Our featured speaker, Nicole Varghese, was the first winner of the Albert B. Chen Scholarship in 2021. Nicole graduated Hunter College in 2025. She will share her very interesting history of academic success and self-advocacy. In addition, Albert Chen, the generous donor of our annual scholarship will speak as will this year’s winner of his sixth scholarship, Sienna Timmons, of New Dorp HS. Sienna will attend the State University of NY in Albany where she plans to be an adolescent education major focusing on history.

At the 6:00 April 21 meeting of the NYC Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America Samuel Atcherson will provide ways to improve your health literacy. Healthcare can be confusing—especially with hearing loss. This talk breaks down what “health literacy” really means and why it matters. You’ll learn simple, practical ways to communicate better with your providers, ask the right questions, and make sure you truly understand your care. The goal is to help you feel more confident, prepared, and in control of your health conversations.

Deaf composer Jay Alan Zimmerman will pull back the curtain to reveal how he makes his theatrical projects without hearing much of anything. He will discuss his new theatrical song cycle, Songs For Hands On A Thursday, in which he blends song, sign language, artful open captions, visual music, and the brilliant poetry of playwright Sarah Ruhl. In connection with the upcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11, he will discuss the production of his Incredibly Deaf Musical—the show that helped him transform from a hearing composer into a deaf one in spite of losing his home, hearing, and musical identity due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In addition, he will talk about his hearing loss and the challenges he faces as a composer.

Dr. Kathleen Pichora-Fuller of the University of Toronto will speak on the topic of listening fatigue. Dr. Pichora-Fuller’s research focuses on hearing loss, cognitive energy, listening effort. She is the co-author on numerous foundational studies on listening fatigue and hearing effort.

Jo Brook, a New York City-based hard-of-hearing actor and musician, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss in 2017. She will talk about navigating hearing challenges and working to come to terms with who she is as an artist and how her hearing loss is a part of it.

Tina Childress, who recently spoke to our chapter on captions, is an educational audiologist, late-deafened adult,  and a bilateral cochlear implant recipient who also is fluent in ASL. She has worked in the field of audiology since 1998, and her experience includes working in the mainstream and residential school settings as well as for a cochlear implant manufacturer.

On September 16 from 6:00-7:30, the New York City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association will present a panel discussion about how hearing loss affects the family and how the family can help, especially with older hearing aid users. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Karen MacLennon with participants including Dr. Sophie Racine. The panel will address obstacles and learning curves that friends and families overcome to help those with hearing loss. As Dr. Mark Ross, PhD, once said, “When someone in the family has a hearing loss, the entire family has a hearing problem”. The panel will shine light on the importance of including family and friends in our hearing loss journey. 

Our featured speaker, Dr. Navena Chaitoo won a chapter scholarship in 2009 and is assistant executive director of research at the NYC Board of Corrections*. She will share her very interesting history of academic and professional success, and of self-advocacy. In addition, Albert Chen, the generous donor of our annual scholarship will speak, along with this year’s winner of his scholarship, Madelyn Kim, of Bayside HS. Because there were so many excellent applicants the Board decided to award a second scholarship, for $1000, to the runner-up, Hugo Vohmann, who is graduating from the United Nations International School. Two past Chen award winners, Nicole Varghese, Hunter College graduate, and Jonesy Strell, George Washington University, class of 2026, will also speak.

*Title and affiliation are provided for identification purposes only. The views expressed are the speaker’s own and do not reflect the views of the City of New York or any of its agencies.

The Dementia Question: What is the relationship, and what can we do to mitigate risk? 

Dr. Justin Golub, Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Faculty Development in the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Columbia University, will address the nature of the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline. What does an “association” mean? What is the evidence that hearing aids can reduce the risk, and if so, why? Is it a matter of increased cognitive effort, or might it be explained by something else? He will discuss recent research findings as well as future developments.

Dr. George Alexiades, formerly of Weill Cornell Medicine and currently at NYU Langone located on Long Island will give an update on cochlear implants: new technologies, qualifications for surgery, the implantation process. Dr Alexiades will be joined by Dr. Paul Lavra, speech pathologist at NYU Langone Cochlear Implant Center in NYC who will discuss aural rehabilitation for implant candidates. Insurance coverage will be discussed.

Speaker Andy Chandler, a retired cybersecurity professional will discuss what people with hearing loss need to know about cybersecurity. We are bombarded daily with phishing attacks, security warnings and fraud alerts. How do we protect ourselves from relay calls, romance scams, identify theft, loss of funds and loss of reputation? Artificial Intelligence is on everyone’s minds and makes it even easier for cybercriminals to conduct their scams. With over 20 years of cybersecurity experience, and as a lifelong hearing aid wearer and CI recipient, Andy will provide tips and tricks to help keep you safe from scams.

Lise Hamlin, HLAA’s recently retired director of public policy, was provided with a hearing service dog through Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).  She will discuss what a hearing-service dog can do for you, and she’ll also discuss your rights under the ADA regarding service animals.

On November 19 the NYC Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America presented a program on Auracast and the future of hearing-assistive technology. Juliette Sterkens and Stephen Frazier spoke about the future of technology like hearing loops, IR and FM systems. They explored the current state of Auracast, its anticipated adoption timeline, and how this emerging technology may enhance auditory experiences in public venues for everyone.

Peggy Ellertsen and Toni Iacolucci, members of the strategic committee of HLAA’s Communication Access in Health Care program will discuss barriers and solutions to ensuring that patients can communicate safely and accurately in all medical encounters. They will be joined by Steve Gordon, Coordinator for Civil Rights Enforcement, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Steve is an expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and will address the legal aspects of securing needed accommodations and support for effective communication.

The basics and more: telecoils, how to care for your hearing aid, when and how to change the ear mold, hearing aid insurance, return policy for newly purchased hearing aids. How often you should wear your new hearing aids. Smartphone as an assistive device. A guide to assistive devices by hearing aid brand.

Speakers:

• Michele DiStefano, director of hearing and hearing technology at the Berelson Audiology Center at CHC.

• Claire Bernstein, a professor at Gallaudet, will talk about auditory rehab as it applies to both cochlear implants and hearing aids.

Our featured speaker, Dr. Alexander Chern, will discuss his life story- including how he overcame the challenges of hearing loss to achieve academic success. In addition, he will describe how his hearing loss informed his choice to become an ear surgeon. He will finish with a description of his current research in music, hearing, and cognition. That night we will also award the fourth annual $5000 Albert B. Chen scholarship for a high school senior with hearing loss to Kiana Clercin. She is a student at the Brooklyn Institute of Liberal Arts and will attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Diane Martinez, a Florida audiologist, who spoke on this topic at HLAA’s Tampa Convention, will be joined by Karen Beverly-Ducker, the Senior Director of Multicultural Practices at ASHA, and Lyssy Pastrana, a chapter board member, will offer a patient's perspective and to share her experience in outreach to diverse communities.

Tina Childress, a deaf audiologist in Illinois, will speak about captioning apps for personal communication, including Innocaption+, Google Live Transcribe, and Otter ai. She will also discuss our rights to captioning at live events and where to complain about inadequate tv captions.

Our panel includes: Carolyn Ginsburg Stern, Director of Outreach and Strategic Initiatives at the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC). Vanessa Kelly, a practicing corporate lawyer and a deaf disability advocate, speaker, and writer. Laura Friedman, currently a Senior Vice President, Communications and People Strategy Lead for Markets Technology at Citigroup. Maria Laghi, who retired in 2010 after a long career as an arts administrator, including fifteen years with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Film at Lincoln Center.

Barbara Weinstein, CUNY department head and former professional advisor, will talk about what’s new in hearing aids. Thomas Powers, an audiologist and expert on Over the Counter Hearing Aids, will also speak.

Jeff Wax will moderate our annual interactive program on the emotional side of hearing loss.

Our speaker will be Alex Lacamoire, a Cuban-American composer/arranger/conductor and associate of Lin-Manuel Miranda. He has worked on In the Heights, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and others. He has hearing loss and wears hearing aids.

We did not receive permission to post the recording of this conversation.

Our speakers will include Rachel Cohen from New York City Transit’s Systemwide Accessibility and David Nelson, Manager, Passenger Accessibility Office,  Amtrak. David Nelson will speak via an ASL interpreter. We hope to have a representative of air travel.

Meghan Despotidis, Columbia audiologist, will moderate a panel that will include Board member, Toni Iacolucci, along with a parent and 16-year-old child with a CI.  They will talk about the history of their hearing loss, the considerations involved in deciding to get a CI, the actual surgery and activation, and an update on their progress.

Speakers include Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs; Jerry Bergman, advocate for the deaf and hard of hearing; and Francesca Rosenberg. the Museum of Modern Art's Director of Access Programs and Initiatives.