Our authors & experts

Kristi Oeding, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Speech, Hearing, and Rehabilitation Services at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Amar Malik is the General Manager for Audiology and Vision Markets at Synchrony, overseeing Allegro and PayMonthly loans as well as the CareCredit credit card. With nearly seven years in this role, he brings deep expertise in sales, retail, and loyalty marketing to support the growth of over 30,000 providers, always prioritizing provider and patient experience.

Justin R. Burwinkel, AuD, is a Senior Research Audiologist at Starkey who holds numerous patents in fall risk management, artificial intelligence, and hearing aid connectivity. He earned his B.S. and Au.D. from the University of Cincinnati and collaborates with the university’s FETCHLAB.

Henry Wong is the director of market development at the Bluetooth SIG, working with member companies and other influencers to identify opportunities in strategic markets. With an extensive background in IC design, product marketing, business development, product management, and product development, Henry develops plans and programs to grow awareness of key Bluetooth® development and accelerate the adoption of new Bluetooth use cases and applications.

Tim Dziwisch is the Communications Associate for Tinnitus Quest. He is a master’s student in economics and also works as a ski instructor. Since the age of 20, he has been living with tinnitus and hyperacusis—challenges that have significantly changed his life.

Dustin Giannelli is a keynote speaker, disability advocate, and the founder of HearsDustin LLC. He helps organizations improve communication, accessibility, and the overall culture of the workplace so employees feel seen, heard, and valued. Giannelli has turned his lived experience as a profoundly deaf individual into a powerful message about resilience, leadership, and the role of communication in promoting inclusive workplaces—sharing his "Be On Offense" framework with leading companies such as Sony, NBCUniversal, Converse, HubSpot, Ralph Lauren, and many more.

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Bridget Sobek Dobyan, JD, is the executive director of the Hearing Industries Association (HIA), Washington, DC, and also served as HIA's Director of Public Policy and Advocacy from 2020 to 2023. Bridget, who has hearing loss and uses a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA), has also worked on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Director for a US representative, as a policy advisor to the Michigan Senate, and as government affairs manager for a DC-based energy efficiency advocacy organization.

Thomas (Tom) Powers, PhD, is one of the best known industry audiologists in hearing healthcare. He spent over 35 years at Siemens Hearing Instruments—which has since become Signia, part of WS Audiology group—where he was the chief research officer and also the main US compliance officer for Siemens in their interactions with the FDA. Dr Powers is now the managing member of Powers Consulting, where he consults for several different hearing-related companies and organizations, including the Hearing Industries Association (HIA).

Bill Schiffmiller is the founder of Akoio, a consultancy focused on accessibility and auditory matters. A lifelong hearing aid user and advocate, he previously led Accessibility Initiatives at Apple and serves on the CTA OTC Hearing Aid and Accessibility Roundtables and on the Board of the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (HSDC).

Elise is a passionate audiologist, lecturer, and content marketer. She holds her CCC’s in audiology through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the New Zealand Audiological Society (NZAS). She is innately interested in identifying barriers to hearing healthcare in the global market and finding creative ways to connect with clients and healthcare providers to promote healthy hearing. She holds a Doctor of Audiology degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 2010.

Cj Wild is the Head of Engineering and Technology at Scoop Technologies, a prominent Bay Area Startup. Originally from Leeds, England. Cj has been living in Marin, North California for the last 10 years. Cj has mild-moderate hearing loss, perhaps as a result of many years playing rugby and working with live bands.

Emily Court is a Vancouver-based copy and content writer. She has a background in journalism — with an emphasis on disease and nutrition — and plenty of experience writing in the world of wellness, healthcare, and healthtech. As a person with a disability, she takes a particular interest in accessibility and works closely with the team behind All-Day Clear to explore that. Together, they're sharing lesser-known facts about hearing loss and examining the latest developments in hearing technology and care.

Dr. Stella Fulman is a doctor of audiology at Audiology Island in Staten Island. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Audiology from Brooklyn College in 2004 and her Doctorate of Audiology from Salus University in 2008.

Dr Wikoff is the lead audiologist at Peachtree Hearing in Atlanta. Peachtree Hearing specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.

Dr. Hadassah Kupfer is a doctor of audiology based in Brooklyn, NY. She obtained her Doctorate from the CUNY Graduate Center.

Dr. Eric Sandler, Director of Audiological services at The Hearing Center in New Jersey, graduated from Montclair State University in 2007 with a Doctorate of Science in Audiology.

Dr Donna Pitts is an Assistant Professor of Audiology at Loyola University Maryland. She is a Past President of Maryland Academy of Audiology and served as Convention Chair for four years.

Amy Bishop, AuD, is a corporate audiologist at Lucid Hearing. With nearly a decade of experience, Dr. Bishop’s mission is to help people enhance their hearing abilities and elevate their overall quality of life. She spent six years as a clinical audiologist before joining Lucid Hearing, where she has now been providing audiology and technical support to hearing care professionals and their patients for the past three years. She obtained her Doctor of Audiology from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a past volunteer with the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program.

David Fabry, PhD, is the Chief Hearing Health Officer at Starkey, Eden Prairie, Minn. He is an audiologist with over 40 years of experience in clinical, industry, and academic roles that include the Mayo Clinic, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the University of Miami Medical Center. Dr. Fabry is past-president of the American Academy of Audiology, a board member of the American Auditory Society, and has served as editor of Audiology Today and the American Journal of Audiology, and section editor for Ear and Hearing.

Dr. Anne McIntosh leads Safe’N’Clear as its President and CEO, introducing The Communicator™, the first FDA-approved transparent surgical mask, enhancing communication for the deaf and hard of hearing. With a strong academic foundation in communication sciences, her work emphasizes the importance of clear and safe interactions in healthcare. Dr. McIntosh also engages in advocacy and education, furthering discussions on accessibility and inclusion.

Adriana Aleksandrova is a consultant and content writer for Hear4U. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from De Montfort University. Adriana is an employee health advocate and regularly writes for the healthcare sector. She can be reached at Adriana@hear4u.co.uk.

Sue Handley Jones is chief of staff at audio software specialists AudioTelligence. She is an experienced executive with a successful track record of scaling venture-backed tech start-ups by sourcing, hiring, managing, and developing teams across technical, commercial, and operational.

Achin Bhowmik, PhD, is the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering at Starkey Hearing in Minneapolis. Dr. Bhomik is responsible for the company’s technology strategy, global research, product development, engineering, and program management organizations. Previously, he was the VP and general manager of the Perceptual Computing Group at Intel Corp, and he also currently serves as an adjunct professor at the Stanford School of Medicine.