A New Chapter at Baker Audiology: Welcoming Dr. Libby Benson as Co-Owner

Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids is excited to share an important milestone in the story of our practice. Dr. Elizabeth “Libby” Benson, Au.D., is now a co-owner of Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids alongside founder Melissa Baker, M.A.

For Melissa, Baker Audiology began as a dream to create a different kind of hearing healthcare practice, one centered on relationships, individualized care, and making every person who walks through the door feel at home.

Melissa opened Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids in August 2018, building the practice around a simple belief that hearing healthcare should be personal. Over the years, that vision has grown into a team dedicated to helping patients throughout Sioux Falls and the surrounding communities hear and communicate with the people they love.

In May 2022, Libby joined the Baker Audiology team after earning her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Northern Colorado and completing her audiology residency at the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center.

What began as a new position quickly grew into something much bigger.

Over the past four years, Libby has become an integral part of Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids. She has cared for patients, built lasting relationships, supported the team, and shared the values that have shaped the practice from the beginning.

“I am so very proud, excited, and extremely happy one of my best friends has decided to partner with me in this amazing growing business,” Melissa said.

As Baker Audiology continued to grow, Melissa and Libby began conversations about what the future of the practice could look like. Those conversations eventually led to Libby purchasing an ownership interest in the practice and officially joining Melissa as co-owner in January 2026.

“We had been discussing ownership for the past year or two, and it felt like the right timing because we needed to start making big decisions about growth planning and how to scale our business,” Libby said. “We are freaking busy, which is such a good problem to have!”

For Libby, becoming an owner represents both an exciting new chapter and a continuation of the work she has loved doing since joining Baker Audiology.

“Baker Audiology means so much to me because it encompasses everything I love about being an audiologist,” Libby said. “I love private practice because we get to be everything modern healthcare tells us not to be. When healthcare is becoming more impersonal, more sterile, and more focused on efficiency, private practice gives us the freedom to be personal, human, relational, and genuinely connected to our patients.

“And that’s exactly why I wanted to become an owner. Not just to be part of what we’ve built, but to help grow it, to reach more people, and create more opportunities for our staff to experience the benefits of practicing this way, too.

“I genuinely believe healthcare can be both exceptional and deeply personal. And I want to help keep building a place that proves it.”

While the ownership structure may be changing, the heart of Baker Audiology is not.

Melissa and Libby remain committed to providing personalized, compassionate hearing healthcare while continuing to create the welcoming, family-oriented environment that patients have come to know.

Together, they hope to continue growing the practice, expanding the ways Baker Audiology can serve the community, and building a strong future for independent hearing healthcare in Sioux Falls.

Looking ahead, plans include finding a larger space, adding additional providers, and ultimately helping even more people in the community hear better.

For Melissa, seeing someone who joined the practice in 2022 grow into a partner and fellow owner is especially meaningful.

Melissa said, “Tyler (Melissa’s husband) and I love Libby, Nate (Libby’s husband), their daughter and our goddaughter, Ada, and their baby boy coming December 2026. I could not be happier to partner with these wonderful people and best friends!”

For Libby, the new role brings an opportunity to help carry forward what Baker Audiology has been about since Melissa first opened its doors in 2018: helping people hear better while treating every patient like family.

“Getting to do a job I love alongside one of my very best friends, and the godmother of my child, is one of the greatest gifts I could ever imagine,” Libby said. “I’m so incredibly grateful to Melissa for creating something so special and giving me the opportunity to be a part of it.”

Looking Toward the Future

This new chapter is an exciting one for Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids, but the mission remains the same. Melissa, Libby, and the entire Baker Audiology team look forward to continuing to serve their patients and community for many years to come.

“We love what we do, and we love working together to better serve our patients. We hope you decide to join us on this journey! Let us know how we can serve you and your family.”
— Melissa & Libby