Cochlear Implants

Laura Corcoran is a speech-language pathologist and Auditory Verbal Therapist fluent in English, Spanish and ASL. For over a decade, Laura provided speech-language and auditory verbal therapy to children with hearing loss...Laura Corcoran is a speech-language pathologist and Auditory Verbal Therapist fluent in English, Spanish and ASL. For over a decade, Laura provided speech-language and auditory verbal therapy to children with hearing loss and their families and was Director of the Kellogg Child & Family Program at HEAR Wisconsin, an early intervention program based in the Milwaukee area. Currently, Laura is a Consumer Engagement Manager in the Midwest Region for the MED-EL Corporation... Read More >

My name is Kevin Gifford, I have been working at Cochlear now for a little over 2 years. My first year I worked in the orders and insurance department. It...My name is Kevin Gifford, I have been working at Cochlear now for a little over 2 years. My first year I worked in the orders and insurance department. It was a great way to learn the ins and outs of insurance and to learn about Cochlear products. For the past year I have been a part of the Cochlear Recipient Solutions team. My job within the Cochlear Recipient solutions team is to... Read More >

Dr. Chad Ruffin is an ENT Doctor, Cochlear Implant Surgeon and advocate for adults and kids. Born with severe hearing loss, he is uniquely equipped with the skills and experience...Dr. Chad Ruffin is an ENT Doctor, Cochlear Implant Surgeon and advocate for adults and kids. Born with severe hearing loss, he is uniquely equipped with the skills and experience necessary to improve the lives of hard of hearing patients. Dr. Ruffin completed surgical training at Indiana University, one of the most rigorous otolaryngology residency programs. He also completed advanced training in ear surgery and cochlear implant research as a... Read More >

As a teacher of the Deaf and Early Interventionist, Colleen Kinsella spent five years working alongside children and their families, providing support and resources to ensure success in the classroom...As a teacher of the Deaf and Early Interventionist, Colleen Kinsella spent five years working alongside children and their families, providing support and resources to ensure success in the classroom and beyond. She continues to use those skills serving as a resource to help people explore Cochlear as a hearing solution. Cochlear has provided more than 650,000 implantable hearing devices, helping people of all ages to hear and connect with... Read More >

Shana Lucius is a speech language pathologist and certified auditory verbal therapist (LSLS Cert. AVT). She has specialized in hearing loss and cochlear implants her entire career. She graduated with...Shana Lucius is a speech language pathologist and certified auditory verbal therapist (LSLS Cert. AVT). She has specialized in hearing loss and cochlear implants her entire career. She graduated with her master’s in speech pathology from Ohio State University in 2008 then went on to train at the University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program and Hearing Rehabilitation Center. From 2011 to 2022 she led the speech pathology team at the... Read More >

Nolan Johnson received his bachelor’s degree in habilitation of the deaf and hard of hearing from Texas Christian University and his master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Fontbonne University. Prior...Nolan Johnson received his bachelor’s degree in habilitation of the deaf and hard of hearing from Texas Christian University and his master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Fontbonne University. Prior to joining MED-EL in January 2022, he worked at Cochlear where he provided technology and rehabilitation support to cochlear implant recipients, and researched ways to improve the overall experience for cochlear implant candidates and recipients. Read More >

René H. Gifford, Ph.D., is the director of the Cochlear Implant Program at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in the Division of Audiology as well as the director of the...René H. Gifford, Ph.D., is the director of the Cochlear Implant Program at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in the Division of Audiology as well as the director of the Cochlear Implant Research Laboratory. Dr. Gifford’s National Institutes of Health-funded research investigates basic auditory function and spatial hearing abilities for individuals using combined electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS), hearing preservation with cochlear implantation and speech perception for adults and children... Read More >

Craig A. Buchman, M.D., is a world-renowned cochlear implant surgeon with broad research achievements in the field of hearing loss and rehabilitation. He recently chaired an international panel of 31...Craig A. Buchman, M.D., is a world-renowned cochlear implant surgeon with broad research achievements in the field of hearing loss and rehabilitation. He recently chaired an international panel of 31 cochlear implant experts that conducted the first Delphi Consensus process to establish minimum standards of care for adults with severe to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Dr. Buchman is the lead author of the International Consensus Paper on Cochlear Implant... Read More >