The AAA Foundation supports lectures at the American Academy of Audiology Annual Conference designed to provide attendees with a range of opportunities, including scientific enrichment, career development, and professional networking.
Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology
This popular lecture series, supported in part by the William Demant Foundation, explores contemporary topics in Pediatric Audiology. Marion Downs is considered the Mother of Audiology and is responsible for the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening to detect and treat hearing loss in newborns and infants.
Sponsored by William Demant Foundation
Presented by Margaret Kenna, MD, MPH; Shelby Redfield, MS
Past Lectures
In 2025, the lecture was presented by Margaret Kenna, MD, MPH; and Shelby Redfield, MS, CGC. This lecture explored the clinical utility of genetic testing in supporting children and families as part of a holistic approach to diagnosis and management, provided an overview of the current state of the field and available genetic testing technologies and proposed avenues for collaboration between audiology professionals and genetic counselors
In 2024, the lecture was presented by Mark R. Schleiss, MD; and Angela Shoup, PhD. Drs. Schleiss and Shoup discussed the viral and immunological pathogenesis of cCMV, strategies for prevention, screening models, value of early diagnosis, and long-term management imperatives for this common but under-diagnosed infection and provided skills for articulating the landscape of legislation around cCMV screening, knowledge, awareness, and advocacy.
In 2023, the lecture was presented by Violette Lavender, AuD; and Gretchen Mueller, DPT. Drs. Lavender and Mueller combined their 15-plus years of experience in pediatric vestibular assessment and rehabilitation to present a comprehensive look at pediatric vestibular care from birth to 21 years. The lecture discussed infant and child development and laid the foundation for identifying children who may be affected by vestibular and balance dysfunction.
In 2022, the Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology was presented by Arie L. Nettles, PhD. Marion Downs on Bias, Equity, and Early Childhood Development (0.2 CEUs). This lecture earned national and international acclaim for myriad contributions to the identification and management of pediatric hearing problems and educating professionals to understand and support special needs; thus, bias and equity played significant roles. Based in science and research of the brain, unconscious biases are mental associations without intent, control, and awareness. Unconscious bias stems from automatic decisions one makes based experiences that impact personal, professional, and the most fundamental relationships. Awareness allows us to rethink the way we behave, evaluate, assess, and make equitable decisions for young stakeholders, especially those that are hearing impaired. Philanthropic support provided by the Oticon Foundation.
In 2021, the Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology was presented by Dr. Ryan McCreery, PhD on Enhancing Auditory Experience for Children Who Wear Hearing Aids (0.1 AAA/Tier 1 CEUs). Dr. McCreery discussed the scientific progress from over the past 10 years across three key areas: hearing aid candidacy, quantifying cumulative auditory experience, and documenting developmental outcomes of children with hearing loss. A special emphasis was placed on how these recent developments can be implemented in clinical practice to improve audiological care for children. Philanthropic support provided by the Oticon Foundation.
The 2019 Marion Downs Lecture at the annual conference was presented by Glenn Rall, PhD, Christen Szymanski, PhD, and Jolanta McCall, MA, MSc on Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considerations for Clinical Care in Pediatric Audiology (0.2 CEUs). This popular lecture is available on demand. Philanthropic support provided by the Oticon Foundation.
The 2017 lecture at the annual conference was presented by Barbara Balik, EdD, MS, RN, on Innovation in Hearing and Balance Care: A Pathway to Transforming Outcomes (.15 CEUs), in Indianapolis, IN. This lecture is available on demand. Philanthropic support provided by Phonak.
The 2017 Marion Downs Lecture at the annual conference was presented by Anu Sharma, PhD, on Brain Changes in Hearing Loss (.15 CEUs). This popular lecture is available on demand. Philanthropic support provided by the Oticon Foundation.
Delving into the field of tinnitus research, this year's annual lecture at the annual conference, Evidence-Based Tinnitus Management - Inching Toward a Standard of Practice (.3 CEUs/ABA Tier 1), presented by James Henry, PhD, is available on demand. Philanthropic support provided by Widex.
