This Week in Hearing

What happens when a global hearing aid manufacturer and a fashion house join forces to challenge stigma? In this episode, host Andrew Bellavia speaks with Marie Schleimann Nordlund, Director of Communication and Community at GN Hearing, and Kristian Rye, CEO of Han Kjøbenhavn, about their recent collaboration showcased at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Together, the two companies brought hearing health to

For many with hearing loss, traditional meditation practices fall short—one woman is working to change that. Janaki Zaremba is a lifelong meditator who also lives with hearing loss, she’s developing a more inclusive and sensory-friendly approach to mindfulness that goes beyond traditional audio-based guidance. In this conversation with Shari Eberts, Janaki shares how meditation helped her navigate the emotional landscape

Dr. Tena McNamara’s audiology journey has spanned clinical practice, academic leadership, advocacy, and national service. With more than four decades of experience and dual certification in audiology and speech-language pathology, Dr. McNamara has worked across educational systems, early intervention, and higher education. She currently serves as a pediatric audiologist at Midwest Children’s Therapy and is the immediate past president of

Hearing care professionals often face challenges when trying to evaluate and compare performance claims across hearing aid brands. Andrew Bellavia speaks with Michael Preuss, Audiology Manager at Sonova, about Phonak’s approach to validating its claims through objective, lab-based methods designed to better reflect real-world listening environments. Preuss explains how Phonak uses a 12-speaker array and ambisonic sound recordings to simulate

What does it take to build sustainable hearing care infrastructure in underserved regions of the world? In this inspiring interview, Andrew Bellavia is joined by Richard Brown, Chairman and President of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, and Dr. Alfred Mwamba, Executive Director of the Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia, to explore the foundation’s evolution from mission-based outreach to a scalable, community-empowered

How well do hearing aids handle noisy, real-world environments? Dr. Bob Traynor sits down with Drs. Sheena Oliver and Eric Branda of WS Audiology to discuss a recent independent study conducted by Hörzentrum Oldenburg. The research compared speech understanding performance between Signia’s Integrated Xperience (IX) hearing aids and another leading device featuring an AI co-processor. The conversation explores the implications

What if a digital tool could help bridge the gap between hearing loss and informed action? In this session from the 2025 Future of Hearing Healthcare Conference, Dr. Mel Ferguson of Curtin University introduces the HearChoice project—a co-designed, evidence-based decision aid developed to empower adults with hearing loss. Backed by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council, HearChoice is designed

Advances in implantable technology are opening new possibilities for people living with hearing loss. In the third installment of our cochlear implant series, we welcome back Brent Lucas, CEO of Envoy Medical, to explore the latest advancements in hearing technology and patient care. He shares the latest updates on the company’s progress toward fully implantable hearing devices and discusses their

Hearing care is evolving rapidly—are we ready for what’s next? In this conversation from the 2025 Future of Hearing Healthcare Conference, Andy Bellavia and Dave Kemp explore the trends reshaping hearing healthcare. From the growing influence of AI and consumer tech to the mainstreaming of OTC hearing aids, they discuss how new technologies are expanding access and improving outcomes for

Stigma remains one of the most enduring and complex barriers in hearing healthcare—shaping public perceptions of hearing loss, delaying help-seeking behaviors, and limiting the adoption of hearing technology across all age groups. Despite advances in treatment and expanded access through over-the-counter (OTC) devices, many people still hesitate to pursue care due to fears of looking old, feeling different, or being