RESTON, VIRGINIA — The American Academy of Audiology has announced the 2022 Academy honorees. These luminaries have made significant contributions within the audiology profession or hearing sciences.
Each award recipient was asked to answer the question “What achievement are you most proud of?” Watch the video above for a compilation of all of their answers. More information can be found in their bios, where you can learn more about their professional journey and watch their individual videos.
EARLY-CAREER AUDIOLOGIST AWARD
Lori Zitelli, AuD
Dr. Zitelli completed her AuD externship in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). After graduation, she started her clinical career at this same location working her way up from audiologist to audiology manager. She has garnered a reputation for her expertise in the areas of tinnitus, suicide awareness and prevention, telehealth applications, and interventional audiology. Read more about Dr. Zitelli here.
Dr. Zitelli’s work was also recently highlighted on an episode of This Week in Hearing with Brian Taylor, and can be viewed here.
HONORS OF THE ACADEMY
Ian M. Windmill, PhD
Dr. Windmill’s greatest asset is his ability to take complex challenges and develop straightforward solutions. Throughout his career, Dr. Windmill has maintained the highest standards and commitment to the profession while generating innovative ideas contributing to the education of students and clinical excellence. He has dedicated his career to ensure students and practitioners throughout the world receive the best clinical education. Read more about Dr. Windmill here.
JERGER CAREER AWARD FOR RESEARCH IN AUDIOLOGY
Deanna K. Meinke, PhD
Dr. Meinke began her career as a clinical audiologist working in a multi-specialty medical clinic. She then transitioned to consulting as an occupational audiologist, and ultimately earned a PhD from the University of Colorado in 2005. Her research has been innovative and influential, and is she is known for her seminal contributions to the field of hearing loss prevention. Read more about Dr. Meinke here.
MARION DOWNS PEDIATRIC AUDIOLOGY AWARD
Shelley Moats, AuD, PASC
The career of Dr. Moats superbly personifies characteristics that merit this award, due her significant contributions as an educator, clinician, mentor, and advocate for children with hearing loss and their families. Dr. Moats’ passion for providing audiological services and support for children with hearing loss and their families prompted her to found and direct the nonprofit Little Ears Hearing Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Read more about Dr. Moats here.
SAMUEL F. LYBARGER INDUSTRY AWARD
A.U. Bankaitis, PhD
Dr. Bankaitis is a pioneer who pushed practice management boundaries to advance infection control. At a time when the need for infection control in an audiology setting was virtually unrecognized, she generated awareness and was the influencer of change. Dr. Bankaitis self-published the first books specifically outlining infection control implementation in the audiology clinic and helped create the Academy’s infection control guidelines in audiology. Read more about Dr. Bankaitis here.
