# Board of Director Elections [ President Elect Candidates (2) ](#pe) [ Director at Large Candidates (4) ](#dl) [ Online Ballot ](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YTGHKCW) --- # President Elect Candidates ## Jana Brown, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/jbrown.jpg)Jana Brown, former owner of Allegany Hearing & Balance, earned her Doctor of Audiology Degree in 2004, from the A. T. Still Arizona School of Health Sciences in Mesa, AZ. She also holds a Master of Science Degree from West Virginia University. She is currently serving as Chair on Maryland’s Board of Examiners for Audiology, Speech Language Pathology, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Music Therapy. She is the past president of the Maryland Academy of Audiology and served on their executive board for six years. She is currently serving on their legislative committee which resulted in Maryland being the first state to allow audiologists to order bloodwork and imaging. She is a member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and currently serves on their Board. She was honored with ADA’s Leo Doerfler Award in 2017. She also received the Gerber Process Award and the Rich Burba Community Award from Audigy. She has served on the executive board of the Dove Center, the local domestic violence and sexual assault center, and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. She also serves on her church’s finance committee. Dr. Brown enjoys traveling, fly fishing (especially in Chile), gardening, and hiking. ### POSITION STATEMENT: I am extremely honored to be considered for president of ADA. Audiology is at a turning point. We either become the autonomous doctors that we have worked so hard to become, or we relegate our profession to technician status. The choice is ours. One of my main objectives will be to continue the push to get the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (MAAIA) passed so audiologists can be the entry point for ALL consumers, including Medicare patients. Audiology patients should not have to obtain a referral when seeing a doctoral level professional. Maryland, understanding that audiology is at a turning point, recently modernized our scope allowing audiologists to order bloodwork and imaging. I, along with several of my amazing colleagues, lead this charge. It took lots of hard work. I support and encourage ADA being a helpful advocate, providing resources for those states that want to update their regulations and modernize their scope. I also want to provide audiologists with resources differentiating audiology, hearing aid dispensers, and audiology assistants both in definition and scope, and provide models for how to use each for maximum efficiency and reimbursement, regardless of your practice setting. Audiology must become the doctoral level profession we envision in our Audiology 2050 strategy, and now is the time. I will work with ADA to bring creative and beneficial collaborations, education, and training to enhance our professional and personal lives, prevent burn out, and help us provide the best possible hearing and vestibular care to our patients. Let’s do it together! ## Thomas Tedeschi, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/ttedeschi.jpg)Dr. Tedeschi has devoted nearly five decades to advancing the profession of audiology through clinical practice, education, leadership, and advocacy. Throughout his career, he has worked across multiple sectors of the profession, including hospital-based audiology, private practice, academia, and industry, developing a broad understanding of both patient-centered care and practice-centered issues. As Chief Audiology Officer for Amplifon Americas, his work over the past decade has focused primarily on governmental affairs and regulatory policy at the national and state levels, helping shape legislation and regulations affecting hearing healthcare and patient access to services. Dr. Tedeschi played a key leadership role in convening representatives from audiology's professional organizations to develop the landmark OTC Hearing Aid White Paper, fostering collaboration and consensus across the profession. He currently serves as Chair of the Audiology Academy of the National Academy of Practice, Co-Chair of AuDacity Dallas, and member of the Hearing Industries Association's Regulatory and Technical Committee. A recipient of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology President's Award and the National Academy of Practice Distinguished Fellow in Policy and Strategy, Dr. Tedeschi will retire from Amplifon at the end of 2026, allowing him to devote even greater focus to serving the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and supporting its continued growth and success. ### POSITION STATEMENT: **Leading Audiology's Next Evolution** Throughout nearly five decades in audiology, I have been privileged to serve our profession through private practice, hospital-based care, academia, industry leadership, professional organizations, and regulatory advocacy. These experiences have reinforced my belief that audiology's future depends on our willingness to embrace change, advance our professional standing, and build sustainable models for patient care. The Academy of Doctors of Audiology has already established a bold vision through its **Audiology 2050** initiative. If elected President, my goal would be to help transform that vision into measurable progress by focusing on four priorities. **Elevate Audiologists as Doctoral-Level Healthcare Providers** ADA has long championed recognition of audiologists as autonomous clinical providers. We must continue advancing state practice acts so they accurately reflect what audiologists do every day: evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat auditory and vestibular conditions. We should also support educational initiatives that prepare audiologists for expanded clinical responsibilities and reinforce our role as the primary point of entry for hearing and balance care. **Strengthen Practice Excellence and Sustainability** The future of audiology requires practice models that are both clinically effective and financially sustainable. ADA should continue leading efforts in practice accreditation, evidence-based standards of care, innovative service delivery models, telehealth integration, workforce development, and reimbursement reform. Our goal should be to create an environment where professional services, not product sales alone, drive long-term success. Grow and Engage the Profession ADA's strength depends on active, engaged members. We must increase membership, strengthen mentoring opportunities, encourage professional involvement among students and early-career audiologists, and cultivate the next generation of leaders and advocates. A stronger ADA means a stronger voice for the profession. **Lead Through Advocacy and Collaboration** My work over the past decade has focused on legislative and regulatory issues at both the state and national levels. I have seen firsthand the importance of bringing organizations together around common goals. The OTC Hearing Aid White Paper demonstrated what is possible when audiology speaks with a unified voice. Through nearly five decades in the profession, I have developed strong working relationships with leaders across audiology, healthcare, and industry. These relationships provide opportunities to build consensus, foster collaboration, and expand ADA's influence in advancing policies and initiatives that benefit both audiologists and the patients we serve. At the end of this year, I will retire from Amplifon Americas, allowing me to devote greater time and energy to ADA and its mission. If elected, I will work to ensure that ADA remains the driving force in achieving the Audiology 2050 vision and the leading voice shaping audiology's next evolution. Drawing on a career that has spanned clinical practice, education, industry, professional leadership, and regulatory advocacy, I will bring both experience and relationships that can help expand ADA's reach, strengthen its partnerships, and advance its strategic goals. **The future of our profession will not be defined by external forces, but by the choices we make today. Together, we can strengthen ADA, advance the role of audiologists as doctoral-level healthcare providers, and build a profession that is more influential, sustainable, and patient-centered than ever before. I would be honored to serve as your President and work alongside you to turn the vision of Audiology 2050 into reality.** --- # Director-at-Large Candidates ## Katie Armatoski, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/karmatoski.jpg)Katie Karrels Armatoski, Au.D., is the founder of Ascending Audiologists, LLC, where she works producing clinical content and communication strategy for independent audiology practices, helping doctors of audiology translate their clinical training into the kind of public-facing content that establishes trust with patients and referral sources. Dr. Armatoski earned her Doctor of Audiology in 2013 through the UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison consortium program. Her clinical training and career have spanned hospital-owned health systems, the Veterans Administration, educational audiology, and more than eight years in private practice within an ENT clinic. She serves the Wisconsin Academy of Audiology as Treasurer, as a member of the Legislative Committee, and as the organization's communications lead. She was born and raised in Wisconsin, where she still lives today with her husband and their children. ### POSITION STATEMENT: As an undergraduate, I watched this profession change from a two-year post-graduate degree to a four-year doctorate, built on the promise of what that doctorate would mean. The case for it was made by pointing to dentistry, medicine, and optometry. We won that argument and earned the degree. Autonomy has been slower to follow. I favor finishing it the way optometry did, 15 years in state legislatures, building what their federal recognition eventually rested on. My rotations placed me in hospital-owned systems, the Veterans Administration, and educational audiology, and I spent more than eight years at a private ENT practice before founding Ascending Audiologists, LLC, where I now work full-time helping audiologists communicate more effectively with their communities. That range means I'm not speaking about those settings entirely from the outside; I believe that viewpoint would be an asset to this board. I bring the same approach to my work with the Wisconsin Academy of Audiology, where I serve as Treasurer, sit on the Legislative Committee, and facilitate communication between our board and membership. Across all of it, I have learned that a sound position still has to reach someone, and that advocacy depends less on the strength of an argument than on understanding why the person across from you holds theirs. If elected, I would bring that same instinct to this board, asking, listening, and helping this profession carry its own case to the people who need to hear it. ## Lauren Felton, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/lfelton.jpg)Lauren Felton, AuD, is an audiologist and educator based in St. Louis, Missouri, with two decades of clinical and academic experience in the field of audiology. She earned her Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree from Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Felton's clinical career includes roles for lifespan care across multiple hospital based settings, intraoperative monitoring, and as a contracted educational audiologist. Dr. Felton has served the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences (PACS) since 2016 in multiple roles and currently as Clinical Coordinator for the Audiology Program and lecturer for courses in Clinical Audiology and Business Practices. She has also served on the Collaboration for Interprofessional Education committee at WashU for six years, mentored numerous graduate students through their Capstone Projects, and has held state level leadership roles with the Missouri Academy of Audiology. Dr. Felton currently serves with the Missouri Speech Language Hearing Association, as President-Elect and VP for Audiology Services. She also volunteers on various national audiology organization committees. ### POSITION STATEMENT: As a clinical audiologist and educator with two decades of experience spanning private practice, hospital-based care, educational audiology, and university instruction, I am honored to seek a Director at Large position with the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. Throughout my career, I have seen and still believe our profession thrives when clinical excellence, mentorship, and advocacy work together — all of which I want to integrate within ADA's leadership. Two priorities ADA should focus their goals on include: 1. **Advancing scope of practice and professional recognition.** Having served in state-level leadership roles, including President-Elect of the Missouri Speech Language Hearing Association and prior Presidency within the Missouri Academy of Audiology, I understand how state and national advocacy efforts must reinforce one another. I would leverage these existing relationships to help ADA coordinate more closely with state associations on scope-of-practice initiatives, direct access, and reimbursement advocacy, ensuring doctors of audiology are consistently recognized as autonomous, doctoral-level healthcare providers. 2. **Strengthening the pipeline from student to doctoring audiologist.** As Clinical Coordinator for a university Audiology Program I have seen firsthand how critical it is for emerging audiologists to understand not just clinical skills, but the business, advocacy, and professional identity components of practicing at the doctoral level. I would help ADA build stronger partnerships between practicing clinicians and training programs. Through stronger visibility of ADA within graduate programs, new doctors of audiology will enter the field already invested in the organization's mission and value. Above all, if elected, I would bring a collaborative, service-oriented approach to the ADA Board of Directors — the same one that has guided my volunteer leadership across multiple audiology organizations — to ensure ADA continues to advance our profession. I would be honored to serve and welcome the opportunity to bring my clinical, educational, and advocacy experience to ADA's Board. ## Deanna Frazier Gordon, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/dfrazier.jpg)Dr. Deanna Frazier Gordon’s leadership is grounded in service, hard work, and a deep commitment to her patients. Raised as the daughter of an electrician, she learned early the value of diligence, responsibility, and work done well principles that have guided her career as a healthcare professional, small business owner, and elected leader. A 1991 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, a 1993 graduate of University of Cincinnati, and a 2007 graduate of Arizona School of Health Sciences, Dr. Frazier Gordon built a career centered on helping others. In 1997, she opened a private audiology practice in her hometown that grew to be recognized by the local Chamber of Commerce as Small Business of the Year for its growth and community impact. Her background in communication disorders and service naturally led her to public office. Deanna was elected to the Kentucky State House of Representatives in 2019 and continues to serve in this capacity. Throughout this time, she has worked collaboratively to advocate for improvements in healthcare policy, the profession of audiology, and her district. Dr. Frazier consistently applies principles of collaboration, service, and civic engagement to create lasting and positive impact. Deanna lives in Richmond, Kentucky with her husband Brian. ### POSITION STATEMENT: As I approach my 35th year being an audiologist, I have witnessed our profession navigate many changes. From my earliest memory of showing up in a tee shirt and shorts at the University of Cincinnati introductory picnic in 1991 and finding my fellow audiology classmates dressed in similar fashion among the preppy counterparts to our profession, I was quite unsure of what this chosen course of study would hold for me. When I look back on my career, I truly count it a blessing that I still go to work today with the same anticipation of creating positive impact in the lives of my patients and their families. I am also grateful that I have had the opportunity to practice at a time when our profession has accomplished so much including the movement to transition audiology to a doctoring healthcare profession. Today, we once again find ourselves at a defining moment in our profession. It is time to bring transformative energy, challenge ideas, and ask questions of ourselves in order to offer solutions so this organization can continue to lead in the advancement of practitioner excellence and sound business practices. The field of audiology continues to offer exciting new technologies, methodologies, and associated opportunities but we must chart our own course. That effort must include member engagement, collaboration with other professional organizations, and increasing student participation in our activities. Being involved in public policy, there has never been a more urgent time for us to assert our profession so that audiologists can practice to our full scope of training. To that end, we should support state efforts to expand our scopes of practices and likewise ensure that training programs are delivering towards those outcomes. In addition, we must continue and increase our presence to Congress to ensure that audiologists are recognized as the entry point to hearing and balance healthcare. This organization was born out of the need for business minded private practice practitioners to be able get the resources they needed to grow and thrive. Our profession is no different. The collective “we” has consistently raised the bar and have excelled at each turn. I am humbled to be considered for this position and my pledge to you as friends and colleagues is no different than the first question we most often ask our patients, “How can I help you today?” ADA and its leaders have always been dedicated to personal growth and professional success. I am proud to be part of an organization that advocates for me and my patient’s outcomes. In closing, I would like to advance advocacy efforts at both the state and national level to promote access and practitioner parity for our most admirable profession. ## Sam Vaught, Au.D. ### BIO: ![](https://audiologist.org/_resources/images/headshots-elections/svaught.jpg)Samuel F. Vaught, Au.D., has been the owner of The Audiology Center of Snellville for the last 20 years and has been practicing audiology since 1982. He has been an active member of ADA since 2013 and is an active member of the Georgia Academy of Audiology (GAA). Within ADA, Dr. Vaught has served on the Advocacy Steering Committee since 2021, contributed to the AuDacity Planning Committee from 2023 to 2025, and served on the Nominations Committee. In 2023, he received the Craig W. Johnson Advocacy Award in recognition of his advocacy on behalf of the profession at the federal and state levels. Dr. Vaught currently serves on the GAA legislative committee. His previous GAA service includes the Board of Directors, convention committee, marketing committee, and webmaster. In 2015, he earned the Honors of the Association for his dedication and service. Before relocating to Georgia, he was active in the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association where he served on the Board of Directors, worked on multiple committees, and chaired the 1993 annual convention. Dr. Vaught holds an Au.D. from Salus University, along with a Master of Science and Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ### POSITION STATEMENT: Samuel F. Vaught, Au.D., has practiced audiology for 43 years, including the past 20 years in private practice. In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Vaught has remained deeply involved in state and national audiology organizations, consistently supporting the growth and advancement of the profession. He has long advocated alongside ADA for the various versions of the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act and has participated in numerous Fly-Ins in Washington, D.C., meeting directly with legislators and staff in person and virtually. At the state level, he serves on the legislative committee and has been a steady presence at the Georgia Capitol for GAA Day each February. If elected director-at-large of the ADA Board, Dr. Vaught would utilize his broad experience to advance ADA’s initiatives through strategic advocacy, member engagement, and strong partnerships across the profession. He believes that our responsibility is not only to protect audiology today, but to position it for long-term success. To that end, Dr. Vaught supports a forward-looking agenda that strengthens audiology practice, expands patient access, and keeps our profession sustainable and relevant in a changing health care environment in the following ways: Supporting the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act. Audiologists should be able to provide medically necessary hearing and balance care to Medicare beneficiaries without unnecessary barriers. Reclassifying audiologists as practitioners under the Medicare statute, while improving direct access and reimbursement policy, will help patients receive timely, high-quality care. We MUST get this legislation passed! Supporting Audiology 2050 as a strategic vision for the profession. We must prepare now for the future of hearing health care through evidence-based clinical practice, innovation, workforce development, telehealth, technology integration, and stronger public awareness of the value audiologists provide. Advocating for modernizing state licensure and scope of practice. Licensure laws should reflect current education, training, and clinical competency. Updated scope standards are essential so audiologists can practice to the full extent of their expertise while maintaining patient safety and professional accountability. State audiology practice laws should clearly include the ability to evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat hearing and balance disorders. Supporting AuDvantage, ADA’s strategic partnership initiative to strengthen state associations through professional unity and engagement. With helping offset the cost of state audiology association membership we can build stronger associations, protect state licenses, and create a more coordinated voice on issues affecting audiology. Finally, reimbursement reform is critical to the future of audiology. Fair and sustainable payment models are necessary to preserve access to care, support independent practices, and ensure audiologists can continue providing comprehensive services in all settings. [ Online Ballot ](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YTGHKCW)