Laura Gaeta, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at California State University, Sacramento. Dr. Gaeta teaches courses in aural rehabilitation, patient communication, aging, and instrumentation. Her research is focused on aural rehabilitation with older adults and service delivery issues that impact underrepresented populations when accessing hearing healthcare services.

Lipika Sarangi is dedicated to advancing the field of audiology by focusing her research on developing and validating individualized patient-centered auditory rehabilitation protocols to improve real-world success with hearing aids. She is particularly interested in identifying the impacts of hearing aid technology as well as patient characteristics (self-efficacy, personality, emotion, etc.) on hearing aid success. Other than continuing her research endeavors, she also teaches amplification, counseling in audiology, and research methods and evidence-based practice.

Tran Do is an adult amplification audiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is committed to counseling patients on the role auditory stimulation plays in their overall well-being and the benefits of addressing untreated hearing loss. With a focus on patient-centered care, her goal is to create more accessible resources that empower individuals to embrace and manage their hearing health. Her passion is to ensure that every patient not only hears better but also feels supported and informed every step of the way.

Isabel Martin is an AuD/PhD student at The University of Memphis. Isabel is a Graduate Assistant in the Hearing Aid Research Lab and her interests include hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation.

Laura Ann has been a member of ARA for over 50 years. She is currently Parliamentarian.  She started her professional career as a teacher of hard of hearing and deaf in public schools. She has also served as a school Speech, Language Pathologist, a research Audiologist, a Speech and Hearing Clinic Director, and for 25 years as a professor of Audiology at Northwestern University. She has been active in standards at the national and International level, and as President of ASHA, and AAS as well ARA.

Dr. Jani Johnson is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Her research and teaching focuses on evidence-based practices in the provision of amplification and psychosocial adjustment to hearing loss, especially for older adults. Dr. Johnson directs the Hearing Aid Research Laboratory (HARL), producing high-quality evidence designed to improve diagnostic and rehabilitative procedures for individuals with hearing difficulties.

Carole E. Johnson is a professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Director of the Hearing Evaluation, Rehabilitation, and Outcomes (HERO) Lab at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She received her PhD from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and her AuD from Salus University in Elkins Park, PA. Her clinical and research expertise is in auditory rehabilitation. She directs the United Way Hearing Aid Bank (UWHAB) specialty clinic in the John W. Keys Speech and Hearing Center in the College of Allied Health Clinics. The UWHAB provides entry-level, advanced digital hearing aids to adults with low incomes. Her current focus of research involves accessibility issues and obstacles to hearing healthcare for unserved and underserved populations. She has published 4 textbooks, 70 peer-reviewed articles, and made over 150 presentations at professional meetings. She attended her first Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology Institute in 1984 when it was held in Watts Bar Dam, Tennessee

Katharine Williams is an adult amplification audiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her areas include educating anyone who will listen, about hearing loss and the benefit of treated hearing loss. She is also interested in educating hospitals and physicians in the value of falls assessments and treatment. Her goal in becoming president is to help make resources available for audiologists and students to better serve their patients with hearing loss. She currently serves on the AAA Health Care Relations Committee.

Karen A. Doherty, Ph.D. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Syracuse University. She is also a member of the Aging Studies Institute and Faculty Affiliate of the Integrated Learning Majors in Neuroscience at Syracuse University. Dr. Doherty’s research focus is on early intervention of age-related hearing loss and investigating ways to maximize hearing aid use considering factors such as cognitive function, hearing handicap, speech perception in noise and hearing aid handling skills.

Kristin Dilaj, AuD., Ph.D, is Co-Director and Audiologist at the New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation, LLC.  Her areas of clinical interest and research include cochlear implant programming strategies and outcomes, tools for evaluating functional listening in pediatrics, and pediatric aural (re)habilitation.