Bridget Dobyan Named as Incoming HIA Director as Kate Carr to Retire

The Hearing Industries Association (HIA) has announced that Director of Public Policy & Advocacy Bridget Dobyan will succeed Executive Director Kate Carr who has led HIA for 5 years and has officially announced she will retire on December 31. HIA is the only American trade organization of hearing aid manufacturers which make up the majority of hearing aids sold in the United States.

Dobyan, who lost her hearing in her left ear at age 11 and uses a bone-anchored hearing aid, has served HIA as Director of Public Policy and Advocacy where she has led the organization's state and federal public policy strategy since January 2020. She holds a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. in political science from Saginaw Valley State University. Dobyan has a wealth of nonprofit, federal, and state government experience, having previously worked on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director for U.S. Representative Dave Trott (R-Mich), as policy advisor to the Michigan Senate, and as government affairs manager for a D.C.-based energy efficiency advocacy organization.

“The HIA Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Ms. Dobyan as the incoming Executive Director,” said Sandy Brandmeier, President of HI Wholesale at Sonova USA. “Her knowledge of the hearing industry coupled with her impressive experience in public policy has been invaluable since joining HIA in 2020. We’re fully confident Ms. Dobyan will take HIA to new heights in the coming years.”

“The Board also sincerely thanks Ms. Carr for her significant contributions to and leadership of HIA over the past five years,” added Brandmeier. “Her steady hand successfully guided us through an evolving landscape marked by the new OTC regulations and debate about adding a hearing benefit to Medicare.”

Carr has been Executive Director of HIA since May 2018, successfully guiding the organization through a period of dramatic change that included the establishment of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, the pandemic, and greater acceptance of hearing care as a vital component in cognitive health and general healthcare. During her tenure, she positioned the organization as a trusted voice in hearing healthcare and technology innovation, spearheading a successful consumer education campaign and expanding the influence of the MarkeTrak 2022 research study. Since she took the helm of HIA, U.S. hearing aid sales have increased by about 1 million units to an estimated 5 million hearing aids in 2023. Carr will serve as an HIA strategic advisor for select projects in 2024.

Prior to HIA, Carr served in executive roles for numerous non-profit organizations, as well as within the Clinton White House as Special Assistant to the President, Office of Public Liaison, responsible for maintaining relationships with CEOs, the Washington representative community, trade associations, and small business owners and leaders.

“I am honored to have been selected for this role,” said Dobyan in a press statement. “I am fortunate to have worked with Kate and thank her for her guidance and strategic leadership. The future is bright for medical device innovation, and I look forward to building upon the strong foundation with the Board, members, our dedicated team, and the hearing health community in this new role to advance hearing health.”

“It has been such an honor to lead HIA, and I know the organization is in good hands with the exceptional Board of Directors and staff who will carry the work forward,” said Carr.