Join me for an interview with Donna Sorkin, the executive director  of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, a national organization devoted to expanding access to cochlear implantation for all who may benefit. She has had a long career in advocacy for people with hearing loss at for-profit and non-profit entities.  She has had a cochlear implant for over 30 years and brings her personal experience and enthusiasm to her work in the field. She was previously executive director of two organizations: the Hearing Loss Association of America (an organization for adults) and the Alexande ..read more

Have you ever been fatigued from listening?  Join me for a conversation with Dr. Hilary Davis as she explains her research on listening-related fatigue and a tool, the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scales, that can be utilized clinically and educationally.  Dr. Hilary Davis is a pediatric audiologist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. She is the current past president of the Educational Audiology Association.  She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin and her Doctorate of Audiology from Vanderbilt University. She currently sees patients clinically fo ..read more

Join me on this empowEARing podcast with Chezi Pollack! Chezi is a teenager with bilateral cochlear implants who has advice for all of us…don’t give up!  Life has its challenges, you can climb over those challenges, and greatness will come your way. Chezi was born in the United States and spent his first 11 years here before moving to Isreal. Join me for this empowEARing episode as Chezi shares about the obstacles he has overcome, his cochlear implant journey, a move to his new country of Isreal at the age of 11 years, and now his mission to share his everyday hearing journey of living wi ..read more

Join me for a personal and professional discussion about how a personal journey of living with hearing loss created a professional path to becoming a deaf ENT surgeon with Dr. Chad Ruffin.  Dr. Ruffin was born with severe hearing loss and is uniquely equipped with the skills and experience to improve the lives of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.  Dr. Ruffin completed his surgical training at Indiana University.  He is passionate about using his journey as a deaf patient, surgeon, auditory neuroscientist, and hearing technology innovator to help others succeed.  ..read more

Join Dr. Carrie Spangler, host of empowEAR Audiology, in this gratefulness episode. Living out the mission of the 3C Digital Media Network, Dr. Spangler shares how she is grateful to personally be able to connect, collaborate, and communicate through her cochlear implant journey AND grateful to be the host of empowEAR Audiology and interview the multitude of guests. Take a listen to this GRATEFUL-themed episode reflecting back on the 2022 personal and professional journey, the lessons, and the growth.   Links:  hearingspanglish.blog You can listen to this episode wherever you li ..read more

Join me in a conversation about how social determinants of health are critical conversation and considerations for improving hearing health care for individuals and families.  Dr. Matthew L. Bush is an otolaryngologist, neurotologist, and professor at the University of Kentucky.  He received his medical degree from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, W.Va. He then completed an Otolaryngology research fellowship and a Neurotology and Cranial Base Surgery fellowship at The Ohio State University Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital Rese ..read more

Join me in a moving conversation with Rebecca Alexander.  In this conversation, Rebecca takes a deep dive into her own life that she has graciously shared in her published book “Not Fade Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found”.  Rebecca is a psychotherapist, extreme athlete, and activist. She grew up in Northern California and holds 2 master’s degrees from Columbia University. She lives in New York City. She was born with Usher syndrome Type III.  In this podcast she shares her incredible story, the importance of feeling emotions and living with adversity, embracing humor in ha ..read more

It is Official!!! Rally Caps was selected for the 31st Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis starting the week of October 10-16, 2022. This book to film shines a positive spotlight on deafness, cochlear implants, sports, and friendship. Join me as I talk with the woman who made this happen, Jodi Cutler.  The message about accessibility and inclusion will be on the big screen thanks to Jodi's passion and purpose. Grab your popcorn and get your tickets now.  Premiere Link: https://tickets.heartlandfilmfestival.org/.../rally-caps... Encore Link: https://tickets.heartland ..read more

Opportunities are the theme of this podcast. Dr. Uma Soman is an assistant professor at Fontbonne University, nonprofit director for Listening Together, and teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing and listening and spoken language specialist. In this podcast, she discusses the opportunities that she has personally and professionally experienced to pay it forward.  Dr. Soman shares about the nonprofit, Listening Together, which focuses on advancing the education and rehabilitation of children who are deaf and hard of hearing through parent empowerment, professional development, and public awar ..read more

Stress is a part of every parenting/family journey.  This parenting stress can be compounding when a child is deaf/hard of hearing.  Join me in a conversation with Dr. Ivette Cejas, licensed psychologist, Associate Professor at the University of Miami Ear Institute, and Director of Family Support Services at the University of Miami Children’s Hearing Program. Dr. Cejas is a well-known researcher in the area of pediatric hearing loss. She specializes in psychoeducational evaluations for deaf or hard of hearing children, as well as mental health therapy for this population. She is on t ..read more