Phonak Faces of Audiology

Our audiologists have stories. Lots of them.

Stories that illustrate their passion, their dedication, and their love for what they do. What drove them to the field of Audiology? How did they end up at Phonak? What do they cherish most about their work? Who are the people whom they are helping lead fuller lives?

We are proud of the expertise, the passion, the devotion, and the love that our audiologists have for what they do. So we asked our 16 Audiologists to describe what they do, and why they do it, in just six words. Their stories are incredible.

The result? Our new Faces of Audiology campaign, which captures in words and video the pride and dedication these people bring to their work every day.

Passionate people bringing Audiology to life

Meet Ananya Herbert

2 min

We think you'll agree.

Our audiologists are a special bunch of people.

This campaign is dedicated to telling their stories . . . in six words or less.

Click on any of the Six-word stories below and you'll be brought to that audiologist's unique page where you can hear their story and learn a little more about their inspirational work at Phonak.

Ananya Herbert, Audiology Manager

“I am finally making a difference in peoples’ lives. Every. Single. Day.”

When she was growing up, Ananya volunteered at a camp for kids with special needs. Seeing the difference between the kids with hearing loss who had hearing aids, versus those who were not wearing hearing aids opened her eyes to the power of hearing technology, and pushed her to be an Audiologist.

Ananya’s bio

Ananya received her BSc (Hons) Audiology degree from the University of Leeds, England and worked as an adult audiologist in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. She later went on to complete several pediatric masters modules at the University College London (UCL) before specializing in pediatric audiology and working at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) before moving to Switzerland to join Phonak as an Audiology Manager. Ananya now works closely with the Phonak eSolutions team.

Angela Pelosi, Director of Global Audiology

“Because of the work that we do, people with hearing loss can live full lives .”

Research, product development, training, resources . . . as the Director of Global Audiology, Angela is involved in all of it. She likes to say that “Audiology is ingrained in everything we do at Phonak.” It’s also ingrained in her.

Angela’s bio

During Angela's more than 15 year career at Sonova, she has led various teams in Audiology, Sales and Marketing and most recently the Pediatric and Severe-to-Profound teams.

In her latest role as Director of Global Audiology, she is dedicated in ensuring Audiological excellence throughout the organization - from innovation and product development, to validation and scientific studies, to education and training.

Bernadette Fulton, Manager Severe to Profound

“I want to be the Audiologist you want to bring your family to.”

Bernadette is fascinated by hearing aid technology . . . and also loves working with people. It’s the perfect combination for what she does every day: Keeping people with severe to profound hearing loss leading full and rich lives.

Bernadette’s bio

Bernadette has many years of experience as a clinical audiologist in hearing aids, hospital diagnostics and research and development.

In her current role she contributes to Phonak Global Audiology by highlighting the audiological consequences of severe to profound hearing loss and contributing to the highest quality and beneficial solutions.

Chase Smith, Sales Audiology Manager

“Helping audiologists help more people is why I do what I do. It inspires me.”

Chase has always approached everything in life with creativity and fun . . . and he brings that joy to his work at Phonak. “I’ve never been able to have so much fun at work before . . . but also have that fun result in such great work being done,” he says.

Chase’s bio

Chase joined Sonova in 2016 and is currently Sales Audiology Manager at Phonak HQ in Switzerland.

Chase received his Doctor of Audiology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Since then, he has worked in a variety of roles including Product Audiology Manager at Phonak HQ and Regional Sales Manager at Phonak US. Having seen the demands placed on audiologists in the clinic, his working goal is to make audiological knowledge accessible and easily digestible for everyone.

Davina Omisore, Manager Product Audiology

“When you hear, you get to laugh. And when you get to laugh, you get to live.”

One of Davina’s favorite things is seeing someone using Phonak’s hearing technology. “Working at head quarters is amazing because you get to have an influence in hearing technology that is based on the ever growing hearing needs of our clients," she says. “And when you see someone wearing our hearing aids and laughing with their friends, you think: ‘Yep, I know the blood, sweat and tears that went into that, and I was part of it!'"

Davina’s bio

Davina is Manager of the Product Audiology team in Phonak HQ.

She has been with Phonak since January 2006, specializing in audiology and hearing aid product training. She graduated with a Masters in Audiology degree from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada and previously worked in the UK.

Jacqueline Drexler, Audiology Manager

“I don't like when people say I can't do something . . . because I can.”

As a child, Jacqueline was told she couldn’t play the violin because of her hearing loss. Nonsense, she thought. She and her mom fought the decision and eventually she became First Chair. She brings that same determination to her work at Phonak, helping others overcome obstacles in every phase of life.

Jacqueline’s bio

Jacqueline received her Doctor of Audiology degree from University at Buffalo, New York. Jacqueline joined Sonova in 2017 and is currently the Audiology Manager for Phonak Target, based in Switzerland. She strives to ensure hearing care professionals have an optimal fitting experience with Target. Jacqueline brings a unique perspective to product development with both her audiological background and experience living with hearing loss.

Jane Woodward, Product Audiology Manager

“I knew there had to be a better way.”

When Jane was working in clinic, most of the hearing technology was designed for adults, and would be tweaked or adjusted for children. “But one thing you learn in the clinics is that children have very, very different needs than adults,” she says. The idea that technology could be designed to cater specifically for the needs of children is what brought her to Phonak.

Jane’s bio

Jane first joined Phonak HQ in 2005. In her role as Audiology Manager, Jane strives to provide evidence based, impactful products, features and training. She has over 20 years of experience in audiology, working clinically in University hospitals in the UK and Switzerland, in hearing system and software development, and in training. Jane holds an MSc (Audiology) and BSc (Psychology) from Southampton University, UK.

Stacey Rich, Manager Audiology Leadership and Education

“You can’t just take a hearing aid out of the box and put it on.”

"It’s one thing to have excellent technology," says Stacey. "And Phonak certainly does. But", she says, "creating the technology solutions is the beginning of the process, not the end. It’s no good to anyone if they just buy our hearing aids and never use it,” she says. “The person using it has to understand the benefits. Which means the Hearing Care Professionals need to know it inside and out, too."

Stacey’s bio

For the last 12 years Stacey has held various audiology and training roles with a special interest in pediatrics. She currently leads the Audiology Leadership and Education team at Phonak HQ based in Switzerland and lives in North Carolina. Before becoming an audiologist, she worked as an American Sign Language interpreter. Stacey completed her Master of Clinical Audiology degree in 2003 and worked as a pediatric clinician fitting children with hearing aids and remote microphone systems in Australia until joining Phonak in late 2008.

Jennifer Appleton-Huber, Scientific Audiologist

“It’s those stories you never forget. It’s why I love what I do.”

When working in a clinic, Jennifer met a woman who lost her hearing in her 30s. She was lost. She couldn’t even have a conversation with her Mum via FaceTime. When Jennifer fit her with her first hearing aid, “Her whole face lit up,” she says. “She came alive.” It was those magical moments that brought her to Phonak so she could help shape the future of hearing aid technology.

Jennifer’s bio

Jennifer joined Phonak HQ in 2013. She previously worked clinically as an Audiological Scientist mainly in the UK and Switzerland, with both adults and pediatrics (in the areas of hearing aids and cochlear implants). She received her MSc in Audiology from the University of Manchester.

Jodie Nelson, Pediatric Audiology Manager

“You often work with kids for many years. So they become like special nieces and nephews”

“When we’re working with a child”, Jodie says, “you’re not just talking about two ears that don’t hear very well. We're not even just talking about a child who has a hearing loss. We're talking about the entire family, so the entire family becomes our client.They all play a huge part in the child’s hearing loss journey and the relationship that evolves.”

Jodie’s bio

Jodie Nelson is the Phonak Pediatric Audiology Manager based at Phonak headquarters in Switzerland. In her role she ensures that Phonak offers the highest quality pediatric hearing solutions for children with all degrees and types of hearing loss. She works by the motto ‘every child matters’. Her knowledge is based on years of clinical experiences while working as a Pediatric Audiologist and Clinical leader in Australia.

Lena Kyman, Audiology Training Excellence Manager

“You can’t turn on life if you don’t know how to do it.”

“One of the hardest things about hearing loss is that it is invisible," says Lena. “It’s hard to convince people they have hearing loss," she says. “It’s not like losing vision, when you can literally SEE you are losing vision, or have to squint. It’s tangible. But with hearing loss, you don’t know what you’re not hearing. Because of that, it can be hard to convince people to accept they need hearing aids. That’s why it’s so important that we offer the training to make it as easy as possible.”

Lena’s bio

Lena has taken the new position of Audiology Training Excellence Manager in August 2021. Lena has been a Phonak audiologist since 2019. Prior to joining the team, she was a Phonak Clinical Trainer, an Adjunct Assistant Professor, and a private practice audiologist. She received her AuD from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and her BS from the University of Arizona.

Lisa Bacic, Rehabilitation Manager and Editorial Manager, Phonak Audiology Blog

“If someone has a difference of any kind, it doesn’t mean they have less of a future. Anything is possible.”

Lisa’s brother was born blind, and that was a time when there weren’t all the tools and resources that are available today. She says we’ve come so far in being able to support people to the point where they have no limitations. “It’s why I love what I do today,” she says. “I’ve seen how people can thrive when they’re given the support and resources they need. Being a part of Phonak helps to make this happen.”

Lisa’s bio

Lisa worked as a clinical speech-language pathologist in Canada for over 15 years before joining Phonak HQ in 2016. In her role as Rehabilitation Manager, she strives to offer resources that give children and adults the skills they need to communicate with confidence. In her role as Editorial Manager, she aims to keep hearing care professionals informed on all topics related to audiology. Lisa received her undergraduate degree from Western University, Canada and her graduate degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Western Michigan University, USA.

Lisa Dyre, Clinical Development and Education Manager

“There is no such thing as a generic solution to a patient.”

The one thing that never changes about Audiology is that everything is constantly changing. The technology, the training, the needs of the patients . . . they are all in a state of flux. And Lisa loves staying on top of those changes. “There are so many exciting things happening in Audiology right now,” she says. “I’m involved in helping advance our eAudiology, telehealth and remote support services; which means there are no ears left behind.”

Lisa’s bio

Lisa is passionate about helping those with hearing loss. She has worked in a variety settings in her over 30+ year career -both clinical and educational. She joined Phonak in 2010 as a Pediatric Account Manager. Currently, as the Clinical Development and Education Manager she is responsible for developing tools and educating hearing care professionals especially in the area of eAudiology. Lisa earned her Doctorate of Audiology from A.T. Still University in Arizona, and her Masters in Audiology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Michael Preuss, Audiology Manager

“Ever since I have been old enough to think, I’ve been working with hearing aids.”

When Michael was three, he lost his hearing to a large extent due to meningitis. Because of his personal experience, he often understands what people are thinking and feeling. He can more easily explain things to clients. “Having hearing loss since I was a child, I can speak from my own experience and tell them how I handled various challenges through different stages of my life.”

Michael’s bio

Michael studied Hearing Acoustics (B.Sc.) at the University of Applied Sciences in Lübeck, Germany. His first contact with Sonova was during a 6-month internship with Phonak India Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai from Oct. 2012 to April 2013. In June 2020 Michael moved to Switzerland to join Phonak as an Audiology Manager. His main area of expertise are the behind the ear devices and he works closely with thehealth innovations team. Benefitting from his lecturing background at the Academy of Hearing Acoustics in Lübeck and living with a hearing loss, Michael aims to deliver comprehensive expert training sessions for the Group Companies both in English and German.

Shin-Shin Hobi, Senior Audiology Manager

“I love when I am explaining something, and you see the person’s eyes light up - that 'light bulb' moment in their head.”

Learning and then passing on that knowledge. That’s how Shin-Shin spends her days at Phonak. First, she herself has to master new technical concepts from R&D. “I enjoy the challenge of understanding how things work”, she says. “But what’s even more satisfying is then transferring that knowledge to others, so more and more people can benefit from the latest technology and hearing aid products.”

Shin-Shin’s bio

Shin-Shin has been working at Phonak HQ as an Audiology Manager since 2006. In her current role  she ensures end user and hearing care professional needs are taken in to account during product development.  She has a keen interest in product training and tinnitus. Originally from Australia, Shin-Shin earned her Audiology qualifications from University of Melbourne. She gained wide clinical experience in private practice, in Perth, before making the move to Switzerland.

Paul Kreimer, Sales Audiology Manager

“The best thing about audiology is it’s never the same day twice.”

"A lot of people", says Paul, "think hearing aids are like eyeglasses: You just get a prescription. But it doesn’t work that way because every patient is different. That’s where listening skills come into play. Audiology is 50% science,” says Paul. “The other 50% is the art of really listening to what a person’s needs are.”

Paul’s bio

Paul obtained his M.A. in Audiology in 1998 before joining the work force. He worked in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals, ENT offices, a VA hospital and finally private practice. In 2009, he joined Phonak as a clinical trainer. After managing a team of wonderfully skilled trainers for the last 5 years, Paul recently changed direction and joined the Global HQ Audiology team to continue to grow and learn from this talented group.