Richard Einhorn’s Voices of Light was performed the weekend of March 2-3 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Orchestra and the Strathmore Music Center. A hearing loop was installed in the concert hall for the weekend performances. HLAA promoted the event and Richard Einhorn is an HLAA member.
A grant from Oticon Foundation was awarded to the Ida Institute to present a challenge to put hearing loss on the public agenda and to encourage people with hearing loss to take action and live life to the fullest. From the hundreds of ideas presented, three winning ideas will be presented in April 2013 at the American Academy of Audiology Conference in Anaheim, California.
In July, Executive Director Brenda Battat announced her retirement to be effective July 31, 2013. Brenda has been with HLAA since 1989 serving in several roles including director of public policy and deputy executive director. She became executive director in March 2008. Throughout her tenure, she has successfully worked to execute the policies set forth by the Board and to fulfill the mission of HLAA: “To open the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support.”
Brenda Battat attended and presented on behalf of HLAA at the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) ninth World Congress in Bergen, Norway June 25-28, 2012. The conference with the theme “A Better Quality of Life for Hard of Hearing People” was attended by 400 people from 40 countries.
HLAA’s Statement of Strategic Intent was adopted at Convention 2012.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) ratification was supported by HLAA.
Barbara Kelley, HLAA deputy executive director, received the 2012 Distinguished Alumna Award from Marietta College, in Marietta, Ohio. This prestigious award was given to Barbara for her lifetime commitment and excellent work on behalf of people with hearing loss.
Leadership Training was held the first weekend in October, at the DoubleTree hotel in Bethesda, MD. There were 27 participants who attended.
Consumers from around the country joined HLAA’s Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) Training Program October 26-28, at the University of Colorado Denver, Colorado at the Marion Downs Hearing Center in Aurora, Colorado.
Supported by a grant through the National Institute on Deafness and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Hearing Enhancement (RERC-HE) at Gallaudet University, HLAA’s HAT train-the-trainer program seeks to ensure that consumers get the information they need about HAT.
The Walk4Hearing, produced by HLAA, held walks in 21 cities across the country. Chris Artinian, CEO and president of Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill, signed on as an HLAA spokesperson and National Walk4Hearing Business Chair. The Walk raises public awareness and generates funds to improve services for people with hearing loss.
Convention 2012
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Diana Bender, Ph.D. was elected president of HLAA
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Bea Lyons received the Howard E. “Rocky” Stone Humanitarian Award, named after the Founder and given to a former national board member
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David G. Myers, Ph.D. was the recipient of the Walter T. Ridder award. He was also the Keynote Speaker at the convention.
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The National Access Award was presented to Brown University
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Judy G. Martin received the Keystone Award
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Stephen O. Frazier and Patricia Kricos, Ph.D., both were recipients of the President’s Award
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The Get in the Hearing Loop Campaign recognition was given to the AlbuquerqueChapter (NM), Manhattan Chapter (NY) and Sarasota Chapter (FL)
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Arlene Romoff was the recipient of the Marcia Dugan Advocacy Award