Gretchen graduated from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville with her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. Before joining PRC, she worked as a speech language pathology assistant at a habilitation center which housed an adult population with varying degrees of developmental disabilities. During her time at the habilitation center, Gretchen worked with various types of augmentative communication. She worked closely with the psychology department to help reduce behaviors in consumers through their use of communication and helped to decrease the frustration associated with the inability to communicate. Gretchen prepared various AAC strategies, developed low tech solutions and programmed AAC devices for consumers. While at the habilitation center, Gretchen also had the opportunity to implement therapy for these various forms of alternative and augmentative communication.

Gretchen is a member of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC).