Sound Starts Music was established by Mary Altom, a board certified music therapist, in 2011 to provide music therapy and adapted music lessons for children with special needs. Giving students opportunities to learn through music is Mary’s passion, and she is a firm believer that music can help every individual reach their fullest potential.

Mary earned her certification as a Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT) through intense training at Colorado State University. Mary completed her music therapy internship with MusicWorx of California under the supervision of Dr. Barbara Reuer and graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in Music – Music Therapy in 2007.

Mary is an active member of the American Music Therapy Association and the Southwestern Region American Music Therapy Association.  She enjoys attending national and regional conferences each year and has presented at regional conference.  Mary is married to Ben and they have three children – Jaxon (8), Lily (4), and Owen (baby). She enjoys reading and pinterest crafting in her spare time.

Watch Ms. Mary’s Facebook video here.

Tyler Smith is a 2018 graduate of Sam Houston State University majoring in Music Therapy. As Community Clinical Director, Tyler completes school evaluations and oversees services provided at our schools and other outside organizations! Tyler is a percussionist and was a drummer for the SHSU jazz lab band. Plano, Texas is his home, so he is excited to be back serving in this community. He is recently married so in his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife, Madison, watching movies, playing ping-pong, and watching the sunset. Tyler is excited to lead The Band Experience at Sound Starts.

Watch Mr. Tyler’s Facebook video here.

Charlotte Clark is a graduate from Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor’s in Music Therapy and has been Board Certified since 2016. Charlotte has experience working with different age groups and diagnoses. She has grown up and resides in Denton, TX where her love of music was created and nourished. She is a firm believer that music is a universal language and anyone can be a musician. Charlotte is also involved in her church choir and in the Denton Bell Band. When she is not working, Charlotte enjoys reading books, manga and online webcomics, as well as pottery, archery, and attempting to sew. 

Rachel Steffen graduated from Radford University in southwestern Virginia in the Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy. She completed her internship at Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas in April of 2021. She started her journey to becoming a music therapist
as a part of an inclusion gymnastics team that worked with people of all ages and abilities. When she got to high school, she realized how much she loved her primary instrument, percussion, as well. Soon after, she knew she wanted to be a music therapist. She is so excited to be working with the Sound Starts team. During her free time, Rachel plays for a community band and enjoys hiking, reading, and listening to podcasts.

Tanner Ledet completed his coursework for undergrad in Music Therapy in Fall of 2022 at Texas Woman’s University. In his studies, he worked with adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s, children in special education, adults at the homeless shelter, and clients diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome at the TWU speech-pathology clinic. Tanner is a strong believer in music therapy and hopes to empower his clients and provide skilled therapy using the power of music. In his free time, Tannerenjoys running and spending time with his family.