AuDacity 2025 - Bios

Dr. Maansi V. Aghera is a clinical audiologist at Atrius Health, specializing in diagnostic audiology, amplification solutions, and patient-centered hearing healthcare. With a Doctorate of Audiology from Northwestern University, she is committed to improving hearing accessibility and patient education through interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based practices.

Amyn M. Amlani, PhD, is currently an audiologist at ENT & Allergy Centers of Texas, located in Plano, Texas. During his nearly 30-year career in hearing healthcare, Dr. Amlani has held positions in academia as a tenured professor and department chair, in industry, and in various medical and audiological clinical settings. Dr. Amlani is a respected scholar and colleague in the areas of hearing healthcare economics, hearing healthcare prevention and social determinants of health, professional workforce analysis, and amplification strategies.

Dr. Amlani holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from the University of the Pacific, a Master of Science degree in Audiology from Purdue University, and a PhD degree in Audiology/Psychoacoustics with a minor in Marketing and Supply Chain Management/Economics, from Michigan State University. Dr. Amlani is incoming (2025) President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and serves as Section Editor of Economics for Hearing Health Technology Matters.

Dr. Katie is an audiologist turned content marketing specialist dedicated to helping private practice audiologists grow their businesses through strategic social media and digital marketing. As the founder of Ascending Audiologists, she provides done-for-you content solutions that position audiologists as trusted experts in their communities.

As the Chief Operating Officer at Neurotone AI, Dr. Miles Aron leads a company dedicated to transforming hearing care through AI-powered aural rehabilitation solutions. Neurotone's flagship product, Lace AI Pro, enhances listening and comprehension skills, bridging the gap between patients and hearing care professionals and setting a new standard in the industry.

Dr. Aron's career has always been centered on the science of sound. His academic journey began with acoustics research roles at NASA and the US Department of Energy via the Acoustical Engineering program at the University of Hartford, followed by a Fulbright Scholarship in Zürich, Switzerland focused on ultrasound in medicine, and ultimately a PhD in Biomedical Acoustics from the University of Oxford. Prior to Neurotone, Dr. Aron played key roles in the development of numerous health tech products, bringing improved care to patients around the world.

Sarah Bayer is a 4th-year Au.D. student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who recently began her externship at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. She holds a B.S. in biology and speech language hearing sciences with a minor in biomedical physics from Loyola University Maryland.

Kevin L. Berger, M.D. is the Director of PET/CT and Nuclear Medicine at Chesapeake Medical Imaging in Annapolis, Maryland. He received his medical degree from University of Michigan Medical School and completed his diagnostic radiology residence and neuroradiology fellowship at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis. He has been in practice for more than 31 years and has an extensive background in diagnostic radiology, PET/CT and neuroradiology. Dr. Berger has served as a consultant to NIH for PET/MRI development, part of the physician development team for the first PET/CT scanner produced by General Electric, and a software consultant for multiple companies in developing automated PET/CT quantification tools.

Jana Brown, former owner of Allegany Hearing & Balance, earned her Doctor of Audiology Degree in 2004, from AT Still University. She also holds a Master's Degree from West Virginia University. Dr. Brown is Board Certified by the American Board of Audiology. She is the past president of the Maryland Academy of Audiology and served on their executive board for six years. Dr. Brown was recently appointed to a four-year term by Maryland’s Governor, Wes Moore, to be on the Maryland Board of Examiners for Audiology, Speech Language Pathology, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Music Therapy.

She has received six Academic Scholar Awards from the American Academy of Audiology. She is a member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and was honored with the Leo Doerfler Award in 2017. She also received the Gerber Process Award and the Rich Burba Community Award from Audigy. She served on the executive board of the Dove Center, the local domestic violence center, and Project Healing Waters.

Sheena Burks is the Chief Clinical Officer at WSA, where she focuses on maximizing patient and provider outcomes across WSA companies in the U.S. In this role, she leverages her deep understanding of clinical practice and healthcare delivery to enhance the impact of hearing care services. Previously, Burks served as Chief Marketing Officer for WSA Americas region, overseeing marketing and branding initiatives for wholesale and retail brands, including Signia, Widex, Rexton, and HearUSA. She also led the integration of brand teams throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.

Since beginning her career as an audiologist, Burks has held leadership positions in the hearing aid industry for over 20 years. She brings a unique perspective to her work, grounded in a deep understanding of the needs of hearing care professionals and their patients. Her leadership is focused on driving awareness, delivering value, and increasing profitability by building and inspiring high-performing teams. Oliver holds a BA and MBA from Temple University, an MA from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Doctor of Audiology degree from Salus University.

Justin R. Burwinkel, Au.D is a Senior Research Audiologist at Starkey. Dr. Burwinkel’s research has investigated potential improvements to digital noise reduction, feedback suppression, and the benefits of various sensor technologies for use with hearing instruments. In addition, he has filed numerous patents relating to fall risk management, artificial intelligence, and hearing aid connectivity. Dr. Burwinkel earned both his B.S. and Au.D. at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Burwinkel is a collaborator with the University of Cincinnati’s FETCHLAB.

Rick Carlson is the founder and CEO of Neurotone AI, the company behind Lace AI Pro—a pioneering auditory training solution that helps patients with hearing loss improve speech understanding and cognitive function.

A seasoned technology leader, Rick brings deep experience in bridging product development, sales, and marketing disciplines to build customer-centered solutions. At Neurotone, he leads a team dedicated to revolutionizing hearing healthcare by equipping practitioners with innovative tools that unlock a completely new way to help patients—while driving better outcomes and building healthier, more profitable practices.

Michelle Carroll is the CEO and Founder of 1 Stop Marketing Solutions, a full-service digital marketing agency based in South Florida. With over two decades of experience in online marketing, Michelle has established herself as a leader in healthcare and audiology marketing, adeptly integrating the latest digital marketing trends to drive client success. A certified Google Partner, Michelle's agency provides expert web development, SEO, content marketing, and paid search services. She specializes in leveraging AI-driven digital strategies to enhance patient engagement and business growth and is the forefront of integrating AI into marketing, using predictive analytics and automation to optimize outreach. Her work has significantly improved digital visibility for her audiology clients, where AI-driven tools enhance patient care and marketing efficiency. Michelle shares insights on AI’s impact on healthcare marketing and is passionate about helping businesses thrive in the digital age.

Kim Cavitt, AuD, is the owner of Audiology Resources, which provides comprehensive operational, compliance, and reimbursement consulting services and products to hearing healthcare clinics, providers, organizations, buying groups, and manufacturers. Throughout her career, Cavitt has been actively involved in these issues and has written numerous articles, provided training, and given presentations at both the state and national levels on these topics.

Prior to her consulting business, she served as a clinical audiologist at The Ohio State University and Northwestern University and also spent two years as the director of professional relations at HearPO, now Amplifon Hearing Services. Cavitt is a past president of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA).

Dr. Chaiken is a leading expert in cerumen management and teaches cerumen management courses in North America. She is a past president of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. Dr. Chaiken received the 2014 Salus University College of Audiology Alumnus of the Year and a Presidential Medal of Honor from Salus University in 2024. Her previous experience includes founding a private audiology practice, which she owned and operated for 12 years and serving on the State of Georgia Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology. Dr. Chaiken also served as a regional manager for a hearing instrument manufacturer for three years.

Jordan was introduced to the world of audiology in 2014 when he met his future wife, an audiologist. After they were married, they took action on his desire to own a family business and her desire to treat patients the right way and to bring world-class audiological care to their small town. Coates Hearing Clinic was established in 2019 and has 2 locations and 4 audiologists. Jordan is responsible for the non-clinical aspects of the practice such as finances, insurance and marketing. Jordan graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2008 with a BA in Communication Studies and from Strayer University in 2018 with an MBA.

Stephanie is the executive director of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, where she oversees strategic and operational initiatives that support the autonomous practice of audiology and promote best business and clinical practices in the delivery of hearing and balance health care. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Sullivan University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of New England. In 2024, she received the Presidential Medal of Honor from Salus University, which she counts among her greatest professional achievements. When she is not working, Stephanie enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling to far-flung places, watching baseball, and eating Jeni’s ice cream.

Dr. Jill Davis is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where she received both her Doctorate of Audiology and Bachelor of Science degrees. She is the owner and audiologist at Victory Hearing and Balance in Austin, Texas, a full scope audiology practice with emphasis on auditory training and cognitive health. Dr. Davis is currently a Director-at-Large for ADA and also co-chair of the education committee for the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA).

Bridget Sobek Dobyan is the Executive Director of the Hearing Industries Association (HIA), where she leads the organization’s strategic initiatives and advocacy efforts. Prior to this role, she served as HIA’s Director of Public Policy. Ms. Dobyan has a diverse background in nonprofit leadership, federal and state government affairs, and legislative policy. She previously worked on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director for U.S. Representative Dave Trott of Michigan, advised the Michigan Senate on policy matters, and managed government affairs for a Washington, D.C.-based energy efficiency advocacy organization. She holds a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. in political science from Saginaw Valley State University. She is a member of both the State Bar of Michigan and the D.C. Bar.

Dr. Josiah Dykstra has been helping audiologists with cybersecurity for more than 15 years. He also has hands-on cybersecurity experience protecting large government networks. His doctoral research produced the first techniques for digital forensic investigations of cloud computing. Dr. Dykstra is a frequent speaker at cybersecurity conferences, the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, and wrote the books Essential Cybersecurity Science and Cybersecurity Myths and Misconceptions (forthcoming). He is a Certified HIPAA Privacy & Security Expert (CHPSE), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and recipient of prestigious honors including the 2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Josiah is an Associate Member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) and a member of HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Maryland Chapter. He and his wife, an audiologist and private practice owner, reside in Maryland.

Tom has been a member of the Stearns Bank team since 1997, specializing in small business banking. He is passionate about assisting audiologists with their financing and banking needs. No situation is too complex for Tom, he is always up for the challenge.

Together with Stearns Bank, Tom has solutions for practice start-ups, acquisitions, expansions, equipment purchases, inventory, working capital, real estate construction or renovation, debt refinance and much more! He can also offer business bank accounts that pay interest on balances, are free from fees and include the best-in-class mobile banking services.

Tom takes pride in his ability to find creative solutions and deliver results quickly. As an employee owner of Stearns Bank, he is genuinely committed to providing exceptional service, efficiency, and open communication at every stage of the process.

Kyla Ethington has always had the desire to help others and quickly found the profession of audiology in high school. She completed her bachelor's degree at Utah State University in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education. She is currently beginning her third year of graduate school at the Au.D. program at the University of Utah and is a trainee at the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (URLEND).

Dave Fabry is Chief Hearing Health Officer at Starkey, where he has worked since 2009. He is a Past President of AAA, and currently serves as a Board Member of AAS. He resides in Minnesota, and is a proud husband, Father, and Grandparent to two future Audiologists!

Dr. Fitzgerald is an Associate Professor and Chief of Audiology at Stanford where he oversees the adult and pediatric audiology practices. He completed his undergraduate degree at The Wichita State University followed by Clinical training in Audiology at Vanderbilt University. He then completed a Ph.D. at Northwestern University where he studied psychoacoustics and perceptual learning. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the New York University School of Medicine where he examined the process of adaptation in recipients of cochlear implants, and later joined the faculty at NYU. In 2015 he joined the faculty of Stanford University as the Chief of Audiology. His current research interest are the translation of new tools to measure suprathreshold function in the audiologic test battery, with an emphasis on speech-in noise measurements. He also continues to examine adaptation in recipients of cochlear implants, and new tools to help patients with tinnitus.

Susannah Fox is a renowned health strategist, former Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and author of Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care. Fox’s work documents the transformative power of patient-led innovation in healthcare. Drawing on two decades of research and interviews, she highlights how patients, survivors, and caregivers have pioneered solutions and built communities-often outside the mainstream system-to address unmet health needs. Her “rebel health” framework identifies four archetypes-seekers, networkers, solvers, and champions-who collectively drive change and improve care for all.

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.

Laurel Gregory holds a Master’s degree in audiology and has been working the field of audiology for over 30 years. Her past work experience include private practice audiologist, research audiologist, Manager of Clinical Research for ReSound and Starkey, Director of Product Management for Starkey, and Chief Engagement Officer of Skafold, LLC. Currently Laurel is the Director of Education and Research for Entheos Audiology Cooperative where she provides workshops, manages courses and conferences, and tracks and reports data for humanitarian initiatives. Laurel is a Certified DiSC facilitator, 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and an Everything DiSC Authorized Partner, a Certified Facilitator and Trainer for the Passion Test and certified in the Creatrix. Laurel has presented on the topic of career and team engagement and various research topics at multiple AAA and ADA conferences, several state conferences, and Universities.

Rita Harmon is a consumer and an audiology patient.

Dr. Brian Harris is a 2005 graduate of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry and a practicing dentist in Phoenix, AZ. He has been recognized as the Phoenix Magazine Top General Cosmetic Dentist from 2007 – 2021 and AZ Foothills Best Cosmetic Dentist in Scottsdale, AZ. He is also the CEO and founder of www.smilevirtual.com, the leading tele-dentistry platform connecting patients looking to improve their smile with qualified cosmetic dentists around the world, and creator of www.klenproducts.com. Dr Harris is also an international speaker and educator and has lectured more than 250 times in five different countries.

Eric Helm is a consumer and an audiology patient.

Dr. Heidi Hill is a Doctor of Audiology with over 29 years of experience and the founder of Hearing Health Clinic in Osseo, MN. She is known for her whole-system approach to hearing care—addressing the ear-to-brain connection with a focus on both auditory and cognitive processing.

Dr. Hill’s clinical work highlights the limitations of traditional hearing care models in meeting real-world communication needs. In response, she has pursued advanced training and research in auditory processing and cognition, applying these insights to create more functional, brain-based assessment and treatment protocols.

She is a passionate advocate for evolving audiology to include cognitive-informed fitting strategies and personalized care. Through her work, Dr. Hill empowers audiologists to deliver more meaningful outcomes by integrating bottom-up and top-down processing into everyday clinical practice.

With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Hughart’s areas of special interest include vestibular diagnostics, hearing aid recommendations & fitting, and practice management. She conducts workshops throughout the US & Canada teaching cerumen management & foreign body removal. Dr. Hughart is an adjunct professor at Auburn University, and recipient of numerous awards, most recently the prestigious Leo Doeffler Award for Lifetime Clinical Practice. Married with 2 children, Dr. Hughart enjoys spending time with her family, playing the violin and exercising.

Steve Hughbanks graduated from Wayland Baptist University in Texas majoring in Business Management and Psychology. He is an innovative leader in human resources management with over 25 years of hands-on experience in all major functional areas of human resources. Steve has been with Audigy for over 11 years and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional. He is passionate about using his experience to strategically coach business owners to become strong leaders by impacting their communication, employee engagement, recruiting process, and influence.

Kimberly Jenkins received her doctorate in clinical audiology from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. She is currently a Clinical Audiologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and has been collaborating with industry and the intelligence community for over five years to develop feasible audiologic treatment options for those in secure, technology-controlled work environments. She serves as subject matter expert for hearing aid complications in secure areas, low-gain hearing aids, auditory processing evaluations, andacts as Hearing Aid Program Manager. She was previously a research audiologist at the National Military Audiology at Speech Pathology Center at WRNMMC, specializing in auditory evoked potential measures. She continues to collaborate with the research department and remains involved in ongoing protocols related to evaluation and treatment for subjective complaints of hearing in background noise, including efficacy of low-gain hearing aid use.

Cole Lauber is a consumer and an audiology patient.

Dr. Jason Leyendecker is an audiologist and business owner. He earned his Bachelor of Science in speech and hearing sciences from Minnesota State University Moorhead and his Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from A.T. Still University in 2010. After starting as an extern at Audiology Concepts, he stayed on and eventually took over the business in 2017, growing it from two to six locations with 25 employees.

He specializes in tinnitus management and runs a clinic that sees patients from around the world. He has also taught a tinnitus course at A.T. Still University and helps train audiology students.

Dr. Leyendecker is currently the past president of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and has been involved in state and national professional organizations. He speaks at conferences and writes articles on private practice, tinnitus management, and team building. He serves as a subject matter expert for APSO as well as ABA for the tinnitus certificate.

Casey Martin is a 4th year Au.D. student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She holds an undergraduate degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences.

Dr. Katy Mawson (she/her/hers) is the clinic director for Pacific EarClinic. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology from the University of Nevada, Reno, and her Doctorate in Audiology from Idaho State University. As a healthcare provider, Katy’s passion is patient education and advocacy, as well as health literacy. As a cancer survivor, Katy knows and understands the impact that significant diagnoses can have on mental and physical health, in addition to impacting cognitive function when making important decisions. She is committed to advancing healthcare equity by providing patients and their families with evidence-based information to empower them toward making the best decisions for themselves.

In her free time, she is quite literally always reading (her audiobooks stream straight to her hearing aids!) or she is wrapped up in a blanket while gaming and drinking coffee. Her cats join her for every Zoom meeting she has.

Dr. Emily E. McMahan, is the owner of Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center and an internationally recognized expert in tinnitus care. She provides advanced clinical services to high-needs tinnitus patients through both her Anchorage-based clinic, Telehealth appointments, and in-person field clinics across the U.S.

Dr. McMahan holds multi-state licensure to expand access to evidence-based care and is dedicated to improving clinical outcomes for individuals living with tinnitus and hearing loss. She is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Alaska and the University of South Dakota, and she regularly mentors audiologists on best practices in tinnitus management and clinic development.

Dr. McMahan is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, sharing her expertise on tinnitus, Telehealth, and innovative care models. A graduate of Salus University, Dr. McMahan is also a published author in Nature Communications Medicine for her work on real-world tinnitus treatment outcomes.

Dr. Brooke Means is a licensed audiologist and co-owner of North Georgia Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers (NGA). She began her career as a 4th-year resident at NGA in 2015, where she quickly demonstrated a passion for leadership and practice development. In the following year, Dr. Means played a pivotal role in the opening of NGA’s third location. In 2022, she accepted a new role as co-owner of all three NGA offices, partnering with her colleague Dr. Jessica Allen to purchase NGA from the former owner. Together they have continued the NGA legacy of being the “Most Trusted Hearing Experts in North Georgia.

The hearing-impaired population has always been special to Dr. Means, as her younger brother was born with profound hearing loss. She enjoys spending time with her husband & two young children, singing at her church, and cheering on the UGA Bulldawgs!

Lucy Orr-Ewing leads Policy efforts for CHAI and joins from Stanford Medicine as a Harkness Fellow in the Clinical Excellence Research Center. At Stanford, her research focused on the current landscape for testing and evaluation of Generative AI in healthcare, on best practice LLM deployment, and on patient perceptions of AI in healthcare.

Prior, she was Chief of Staff for Technology Policy for the National Health Service (NHS) in England, during which she convened more than 200 portfolios of work into one strategy, the Digital Health and Care Plan, and delivered the NHS’ first HealthTech Summit. She was also Head of Strategy for the Federated Data Platform Programme, the UK’s largest investment into its data infrastructure to connect all operational health data for the UK.

Heysell Cruz Pacas is a 4th - year Au.D. Student and Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. She has an undewrgraduate degree in biomedical sciences from Brigham Young University.

Brandon is a Member in Brennan Manna Diamond’s (BMD) Columbus, Ohio office. Brandon counsels businesses, professional associations, and healthcare providers in areas involving financing arrangements, ownership disputes, ethics/licensure, cybersecurity and real estate transactions. Brandon has a national healthcare practice focusing on representation of audiologists and other participants in the hearing healthcare industry. Brandon’s depth of experience on a wide range of matters impacting audiologists provides the knowledge and skill necessary to help his clients navigate complex legal issues in a highly complex industry.

Thomas A. Powers, Ph.D., is currently the Founder/Managing Member of Powers Consulting LLC, providing management consulting to the hearing health industry. He began his career as a partner in an Audiology private practice, followed by over 35 years in the hearing aid industry. Prior to his current role, he was Vice-President, Government Services and Professional Relations for Sivantos Inc. (now WS Audiology), and served as the Compliance Officer for seven years. Dr. Powers currently holds an appointment as an Adjunct Instructor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Ohio University. Dr. Powers received his B.S. from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Audiology-Hearing Science from Ohio University. He is a licensed audiologist in New Jersey. Dr Powers also holds the Certificate of Healthcare Compliance from Seton Hall Law School in New Jersey.

Associate professor in Otolaryngology and Population Health at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and Core Faculty at the NYU Langone Health Optimal Aging Institute.

Board-certified optometric physician, Brianna Rhue, OD, FAAO, brings her expertise in diagnosing and managing ocular diseases to West Broward Eyecare Associates in Tamarac, Florida. Among her specialties are myopia control (orthokeratology), management of keratoconus, diabetic eye care, and treatments for glaucoma and diseases of the cornea. She is a nationally recognized leader in Myopia Management, lecturing extensively throughout the year, and is currently a key principal investigator in the study of myopia management. She is an active member of the Broward County Optometric Association, the Florida Optometric Association, and the American Optometric Association.

Dr. Alyssa Ricevuto has been with Phonak since 2017, serving in various training roles as Clinical Trainer, Key Account Clinical Trainer, and Senior Clinical Trainer. She is currently the Program Marketing Manager and a major contributor to the Technology Specialist Training Program. Prior to joining Phonak, Alyssa spent ten years working as a clinician in both private practice and ENT settings. Alyssa received her BA from the University of Connecticut, Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.

Melissa Carnes Rose, Au.D. is the owner of Nardelli Audiology. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology from West Virginia University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Dr. Rose earned her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) from West Virginia University, graduating at the top of her class and completed her clinical fellowship at Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance in Bluefield, WV. Following her fellowship, Dr. Rose returned to West Virginia and began working at Nardelli Audiology while serving part-time at Ohio Valley Medical Center, where she treated patients with balance disorders. In 2012, she joined Nardelli Audiology full-time and now leads a growing team across three locations. Dr. Rose specializes in adult hearing care, including the fitting of advanced digital and wireless hearing technology. She is passionate about reconnecting people with the sounds of life and considers it a privilege to serve the communities of Marion, Harrison, and surrounding counties. Outside of her clinical work, Dr. Rose enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, David, and their son, Elijah.

Dr. Melissa Segev is the co-owner of Audiology Associates, Inc., which is comprised of 12 offices in the Maryland and Washington, DC area. A Baltimore native, Dr. Segev earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Towson State University and her Doctor of Audiology degree (Au.D.) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Segev provides care for patients of all ages, from newborns to older adults, offering comprehensive evaluations for hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Segev is a dedicated advocate for improving access to hearing healthcare. She serves on the board of the Maryland Academy of Audiology (MAA) as a member-at-large, is a past three-term President, and has chaired the organization’s annual convention. She also mentors aspiring audiologists, helping guide the next generation of professionals.

In 2024, Dr. Segev, alongside the MAA legislative team, helped lead a trailblazing legislative initiative in Maryland. She played a key role in delivering testimony and garnering bipartisan support. The bill’s passage positioned Maryland as the first state to authorize audiologists to order cultures, bloodwork, and radiographic imaging for auditory and vestibular condition. It also marked a major step forward in professional autonomy and improving patient access to timely, comprehensive care.

Alicia D.D. Spoor, Au.D. is President and Audiologist of Designer Audiology, LLC in Highland, MD. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University and earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from Gallaudet University. She completed her fourth-year externship at the Mayo Clinic Arizona and joined the hearing aid and cochlear implant teams before moving back to Maryland. She opened her own practice in 2014 with an unbundled/itemized pricing structure, one of the first in the nation to do so from day one, to benefit the patient and demonstrate the value of the audiologist. Dr. Spoor is a Past President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) and Maryland Academy of Audiology (MAA); she is the current ADA Advocacy Chair and MAA Legislative Chair. Alicia is a past recipient of ADA’s Craig W. Johnson Advocacy Award and MSU’s College of Communication Arts & Sciences’ Outstanding Alumni.

Brian Taylor, AuD, is the senior director of audiology for WS Audiology. A veteran of the hearing care industry, Dr. Taylor also serves as the editor of Audiology Practices, a contributing editor at This Week in Hearing and an adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin. He is a highly sought lecturer with more than 30 years of clinical, business management and teaching experience. He has written more than 100 articles, created dozens of popular CE courses, and published six books. His latest textbook, co-authored with Bob Traynor, Strategic Practice Management, will be published in 2025.

Dr. Nora Visscher-Simon is a clinical audiologist at Presbyterian Ear Institute (PEI). She earned her Doctorate of Audiology from Northwestern University, where she researched the accessibility and impact of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices in hearing healthcare. Dr. Visscher-Simon’s passion for audiology advocacy and business innovation began as a student when she participated in the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) student business competition. Beyond audiology, Dr. Visscher-Simon has a diverse professional background, including consulting for early-stage startups, conducting market research, and helping to secure funding for healthcare initiatives. She enjoys using her experience to make hearing healthcare more accessible for patients. Her experience in business, advocacy, and audiology gives her a unique perspective on how marketing strategies, healthcare literacy, and AI-driven tools can bridge communication gaps in hearing healthcare.

Dr. Kathy Wiederkehr became board-certified in Canine and Feline Practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) and has over two decades of experience caring for pets across Southern California. She founded PetPoint Medical Center & Resort, which was a large full-service pet care facility in Irvine, CA. After its acquisition by VCA, the largest corporate veterinary group in the U.S., she stayed on as Medical Director for three years. Dr. Wiederkehr is also the co-founder of ClicOn Productions and a champion of Edutainment—making medical insight both engaging and easy to grasp. Her mix of clinical expertise and creative storytelling continues to educate and inspire pet lovers everywhere.

Dr. Zalewski received his undergraduate degree from The Pennsylvania State University, his Masters degree in Audiology from The University of Maryland, and his Ph.D. in Audiology from Gallaudet University. He has served as a clinical research audiologist with the National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2002, where his primary clinical responsibilities involve the investigation of the auditory and vestibular phenotypes of rare genetic diseases and syndromes. Chris has also maintained a regular adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Maryland since 2001 and has past or recurring guest appointment lectures at Georgetown University, Gallaudet University, and with Walter Reed National Medical Center. He is primary or co-author of many articles investigating the auditory and/or vestibular function of rare diseases and book chapters, including a textbook on rotational vestibular assessment.