Dr. Gerard Buckley, is President of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) and Vice President and Dean at RIT. He has served as the President of the Board of ADARA and as President of the Lexington School for the Deaf Board of Trustees in New York City. He is a past president of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association, and has served on the National Advisory Board of NIH’s Institute on Deafness. Dr. Buckley is a Cochlear Implant recipient and a loyal supporter of HLAA
Term: Jan. 1st, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Sue Miller
Charles Johnstone, (also known as Chas or Charlie), coordinated presentation technology acquisition and support at NTID, including ALD’s at RIT for over 40 years. He also oversaw all the presentation support including the ALD’S for the National SHHH Convention when it came to Rochester in 1988. He is the recipient of the 2021 Rochester Chapter award and Coordinator of its’ ALD Demonstration (Demo) Center. He is also a team member of the Rochester Chapter Technology Committee and a major player in getting the Rochester Chapter “virtual friendly” during the pandemic. The New York State Court System recognized his knowledge when we were initially asked to evaluate the courtrooms in Rochester….they hired him to guide them as a consultant on access technology throughout the state Unified Court System.
Term: Jan. 1st, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Dan Brooks
Dr. Christine Kim, is an otologist in the Department of Otolaryngology, Albany Medical Center Hospital. She received her medical degree from Albany Medical College and completed her otolaryngology residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital and her otology fellowship at the Silverstein Institute in Sarasota, Florida. She returned to the capital region of New York and is eager to raise awareness of hearing loss and deliver hearing rehabilitative options. She has a number of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national meetings throughout her training and looks forward to continuing with clinical research projects.
Term: Jan. 1st, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Don Porter
David M. Landsberger, PhD.; I am an auditory scientist at the NYU Langone Medical Center. I study hearing impairment and how the auditory system responds to electrical stimulation with a cochlear implant. My work focuses on diverse topics such as improving cochlear implant algorithms, electrode designs, and music perception through a cochlear implant. In 2019, I co-founded York Sound, which is a company developing a noise reduction algorithm for hearing aids and cochlear implants that specifically removes the background of other people talking. I originally became involved in HLAA through the chapters in Southern California. I have been an active member of HLAA NYC since moving to New York in 2013. I served for four years as a Professional Advisor to the chapter before becoming a member of the chapter board in 2020. And I love ice-cream with crunchy things in it.
Term: Jan. 1st, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Anne Pope
Joseph Montano, Ed.D. is Chief of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center. He received his MA degree from New York University, his Ed.D. in Audiology from Teacher’s College Columbia University, and is certified in Audiology (CCC-A) through the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).”
Term: present to Dec. 31, 2023. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Jon Taylor
Katrina R. Stidham, M.D. Chief of Neurotology and Director of the Balance Center and Cochlear Implant Program at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY. Dr. Stidham is a neurotologist and surgeon. She also is a professor at New York Medical College. Dr. Stidham received her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her surgical residency at Stanford University. Prior to joining the WMC team, she practiced in California as the medical director of the Cochlear Implant Program at Children’s Hospital Oakland.
Term: present to Dec. 31, 2023. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Steve Wolfert
Donna Wayner, Ph.D., Au.D., former Director of The Hearing Center at the Albany Medical Center Hospital, Albany, New York. In addition, she has served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Albany Medical College and consultant to various organizations, government agencies, and private industries. Recognized in the field of hearing impairment and rehabilitation, Dr. Wayner has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences and has published books, chapters, and articles about hearing loss and tinnitus.
Term: present to Dec. 31, 2023. HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Mary Kate Owens
Joseph Zesski, is the Program Manager of the Northeast ADA Center in Delmar, NY (near Albany). and has served as the New Jersey affiliate of the Northeast ADA through Resources for Independent Living since 2009. He has a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University and a Bachelors in English Communications from Cabrini University. Mr. Zesski’s focus has been on assistive technology, accessible web design, the transition of students with disabilities from high school, and accommodations in the postsecondary education environment. Joe has spoken at the National Disability Employment Awareness Month event in Rockland County and a HLAA Westchester chapter meeting.
Term: present to Dec. 31, 2023 HLAA-NYSA Liaison: Debbie Wolfe