Stacy O’Brien, Au.D.
BIO:
Dr. Stacy O’Brien is the founder of Atlantic Hearing, Balance and Tinnitus Center with locations along the east coast of Florida. Dr. O’Brien is on the Board of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology as Director-At-Larger, as well as Treasurer, and on the ACEN steering committee, created to improve the student externship process; as well as the incoming Vice President for Professional Practices in Audiology for FLASHA. She is the founder of the Audiology4All Foundation, which funds audiology treatments, student scholarships and projects in her communities and abroad for those financially in need; and has recently finished her first book, Hearing Loss Solutions, a comprehensive FAQ for consumers on all things Audiology, which can be downloaded for free at https://hearingloss.solutions/ .
Dr. O’Brien was inspired to become an Audiologist when her youngest daughter suffered from middle ear issues and the treatment process she and her family went through instilled a dream within Stacy to help others in a similar manner. She loves spending her free time at the beach with their family.
POSITION STATEMENT:
I am deeply honored by the nomination to serve as President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. As a lifelong advocate for best practices, full-scope audiology, and empowered patient care, I believe this is our time to boldly lead the profession into a transformative era.
My vision for ADA is grounded in one clear goal: to secure audiology’s place as an essential brain-health profession, integrating hearing, balance, and cognition across the healthcare landscape. I believe ADA is uniquely positioned to lead this charge, and as president, I would ensure we do just that.
We are facing a pivotal moment in history. The future of hearing healthcare will not be shaped by devices, it will be defined by the strength of our clinical thinking, the depth of our neuroscience understanding, and our ability to educate, advocate, and innovate. That’s what ADA’s commitment to Audiology 2050 is about, and that’s what I’ll champion with full force.
As President, I will focus on:
- Advancing Audiology 2050:
Expand the initiative into a living, strategic roadmap that inspires and equips audiologists to lead in tech integration, cognitive health, whole body-informed care, and future-facing education. - Amplifying Advocacy:
Drive actionable policy change for full practice authority, Medicare modernization, and reimbursement reform by collaborating with like-minded coalitions and leveraging powerful patient-centered storytelling. - Elevating Education:
Launch high-impact professional development that blends neuroscience, hearing and vestibular science, whole-body science, and real-world clinical mastery, so our members remain at the cutting edge. - Growing Membership Through Mission:
Strengthen ADA's voice by attracting bold, visionary clinicians and students who believe in ethical leadership, best practices, and world-class patient outcomes. - Telling a New Story of Audiology:
Shape a public narrative that positions audiologists not as device fitters, but as brain-and-body health professionals who change lives.
I am committed to helping ADA not only thrive, but lead a global transformation in hearing healthcare. If elected, I will bring fearless energy, visionary thinking, and a deep love for our profession and the people we serve. Together, we’ll keep building a future that’s bigger than any of us, and deliver on the promise of better hearing, better balance, and better lives for all.
Let’s change the world through audiology, and show the world what ADA stands for.
Erica Person, Au.D.
BIO:
Dr. Erica Person, who specializes in hearing aid and tinnitus management, has been a private practice owner since 2005. She welcomes both adult and pediatric patients while operating in an unbundled service delivery model. Her dedication and commitment to the audiology field extends beyond the Flex Audiology walls. Dr. Person thoroughly enjoys hosting The Unbundled Audiologist podcast. Through this platform, she teaches other private practice owners how to thrive in the current hearing care environment.
Additionally, Dr. Person is one of the founding members of the Indiana Audiology Coalition and presently serves as their president. She is also the current president of the Audiology Practice Standards Organization 2025. Dr. Person notes that her greatest accomplishment is creating a well-balanced life where she can serve others while still spending quality time with her husband and two small children.
Dr. Person was honored with the Joel Wernick Award at the ADA 2023 AuDacity conference, recognizing her remarkable contributions to audiology.
POSITION STATEMENT:
As a candidate for the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) President-elect, I bring a clear and passionate commitment to advancing audiology into the future we all envision. A future rooted firmly in the medical model, guided by evidence-based care, and uncompromising in its standards.
I believe strongly in the necessity of expanding our scope of practice. Audiologists should feel confident and empowered to evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat hearing and balance disorders within a clearly defined clinical framework. As providers, we are uniquely equipped to offer comprehensive, patient-centered care, and we should not hesitate to assert our role as the primary point of entry for these conditions. Part of this initiative is to decrease our financial reliance on the traditional dispenser model way of doing business.
Equally important to me is the reform of audiology education. We must advocate for universities to stop reinforcing the "dispenser mindset" and start preparing students for the full scope of what audiology can—and should—be. That includes requiring externships and clinical placements that adhere to best practices, including verification measures like real-ear, comprehensive diagnostics, and a full embrace of auditory rehabilitation, auditory training, and tinnitus management. We need more courses in business relations, pharmacology, imaging and overall management of the patient. If we want to reshape our profession, we must start with how it’s taught.
If elected, I will work to support initiatives that:
- Promote and protect a fee-for-service model of care;
- Expand audiologists’ clinical autonomy and scope of practice;
- Push for meaningful changes in university curricula;
- Encourage ADA’s role in supporting private practices and advocacy efforts that align with Audiology 2050.
I believe in the power of collective advocacy and bold, strategic thinking. If we want to see real change, we must be willing to challenge the status quo, and I believe I’m the right person to lead us forward.
Sarah Curtis, Au.D., ABA-C, CH-TM
BIO:
Dr. Sarah Curtis, Au.D., ABA-C, CH-TM, is a Doctor of Audiology and the founder of Sounds of Life Hearing Center in Concord Township, Ohio. She specializes in tinnitus management, auditory processing disorders, and complex pediatric and adult hearing cases, providing evidence-based, patient-centered care that helps patients reconnect with the people and activities they love.
Dr. Curtis earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Music from Youngstown State University (2004) and her Au.D from the University of Tennessee (2010). Her career spans hospital-based audiology, nonprofit community clinics, and private practice, giving her a deep understanding of the diverse needs of patients and providers across settings.
She is an active leader in the profession, serving as one of the Ohio Academy of Audiology’s representatives to the Ohio Speech and Hearing Governmental Affairs Coalition. She also holds Certificates in Tinnitus Management and Audiology Precepting from the American Board of Audiology.
Dr. Curtis is the recipient of the 2023 Leo Doerfler Award from ADA and the 2024 Clinical Excellence Award from the Ohio Academy of Audiology. She is dedicated to advancing audiology as an independent, doctoring profession and preparing future audiologists to thrive in sustainable, top-of-scope clinical practice.
POSITION STATEMENT:
I am honored to be nominated for Director-at-Large for the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA). My professional journey has been shaped by three priorities: delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care; strengthening the autonomy and sustainability of independent audiology; and fostering a profession where both patients and clinicians thrive.
If elected, I would focus on four initiatives critical to the future of audiology:
- Protect and Expand Professional Autonomy
Audiologists are highly trained to manage hearing and balance disorders, yet outdated regulations and payer barriers limit our ability to practice fully. I strongly support the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (MAAIA), which removes unnecessary physician order requirements, maintains collaboration, and improves timely patient access—without expanding our scope. Equally important is state-level engagement, where our scope of practice is defined and defended. Independent audiology can only thrive if we participate actively in our state associations, hold one another accountable, and commit to advancing legislation that secures our autonomy. - Build Sustainable, Diversified Practice Models
Independent practices must evolve beyond device-centered care. I am committed to promoting top-of-scope clinical models that include tinnitus management, auditory processing evaluation and therapy, vestibular services, cochlear implant care, and longitudinal rehabilitation programs. These models provide superior patient outcomes, reinforce financial stability, and ensure that independent practices remain viable. Establishing these practices as premier clinical training sites will also prepare the next generation of audiologists to succeed in modern, sustainable practice. - Expand Access Without Compromising Viability
High-quality audiology care should be accessible to all patients, but expanding access cannot come at the expense of independent practice survival. I will support ADA’s advocacy for fair reimbursement, thoughtful integration of Medicaid and third-party plans, and scalable models for underserved populations. Access and sustainability must move forward together. - Engage and Elevate Our Professional Community
ADA’s strength lies in its members—owners, clinicians, and students dedicated to independent audiology. I believe we must lead with mentorship, shared purpose, and peer-to-peer accountability. Apathy and complacency place our profession at risk; engagement and collaboration secure our future. By fostering a culture of action and support, we can empower audiologists to advocate, innovate, and lead with confidence.
The future of audiology depends on compassionate, evidence-based care delivered by empowered, independent practitioners. ADA is uniquely positioned to lead this effort, and I would be honored to serve as a Director-at-Large, bringing my experience as a clinician, practice owner, mentor, and advocate to advance our shared mission with humility and purpose.
Bryan Greenaway, Au.D., CH-TM
BIO:
Dr. Bryan Greenaway is a clinical audiologist and assistant professor at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. Dr. Greenaway received bachelor degrees in Psychology and Speech and Hearing Sciences before attaining his Au.D. from Pacific University in 2019. Clinically, Dr. Greenaway’s passions are in adult diagnostics and amplification and tinnitus management. He has also started performing adult APD diagnostic testing after seeing a strong need for the specialty in his area. Dr. Greenaway’s professional and research interests include direct-to-consumer hearing solutions, education of partner professions, and improving audiology education.
Outside of work, Dr. Greenaway is active in advancing the profession of audiology. He is a former president of the Oregon Academy of Audiology and co-facilitated the merger of Oregon and Washington’s audiology associations into the Northwest Academy of Audiology (NWAA). He currently serves as the Legislation and Policy Chair for NWAA, as well as a member of ADA’s Advocacy Steering Committee. Dr. Greenaway spearheaded Oregon’s scope modernization legislation in 2025. He is also proud to have grown ties to other Northwest organizations including AG Bell, HLAA, and the Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association.
POSITION STATEMENT:
ADA has been my audiology home since I was a student and while that feels natural, I know there is an unbelievable amount of work that has gone into building that sense of community. As an At-Large member of the Board, my goals would be to ensure resources are spent continuing to do what ADA does best: Advocating for our profession, mentoring the next generation of independent practitioners and experts, and building connections inside and outside of audiology. Through these tenets we can ensure ADA is the north star of the hearing health world, pushing our field forward for our providers, patients, and partners.
Advocacy
ADA can support states as they modernize their scopes of practice. Maryland and Arkansas have started to write the playbook for modernization. While the inclusion of imaging and bloodwork have understandably taken the spotlight, ADA can help states holistically update their scopes to include evaluation and management language, language to open the doors to incident-to billing, and other tenets of autonomous practice.
Federally, ADA should continue to lead the way on advocating for MAAIA. While all three major national organizations finally support this legislation, the recent AAO-HNS statement and subsequent response has shown that ADA’s talent and commitment are driving this initiative forward.
Mentorship
ADA has always been the home of independent audiologists, private practice owners, and those wanting to practice at the top of their scope. Since I was a student, ADA has been where I’ve met some of the practitioners who have inspired my practice the most. I would see ADA continue to grow its structures for supporting and mentoring prospective practice owners and specialists in the profession. As a member of the Board, I would explore how we could make these connections even easier.
There is also a lot of potential for mentorship of the future leaders of the profession. ADA has some of the greatest minds in audiology. Connecting up-and-coming state leaders with these minds will pay dividends to the profession. I especially see an unfilled need for this type of mentorship in early career professionals who have energy and passion but lose it when they are not given opportunities and guidance. ADA can build the next generation of leaders.
Connection
Audiology is a small but mighty profession. Especially within ADA, there is a desire to change the world, but we cannot do it alone. In the northwest, we have been working to build coalition with other organizations for advocacy and education. AG Bell and HLAA have been invaluable partners in legislative monitoring and action, and in educating the public about audiology. This model can work at the national level, as well. We have finally seen AARP endorse MAAIA after years of inaction on their part. There are more organizations like AARP that can amplify our voice and values and help us push healthcare forward.