Step Into Leadership with JFLAC.
Are you a new-to-mid-career audiologist ready to grow beyond the clinic and lead within the profession? The James Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology Conference (JFLAC) will help you do just that. Held in person at the Academy headquarters in Reston, Virginia, this transformative event is designed for professionals like you—dedicated, experienced, and eager to make a broader impact.
The next JFLAC is tentatively scheduled for September 2026. More information will be available later this Fall.
Philanthropic support
provided by
Why Attend JFLAC?
Selected participants will experience:
Leadership Skill Development – Build the tools and confidence to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving field.
Networking That Lasts – Connect with peers, mentors, and thought leaders who share your passion for audiology.
A Community of Future Leaders – Join a growing network of professionals committed to shaping the future of balance and hearing health care.
Who Should Apply?
JFLAC is perfect for those who:
- Are current Academy members
- Have between 6-15 years’ professional experience
- Looking to step into a leadership role
- Eager to be part of a diverse and dynamic cohort within the Academy
Your journey starts here. Step forward. Speak up. Lead boldly.
JFLAC has proven successful.
JFLAC has been highly successful, with more than 95 percent of the attendees taking on leadership roles in the Academy and other audiology organizations. JFLAC graduates have served as Academy committee chairs, council chairs, members of the Board of Directors of Academy partner organizations, and elected to serve on the Academy Board of Directors.
Where Are JFLAC Graduates Now?
Find out what past graduates have been up to and how their experiences from the conference put them on a path of leadership.
“Attending JFLAC imparted the value and necessity of national volunteers who reflect the “average” clinical audiologist. JFLAC taught me that I had potential to be a leader and provided me with tools and opportunities to develop skills to seek new challenges for the second half of my career.”
Brenna Carroll, AuD
JFLAC Class of 2010
“The relationships built during JFLAC make me excited to attend conventions each year, they engage me in the Academy, they push me to stretch farther and do more for my profession, but most importantly they encourage me to keep working because our future is brighter if we work collectively and collaboratively.”
Jessica Messersmith, PhD
JFLAC Class of 2018
"It is hard to believe that I attended over a decade ago, and am happy that this program continues to recruit passionate audiologists and help train them to assume leadership positions within the academy and also their careers.”
Bre Myers, AuD, PhD
JFLAC Class of 2012
Conference History
Recognizing the need to develop future leaders of the profession of audiology, Academy leadership launched the Future Leaders of Audiology Conference (FLAC) in September 2008. The conference has been held biennially since that time and was renamed in 2012 to honor the leadership of one of the Academy’s founders and its first president, Dr. James Jerger.