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The HLAA 2021 Convention was again reimagined as a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. HLAA Virtual Convention 2021 was held June 24-26 on a new, interactive platform. More than 500 attendees enjoyed connecting with each other, interacting via video chat with exhibitors and viewing our live sessions.
The Welcome Session kicked off the convention with keynote remarks from FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Workshop sessions included the future of Bluetooth® technology, updates on hearing aids, communication access in healthcare and the latest in digital inclusion technologies. There was also a fun Happy Hour with an amazing comedy set by D.J. Demers.
More than 300 people attended the 2021 Research Symposium on hearing care for all. Attendees found this topic of providing underserved communities better hearing health options very important.
The HLAA 2021 Convention schedule included:
Welcome Session
Presenter:
Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chairwoman, Federal Communications Commission
Wireless Accessibility: Finding Mobile Devices and Features that Work for You
Presenters:
Shellie Blakeney, Director of Government Affairs, Technology and Engineering Policy, T-Mobile
Ian Dillner, Associate General Counsel, Verizon Media
Robert Kubik, Senior Director, Public Policy, Samsung Electronics
Sarah Leggin, Director, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA
Linda Vandeloop, AVP External Affairs/Regulatory, AT&T
Hearing Aids: Over-the-counter (OTC), Direct-to-consumer (DTC) and Connectivity
Presenter:
Thomas A. Powers, Ph.D., Managing Member, Powers Consulting LLC
- Watch the presentation recording.
- View the PowerPoint presentation.
- Read the Workshop Q&A.
The Latest in Digital Inclusion Technologies
Presenter:
Larry Goldberg, Senior Director and Head of Accessibility, Verizon Media
Research Symposium
Hearing Care for All: Innovations in Extending the Reach of Hearing Care
HLAA Research Symposia have been held annually at HLAA Conventions since 1994. The sessions cover cutting-edge scientific findings relevant to adult hearing loss. The symposia are unique because they are geared toward educating the lay audience of people with hearing loss about research. The 2021 Research Symposium is supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In the United States, most people with hearing loss do not receive hearing health care. How can we do better? This research symposium will feature some of the latest advances in delivering hearing care to communities traditionally unserved by clinic-based hearing care, including remote Alaska villages, older adults along the U.S.-Mexico border, and low-income older adults in Baltimore. In these settings, care is provided by a range of providers from community health aides to peer mentors.
The HLAA Research Symposium will feature talks by four national leaders in hearing care that bring a range of expertise and perspectives to meeting the hearing care needs of Americans, from children to older adults, and beyond. It will also include a panel of community-based health care providers who are the on-the-ground experts in this field.
Presenters:
Laura Coco, Au.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Audiologist and Research Scientist, University of Arizona
Susan Emmett, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
Duke University School of Medicine
Carrie Nieman, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, HEARS Peer Educators in Action: Older Adults Serving Older Adults
Jonathan J. Suen, Au.D., Ph.D. Candidate
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Cochlear Center for Hearing & Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Watch the presentation.
- View the PowerPoint presentations:
Communication Access in Health Care
Presenters:
Peggy Ellertsen, Member, Management Board, Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation and Contributor, HLAA Communication Access in Health Care
Toni Iacolucci, Contributor, HLAA Communication Access in Health Care Program and Member, Advisory Board, INTERACT Trial
Elaine McCaffrey, Chair, Communication Access in Health Care Program and Member, HLAA Board of Directors
Margaret Wallhagen, Ph.D., Ph.D., RN/GNP-BC, Professor, University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing
The Promise of Next-Generation Bluetooth® LE Audio Connectivity
Presenters:
Linda Kozma-Spytek, Senior Research Audiologist, Technology Access Program, Gallaudet University
Chuck Sabin, Senior Director, Market Development, Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Inc.