BATON ROUGE, La. — Madeline Johnson, a visionary speech therapist and entrepreneur, has boldly redefined accessibility and sensory comfort within the haircare industry. Last year, she made the courageous decision to leave a secure position as a speech therapist at a local hospital to dedicate her full energy to Miss Madeline’s LLC, her burgeoning sensory-based haircare business. This venture is specifically designed to serve the unique needs of children and adults who experience sensory sensitivities, a demographic often overlooked by traditional salon environments. Johnson’s commitment to inclusivity has now culminated in a groundbreaking innovation: an adapted shampoo bowl engineered to move in concert with the capabilities of a wheelchair, promising to transform the salon experience for countless individuals.
Beyond her entrepreneurial pursuits, Johnson has also rejoined speech-language pathologist Rachel Guidry at Connections Speech, Language & Reading Specialists. In this dual role, she continues to offer her expertise as a speech therapist while also providing her specialized sensory-friendly hairstyling services. This integrated approach allows her to address a broader spectrum of client needs, combining therapeutic interventions with personal care.
The genesis of Johnson’s adaptive shampoo bowl concept stemmed from a deeply concerning incident she learned about: an individual who suffered a fall during a transfer from a wheelchair to a conventional salon chair. This harrowing account ignited a spark of inspiration, even before she had fully launched her own business. Johnson recognized a significant unmet need within the community, a gap in services that could be addressed through thoughtful design and technological adaptation. "I had the idea for the bowl forever," Johnson stated, reflecting on the long incubation period of her vision. "I submitted it two years ago before I even had started Miss Madeline’s. I did a terrible job writing it up. No students chose it then, which, thank God." This initial setback, however, only fueled her determination to refine and reintroduce her concept.
Driven by a year of consistent work and experience in sensory-based haircare, Johnson meticulously revised her design and resubmitted it to the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Engineering’s Capstone Design Program in August 2025. This program is a pivotal initiative for senior engineering students, tasking them with developing tangible project deliverables for real-world companies and organizations. Johnson’s renewed proposal resonated powerfully with the student body. This time, her compelling vision captured the attention of four dedicated students: Claire Dolan, Jaden James, Tucker Poret, and Cheyenne White, who enthusiastically embraced her design challenge.
A Transformative Design Emerges
The LSU Capstone Design Fair proved to be a pivotal moment for Johnson and her innovative concept. Tucker Poret, one of the engineering students who joined the project, recalled the indelible first impression Johnson made. "She walked in from the pouring rain right into her presentation," Poret recounted. "She walked up there and gave her presentation while soaking wet. It really showed me that this person really cares a lot about this project and what they do." This display of unwavering dedication and passion immediately distinguished Johnson’s project from many others.
Upon delving deeper into Johnson’s vision, Poret and his teammates recognized not only a compelling engineering challenge but also a profound opportunity to make a meaningful difference. "A lot of the ideas pitched are for bigger corporations, and those are projects that typically get a lot of funding and support," Poret explained. "But this was someone in Baton Rouge that wanted to do something cool and just needed some resources to do it. That was part of my decision, and my teammates would echo similar thoughts." The students were motivated by the prospect of contributing to a project with direct social impact, driven by a local innovator with a clear purpose.
Johnson’s initial concept for the shampoo bowl was focused primarily on mobility and ensuring the bowl could adapt to the positioning of a wheelchair. However, the LSU engineering students, with their advanced knowledge and creative problem-solving skills, expanded upon her foundational ideas to meet the rigorous requirements of the Capstone project. During the first semester, the team meticulously utilized paper design and sophisticated computer-aided design (CAD) software, including AutoCAD and SolidWorks, to finalize the intricate blueprints.
The manufacturing phase presented a series of complex hurdles. "We started building things, and we realized that a lot of it needed more work to actually be put together," Poret admitted. "For example, the different adjustments had to be redesigned on the fly the second semester after we realized that the first idea wouldn’t really work during testing." The team faced significant challenges in redesigning the vertical, forward, and backward adjustment mechanisms, as well as the tilting system, requiring substantial effort within a compressed timeframe. Despite these obstacles, their perseverance yielded a remarkable outcome. "At the end, I think we created a really great prototype," Poret stated. "Ours does function, and with the constraints that Madeline gave us at the beginning of the previous semester, our project met all of those."
Johnson and the engineering team recognized the potential for further refinement and agreed to pursue a "second generation" of the adaptive shampoo bowl, with plans to bring the project back for Capstone consideration in 2026. A critical aspect of the Capstone project was the requirement for all components to be designed and manufactured by the students, ensuring replicability. Initially, Cheyenne White 3D printed the shampoo bowl, but issues with drainage efficiency led Johnson to purchase a more suitable bowl after the students’ project was graded. The engineering team then retrofitted this new bowl, demonstrating their continued commitment to the project’s success.
Poret attributed the project’s success in large part to Johnson’s unwavering passion. "Her passion drove the students to work hard on it," he said. "I hope it expands access to people, and it inspires work to continue because there’s so little in that space, as it’s kind of a niche area. It needs people like Madeline and other engineers paying attention to it so they can solve problems for people that need it." This sentiment highlights the broader impact of Johnson’s initiative, underscoring the importance of specialized innovation in addressing underserved communities.
Establishing an Inclusive Salon Environment
With the development of the adaptive shampoo bowl for wheelchairs, Johnson faced the next logistical challenge: securing a salon space that could accommodate her new equipment and her client base. Her previous small suite lease had ended in May, creating an opportune moment for a fresh start.
Rachel Guidry, a long-time colleague and advocate for accessible services, had previously encountered Johnson through local news coverage of her sensory-friendly haircutting services. Recognizing Johnson’s desire to balance speech therapy with hairstyling, Guidry proactively reached out and offered her a contract position at Connections Speech, Language & Reading Specialists. This collaboration proved to be a serendipitous alignment of professional goals and shared values.
After Johnson had been working with Guidry for several months, Guidry began searching for a larger, more suitable building for her practice. During one such property viewing, the two discovered a promising location on Jamestown Avenue. The building owner, C.T. Taylor, was undertaking renovations of office suites. Guidry immediately identified a former small kitchen space as an ideal location for Johnson’s salon, recognizing its potential to be transformed into a functional and welcoming environment. Coincidentally, Taylor undertook the necessary renovations to convert the space into a salon just as the adaptive shampoo bowl was nearing completion.
Further enhancing the inclusive nature of the new clinic, Guidry also integrated an occupational therapy gym and hired a dedicated occupational therapist. This expansion ensures that both the salon and the occupational therapy gym can function as sensory-friendly spaces, catering to a diverse range of client needs. The new clinic opened its doors on Memorial Day weekend, marking a significant milestone for both Johnson and Guidry.
Johnson’s commitment to minimizing physical transfers for her clients—aiming for only two: from their car to her wheelchair and back—necessitated a specialized wheelchair. She reached out to Our Lady of the Lake on Goodwood Outpatient Pediatric Clinic, where she received a donation of a "perfect comfortable wheelchair," as she described it, further facilitating her clients’ comfort and ease of access.
Johnson now operates her practice within this integrated clinic. During the week, she fulfills her speech pathologist contract work at various schools, while dedicating her weekends to providing specialized haircare services for her clients at Connections. This dual approach allows her to leverage her diverse skill set and reach a wider population.
The collaboration with LSU engineering students and the strategic partnership with Guidry have created a powerful synergy, opening new avenues for Johnson to serve children and clients with disabilities. Her innovative spirit, combined with a deep understanding of sensory needs and a commitment to accessibility, is setting a new standard for inclusive personal care services in Baton Rouge and beyond. This initiative not only addresses a practical need but also fosters a sense of dignity and empowerment for individuals who have historically faced barriers in accessing essential grooming services. The implications of Johnson’s work extend beyond individual clients, potentially inspiring a broader movement towards universal design and sensory-friendly practices across various service industries. As the demand for specialized care grows, Johnson’s model stands as a testament to the power of innovation driven by empathy and a profound understanding of community needs.
© 2026 The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
