San Diego(913)701-7033 Portland(503)610-6218
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Meet the Team of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists
Audrey richards RDH
Audrey Richards is a dedicated practitioner in the field of myofunctional therapy and the founder of Optimized Airways. She is passionate about helping both children and adults address the root causes of issues such as sleep apnea, snoring, teeth grinding, mouth breathing, and poor oral posture.
Audrey believes that many common problems—like crowded teeth, acid reflux, chronic fatigue, and even behavioral challenges in children—can often be traced back to poor airway health and dysfunctional oral habits. Rather than simply masking symptoms, she is committed to helping clients uncover and address the underlying causes so they can experience lasting improvements in their health and quality of life.
One of Audrey’s favorite parts of her work is building meaningful relationships with her clients. She loves the “aha” moments when something finally clicks and watching people gain the tools and confidence they need to succeed.
Her passion for this work began at home. After noticing that some of the habits her own children displayed were actually signs of larger myofunctional issues, Audrey dove deeper into understanding airway health and functional therapy. What started as a journey to support her own family quickly grew into a calling to help others.
Through Optimized Airways, Audrey works to bring awareness to the myofunctional habits that have become normalized in today’s world. She believes that awareness is the first step toward change and is dedicated to helping families recognize opportunities to improve breathing, sleep, and overall wellness.
Audrey lives in sunny San Diego and works with clients both locally and virtually, making myofunctional therapy accessible to families near and far.
Julie Rayniak RDH
Julie joined the Optimized Airways team in 2025. With more than 30 years of experience as a dental hygienist, she brings a wealth of knowledge and clinical insight to the practice. Her deep understanding of oral health, paired with her passion for helping patients achieve optimal airway function, makes her an invaluable member of the team.
Throughout her career, Julie began to notice that many of the dental challenges her patients experienced—such as grinding, crowded teeth, and oral health concerns—were often connected to underlying myofunctional dysfunctions. Discovering myofunctional therapy gave her the opportunity to address these root causes in a way she hadn’t been able to before.
Julie is passionate about connecting the dots between dental health and airway function. By combining her extensive dental background with myofunctional therapy, she helps both adults and children build the foundations for better breathing, healthier oral function, and improved overall wellness.
She is excited to be part of the Optimized Airways team and looks forward to supporting adults on their journey to better health while empowering children with the tools they need to grow and thrive with strong, healthy airways.
Julie lives in Wilsonville, Oregon with her husband and their two Yorkie puppies. She sees clients both in person in the Portland area and virtually, allowing her to support patients no matter where they are located.
Our WHY: Our Family
We have seen first hand the immediate changes that can occur when you get myofunctional issues under control within our own homes. We can't wait to share what we have learned with all of you!
Whether you are a parent wanting to advocate for your kids, or an adult wanting to optimize your airways with myofunctional therapy, we can't wait to hear from you!
Whether you are concerned about your growing child, or are an adult who struggles with snoring, grinding or headaches, working on improving nasal breathing and improving muscle tone and coordination to your airway muscles can make a world of difference on your quality of life! Improving myofunctional habits can change the way they sleep and thrive!
Call us and see how myofunctional therapy can help you today!
