Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came to be in the great state of North Carolina?
I’ve been an audiologist for about ten years now. I’ve worked in several states in the southeast including Georgia, Alabama, Maryland, DC, and now North Carolina. My husband and I moved to North Carolina in 2015 for his job and we love it here!
Where or in what type of setting do you currently work?
I currently work in a private practice ENT setting.
What would one find you doing in your free time?
I love spending time with my husband and toddler twins. We enjoy being outdoors when the weather is nice and the girls are getting old enough now that they can “help” me cook. I also love to crochet and make handmade items for friends and family.
What is your favorite part of the state to visit and why?
We still have a lot of the state to explore but I love Ashville and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
If you were not practicing in a career related to audiology, what would you be doing?
Hmmm, that’s a tough question. I came into audiology via an interest in speech-language pathology, so I’d probably be an SLP (or a balloon artist – college job/hidden skill that’s lots of fun)!
What were some factors in your decision to become a member of the new North Carolina Audiology Association?
This is the first state I’ve worked in that didn’t have an Audiology-specific state level professional organization. I found that very puzzling when I moved here because I know that this state is home to world-renowned audiology care. I noticed some differences in this state that I firmly believe could be contributed to the previous lack of state-level professional engagement including a lack of pay for follow-up services to Medicaid patients and differing requirements for Master’s level audiologists that do not take into account their experience.
What is one goal you hope the new North Carolina Audiology Association can strive to accomplish?
Engagement of a diverse group of professionals across the state to advocate for our patient’s best interests and advancement of our field.
