Outside of work she’s started to get into biking and exploring the beautiful trails that Des Moines has to offer.
Aurora Navarro Cancel, MT-BC
Aurora joined the West Music Team in 2025 after studying music therapy at the University of Iowa and completing an intership at Trustbridge She chose music therapy as a career because seh loves music and helping people - making music therapy the perfect combination! Aurora discovered her passion for working with hospice patients during her internship, and she loves getting to know people from all walks of life. Outside of work, Aurora loves to write, read, play video games, and spend time with her family, friends, fiancée, and two cats.
Carissa Whittington, MT-BC
Carissa joined the West Music Team in 2026 after earning degrees in Psychology and Music Therapy from the University of Kansas and completing her internship at West Music. Carissa has always had a dream to help as many people as she can, and when she found music therapy, it was a perfect way to achieve that dream. In her free time, Carissa enjoys traveling, watching movies, and crocheting animals for her nieces and nephews.
Emma Davis, MT-BC
Emma joined the music therapy team at West Music in 2016. She primarily works with individuals in inpatient cancer care, hospice, and inpatient mental health groups, but has experience working with a wide variety of clients. Emma was drawn to a career in music therapy because of the way music comforts and expresses emotions that are difficult to put into words. In her practice, she enjoys encouraging clients to express themselves and develop new coping skills through singing, playing instruments, or songwriting, regardless of their previous musical knowledge or experiences.
Hannah McGinty, MT-BC
Hannah joined the West Music team in August of 2024 after completing her internship at West Music. Hannah’s goal in life was to help people as much as she could. When Hannah discovered music therapy put her love of music and helping people together, she knew she had found the right job for her. Hannah enjoys working with clients of all age, but kids are a true highlight in Hannah’s career as a music therapist. When Hannah isn’t making music with clients, she’s most likely reading a book, trying out a new recipe, or playing a board game with friends.
Hayley Turner, MA, MT-BC
Hayley joined the West Music team in 2019 and works in the Cedar Rapids area. Her favorite thing about being a music therapist is the opportunity to get to know such a wide variety of people and use music to build meaningful connections. She feels fortunate to learn from people from all walks of life and loves getting to be creative daily. When not music therapizing, Hayley is a clarinetist and enjoys exploring nature, drinking coffee, and spending time with loved ones.
Kelly Carlson, MA, MT-BC
Kelly joined the West Music team in 2005 and has served in several roles including supervisor, Director, and clinical music therapist. Throughout her career, Kelly has worked with a wide variety of populations, and she especially enjoys helping people at the end of life by bringing joy and connection to families during some of life's most stressful moments. In 2022, Kelly decided to pursue her Ph.D. in Music Therapy with the ultimate goal of becoming a college professor. She says, "I am excited to share my passion for [music therapy] through training the next generation of music therapists!"
L. Johnson, MT-BC
L. has enjoyed working with people of all ages at West Music since 2005; currently she primarily works with school-aged children in special education. L. appreciates collaborating with others on her teams and loves seeing the growth the kids make as a result. She also reaps benefits from music therapy sessions, as it encourages the practice of being present, patient, and flexible. L. has enjoyed serving as the internship director since 2013. She strives to cultivate a supportive internship that prepares future music therapists for their careers.
Laura Jones, MT-BC
Laura started working with West Music in the Quad Cities in 2022. She studied music therapy at Illinois State University where her primary instrument was percussion. Laura mainly works with hospice patients, but has also worked in addiction recovery, and with veterans, school-aged children, and intellecutally/developmentally disabled individuals of all ages. She plays piano, guitar, marimba, and various other instruments! Outside of work Laura enjoys traveling with her husband and dog, reading, playing games, and watching Chicago Cubs baseball games.
Lydia Leichty, MT-BC
Lydia joined the West Music team in 2026 after earning her degree in Music Therapy from Indiana Wesleyan University. Lydia is passionate about sharing the benefits of Music Therapy and enjoys connecting with others through meaningful conversations. Outside of work, Lydia enjoys going for walks, attending theater productions, and exploring the Cedar Falls/ Waterloo area.
Madi Terrell, MT-BC
Madi joined the West Music – Music Therapy team in 2016. She has worked with a variety of populations, including individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, patients at end-of-life, & cancer patients. Madi is especially passionate about her work in mental health settings and writing original songs with clients. She believes in the importance of self-expression and in focusing on what a person can do rather than on what they cannot. She combines these beliefs with her love of music to help individuals achieve their goals.
