The Academy is proud to highlight the members and volunteers who help advance the profession every day. Through our Academy Spotlight series, we recognize individuals making meaningful contributions to audiology through clinical care, research, leadership, education, and service.
Member Spotlight
Our Member Spotlight features Abraham Garcia, AuD, an audiologist at the Primer Instituto Auditivo del Paraguay and Academy member for more than 15 years. Dr. Garcia is passionate about educating the next generation of audiologists while helping improve patient care through teaching, mentorship, and clinical practice. He values the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, contribute to the profession, and remain engaged through the Academy. Dr. Garcia is currently working on a clinical research project exploring the metabolic influence on auditory fluctuations in a patient with Cogan Syndrome.
Volunteer Spotlight
Our Volunteer Spotlight recognizes Maggie Kettler, AuD, Senior Clinical Director of Audiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Through her volunteer work with the Academy, Dr. Kettler served as a member of the Clinical and Scientific Excellence Council and is cohost of the Academy’s podcast, Science Meets the Sound Booth.
“I volunteer with the Academy because I strongly believe in contributing to the advancement of the audiology profession. It provides a meaningful opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, exchange knowledge, and help shape best practices within our field. Volunteering also allows me to stay engaged with emerging trends and initiatives that directly impact patient care. Most importantly, it is a way to give back to a profession that has given me so much.”
Have News to Share?
Have you recently presented your research at a conference, started a new role, or earned a new credential? Reach out to membership@audiology.org to have your work or news featured in a future Academy Spotlight.
2026 AAA Foundation Scholarship Program Recipients
Amit Gosalia Scholarship in Private Practice
- Alyssa Swann, Towson University
- Breanna Billings, University of Texas at Dallas
Continued Achievement Scholarship Program
- Parker Hagemann, University of Iowa
- Sophia He, University of the Pacific
Empowering Students Scholarship Program
- Merrellann Sawyer, University of Oklahoma Health Campus
- Vanessa Diaz, N.Y. Consortium of Adelphi, Hofstra, and St. Johns Universities
- Ashlin Murphy, Wayne State University
- Katherine Kingsbury, University of Iowa
Jerry Northern Pediatric Scholarship Program
- Jane Zankman, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
- Madison Broome, UNC Chapel Hill
- Caroline Henning, University of Iowa
Jill Botkin Hearing Health-Care Accessibility Scholarship
- Vahid Delaram, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Judith Blumsack Scholarship Program
- Josue Garcia-Torres, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Science Campus
Sadanand Singh Memorial Scholarship Program
- Xinming Zhou, University of Texas at Austin
Student Mexico Mission
- Tahreem Shakeel, University of the Pacific
- Mariana Ibanez-Baldor, University of Wisconsin – Madison
