Warrenville, Ill — Phonak announced that it had awarded the 2011 Cheryl DeConde Johnson Award for outstanding achievement in educational and pediatric audiology to Linda Thibodeau, PhD, professor at the University of Texas at Dallas and an active member of multiple organizations devoted to the rehabilitation of adults and children with hearing loss.

Thibodeau (pictured, right) holds a position with the Board of Directors for the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology and is a member of a working group for ANSI standards for measuring FM system benefit. She has conducted many workshops on FM verification and other hearing assistance technology-related topics at EAA, AAA, and state meetings across the country. She has also authored numerous articles and textbook chapters in speech perception, amplification, and hearing assistive technology.

Phonak introduced the award in 2007 to honor educational and pediatric audiologists for their outstanding work and commitment to advocate and improve communication as well as academic outcomes of children.

The award is named for Cheryl DeConde Johnson, EdD, FAAA, the first hearing health professional to receive the award for her many years working as an educational audiologist and deaf educator, including 15 years successfully directing the audiology and deaf education programs for the state of Colorado.

Johnson is now the honorary chairperson of Phonak’s award selection committee. She commented in the press statement, “Dr Thibodeau exemplifies the marriage of service, research, and teaching and has made significant contributions to hearing aid and FM research, particularly as it pertains to school-age children. We are privileged to have her as a peer and delighted to acknowledge her outstanding contributions. Her service to the profession over the past two decades is so impressive and truly exemplifies the spirit of the award.”

In addition to her current FM-related work, Thibodeau has instituted the Pediatric Habilitation Specialty at the University of Texas at Dallas, which offers AUD and SLP students and enhanced opportunity to gain expertise in evaluation and management issues for school-aged children with hearing loss. She initiated the Summer Intensive Auditory Rehabilitation Conference (SIARC); Camp CHAT (Communication Habilitation via Audition for Teens); and AALTA (Application of Advanced Listening Technology for Adults).

SOURCE: Phonak