Tanya Tolpegin
The American Academy of Audiology (AAA), Reston, Va, named Tanya Tolpegin, MBA, CAE, as its new executive director on September 2. The appointment is effective October 6.
According to the Academy, Tolpegin holds an MBA from the University of Virginia (UVA) Darden School of Business, a bachelor of science degree in systems engineering from UVA, and is a certified association executive (CAE). She has held management and leadership positions in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, and joins the Academy following 6 years as the executive director of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
Academy President Erin Miller, AuD, said that the AAA Board of Directors appointed a search committee in January 2014 with representatives from the board, past leadership, members-at-large, and the Academy staff. “In Ms Tolpegin, the board found a capable, optimistic, and energetic leader with the necessary experience and proven record of success in association management to lead Academy operations,” said Dr Miller.
“The dedication and commitment of the Academy leadership and members to the field of audiology is impressive,” said Tolpegin. “I look forward to helping the organization, our members, and our industry partners achieve the vision for the field.”
Tolpegin is the fourth executive director of AAA in 16 years, replacing Cheryl Kreider Carey who was departed in December after criticism from prominent audiologists—including several former AAA leaders—regarding the Academy’s transparency, overall direction, and what some viewed as a failure to listen to thought-leaders in the profession and in industry. Carol Fraser Fisk was hired as the Academy’s first full-time executive director in 1998; she resigned 2 years later to be replaced by Laura Fleming Doyle who departed in late 2006. At that point, Carey was deputy executive director until being named as AAA’s permanent leader in late 2007.
The Academy Search Committee, headed by immediate Past President Bettie Borton, reportedly worked for over 6 months to identify the best candidate for the position. Tolpegin was selected from an initial group of approximately 150 applicants.
Tolpegin has been an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE). She served as chair of the ASAE Finance, HR, Business Operations Conference in 2012 and 2013, was a Finance and Business Operations Council member from 2010–2013, helped shape the new CAE exam, served as an ASAE faculty for many educational activities, and is currently a member of the Small Staff Committee. She also serves on the Leadership Committee of the AAMSE and has been active in that organization since 2008.
