2021 Academy Board Nominees

The president-elect is elected by the general membership to serve a three-year term (one year as president-elect, one year as president, and one year as past president) beginning October 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2024.

The member-at-large positions are elected by the general membership to serve a three-year term, beginning October 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2024.

Elections for president-elect and members-at-large will open on Monday, April 19, 2021. Academy members eligible to vote per the Academy bylaws will receive dedicated communications about voting once the elections are open.

Nominee Bios and Position Statements

Each candidate was asked to provide a biography, a position statement, and a brief video addressing one (1) of four (4) questions asked by the Academy nominations committee. Click on the nominee names below to learn more. Closed captioning is available for each video.

President-Elect

• Patricia Gaffney, AuD
• Virginia Ramachandran, AuD, PhD

1. In your role as part of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, how do you plan to include the voices of minority and underrepresented audiologists of the academy in your decision-making? 
2. What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the profession of Audiology at this time and how will you in your role as President-Elect help make this opportunity a reality for the membership and the profession.  
3. What is your vision for the profession of Audiology in the next 10 years and how will your role as a member of the Executive Committee on the Board of Directors help make that vision a reality? 
4. If elected, what would you hope to accomplish in order to consider your term as president a success? 

Members-at-Large

• Saunja Burt, AuD
• Ursula Findlen, PhD
• Nichole Kingham, AuD
• Bre Myers, AuD, PhD
• Amanda Ortmann, PhD
• Chizuko Tamaki, AuD, PhD

1. What unique perspective do you currently have that will enhance the Academy board? 
2. What is an area, in your opinion, that needs improvement within the Academy and how will your involvement on the Board of Directors improve that area? 
3. In your role as a member of the Academy Board of Directors, what role will you play in increasing diversity and inclusion in the Academy and the profession? 
4. How can the Academy best prepare and support members who will be faced with a variety of disruptions to traditional practice in the near future?