The Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources Associate Board is comprised of young adults directly affected by hearing loss, either personally or professionally. We proudly have some of the first generation of cochlear implant recipients sitting on our Associate Board, guiding and giving back. In addition, our dedicated Associate Board members are early intervention experts, teachers of the deaf/ hard of hearing in both private and public schools in Illinois, and professionals with a family connection to hearing loss. Through their mentorship program and community gatherings, the Associate Board works to create connections for kids with hearing loss.
Once again we are partnering with the Little Owl Social Pub 3747 Grand Blvd, Brookfield IL and hosting Cheers and Beers for Ears – The Associate Board Fundraiser for Loaner Hearing Aid Banks throughout Chicagoland.
We are excited to try and exceed our amazing fundraising from 2021 and need your support to do that!
Buy Raffle tickets – the Baskets are guaranteed to be amazing
Donate today and Help kids with Hearing Loss
when : Saturday October 1, 2022
time: 3pm – Close
where: Little Owl Social Pub
3747 Grand Blvd.
Brookfield IL
THE ASSOCIATE BOARD
Laura Conway, J.D. - Associate Board
Ms. Conway, a recent graduated of William & Mary Law School, serves as a legal advocate for individuals with disabilities with Illinois Legal Aid. As one of the first generation of children with hearing loss to receive a Cochlear Implant, Ms. Conway has worked tirelessly to assure equity and parity for all individuals. Happy to be back in Chicago, Ms. Conway looks forward to continuing her work on special education and disability rights while she serves on the Associate Board.
Jamie Davidson, M.Ed, DT-H
Ms. Davidson has been working within the Deaf & Hard of Hearing field for over 8 years. She graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in special education specializing in Deaf & Hard of Hearing. She is eager to continue and expand educational experiences and graduated from National Louis University with a master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction with Advanced Professional Specializations; concentrations in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Learning Behavior Specialist (LBS). Jamie currently works as a hearing itinerant teacher at the Cooperative Association for Special Education (CASE) with school-aged students who have a hearing loss. Jamie is also credentialed and works in early intervention as a Developmental Therapist - Hearing Specialist, supporting families and providing aural rehabilitation to children who have a hearing loss birth to 3 years of age. Aside from work, Jamie enjoys reading, skiing anywhere in the mountains and spending time with her family and friends.
EmilyAnn Duffley - Associate Board
EmilyAnn Duffley is an aspiring pediatric audiologist who has special interests in cochlear implants, newborn hearing testing, and music perception. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Audiology at Northwestern University, where she served as the campus representative for the Illinois Academy of Audiology. She is also completing her year-long externship at Child’s Voice in Wood Dale. EmilyAnn earned dual degrees in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Vocal Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2019 and was the Chair of Cheers for Ears in 2021.
Katie Farnsworth- Co-Chair
Katherine Farnsworth, AuD CCC-A
Katie completed her doctorate in Audiology in 2015 from Rush University Medical Center. Currently, she is a pediatric Audiologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, where she is on the cochlear implant team. Katie's lifelong ambition has been to work with children who have hearing loss; she was diagnosed with a bilateral severe hearing loss at age 2. Katie is passionate about planning events that children with hearing loss are able to connect with others. When not at the hospital, Katie enjoys spending time with her growing family and competing in triathlons.
Natalie Goldman - Chair
Natalie received her B.S. in Linguistics from Washington University in St. Louis with a minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She currently works for Henry Crown and Company and is involved in the firm’s venture investments in the healthcare sector. Natalie is passionate about working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. She has volunteered with the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, the Child’s Voice School in Chicago, and the Thirty Million Words Project at the University of Chicago.
Kim Tasharski - Co-Chair
BE A PART OF IT ALL.
Join our Associate Board.
Looking for a way to connect with other young professionals in the Chicagoland area while giving back to a great cause? Volunteers for the FHSR Associate Board work collaboratively to create exciting events for deaf and hard of hearing children building a true support community for the families. Fun social gatherings and fundraising events to support loaner hearing aid programs round out the mission of the Board, which is made up of Members under 35 who have either been directly affected by hearing loss, work with deaf and hard of hearing children or have a desire to help Illinois children.
