Talking Ears

Laura Sinnott - Global Initiatives for Hearing Loss Prevention

This is the first of a series of shorter episodes featuring presentations and interviews held at the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) annual conference in Charleston, SC in February, 2025. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes featuring Brian Fligor, Michael Santucci, Colleen Le Prell, Benj Kanters, Heather Malyuk, Juan Vasquez, Shannon Switzer, as well as two student award recipients, Hannah Miller and Blake Voss. Wow, what a line up!
But first, we have undeniable audio genius and friend-of-the-show, Laura Sinnot. Laura is a long time audio engineer for film whose career expanded into hearing health as an audiologist after over-exposing her ears to her work and the bustling metropolis of NYC. She ran the Sensaphonics Musician's Hearing Clinic, a Chicago-based institution for three years. Now based in Central New York, Laura provides traveling and concierge audiology services for musicians, media professionals, and music lovers, as well as teleaudiology consultations through Tuned. In addition to her doctorate degree from the City University of New York, she has a Music Technology master's and bachelor's degree from New York University and the University of Colorado at Denver, respectively.
Please note that this is an edited version of the presentation and is not eligible for CEUs. If you want the full experience (and the continuing education credits) you need to plan to come to NHCA webinars and conferences in the future. They are the best.

Jesus Florido - talking fiddle, hearing loss, and changing the music industry

Talking Ears wishes everyone a healthy and wonderful new year! To kickoff 2025, we are honored to present the latest and very special episode featuring Jesus Florido. Known as the Latin Fiddler, he is a Los Angeles-based violinist with a unique story to share. At a vital time in his life, he needed to undergo a risky ear surgery that left him with tinnitus and a permanent loss of hearing in his right ear. He discusses how this different way of hearing led to a new approach to performing music, and also shares his passion for supporting musicians with his hope of improving the music industry.
For context, Jesus first met Talking Ears co-host Juan Vasquez through the MusiCares X Tuned program, which has been discussed at length on the show. Throughout the episode, you'll hear mention of a mysterious Nancy who is none other than the inimitable audiologist Nancy Gould, the tinnitus and hearing disorders expert who also works with the Tuned program.
Music heard in this episode is from Jesus's album "Heading North" as well as various compositions and film scores. 

ATA Panel Discussion - Tinnitus Today Article

Talking Ears co-host Juan Vasquez, AuD, wrote an article for the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) publication, Tinnitus Today, titled "Hitting the Right Note at the Kentucky State Fair: ATA and Texas Roadhouse Team Up to Advance Hearing Conservation Among Music Professionals" which was published this week.
To help us unpack the title, the origin story, the experience at the Kentucky State Fair, and the plans for the future of this exciting program, Juan is joined by a world class panel of guests: Joy Onozuka (ATA Communications Director), Marc Fagelson, PhD (Professor of Audiology at East Tennessee State University), and Brynne Stevens (AuD Student at Washington University). Representing the "I wasn't there" contingency, Frank Wartinger serves as the moderator of this panel discussion.
Many other individuals contributed to this program and didn't get the verbal recognition they deserve in the episode. Thank you to Travis Doster (Texas Roadhouse Chief Communications Officer) and Bryce Onozuka (ATA staff member) for making the weekend happen!
Music heard in this episode is by Frank Wartinger.

Caleb Kronen - NHCA Part 5

Happy National Protect Your Hearing Month! October is a great time for us to celebrate all things eerie (get it? ear-ie?) and to conclude our five-part series on the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA). Our guest, Caleb Kronen is an audiologist and director of Hearing Conservation at the Marion Downs Center in Denver, Colorado. This episode we'll talk about his relationship with NHCA, his work as a music audiologist and hearing conservationist, and his musical life.
Music in this episode is by Caleb's band, Kronen.

Cory Portnuff - NHCA part 4

Cory Portnuff is a one-person institution within the National Hearing Conservation Association: he is a regular presenter at NHCA meetings, frequent council member, unofficial conference audio/visual expert, and co-author of the NHCA Position Statement on Recreational Music Exposure. In his day job, he is a clinical audiologist at the University of Colorado Hospital Hearing and Balance Center where he oversees the tinnitus and musicians hearing programs.
We sat down with Cory to discuss our experience at the 2024 NHCA conference, consumer audio safety, verification of hearing protection devices, and why preventative care should be a cornerstone of every clinical audiology encounter.
Music in this episode is from two recent releases by past Talking Ears guest and friend of the show, Eric Heveron-Smith: Tiny Previous Things and Free, featuring Daisy Castro and Isabel Castellvi.

Don Finan - NHCA part 3

Don Finan needs no introduction to the NHCA listeners, nor those hailing from the University of North Colorado where he serves as the chair of the Communication Sciences & Disorders department. He is a favorite presenter at conferences, a talented photographer, a skilled guitarist, and a creative professor. To open a small window into his world and peer through, Don teaches a class titled "Musical Acoustics and Health Issues", during which he challenges his students to build their own cigar box guitars and didgeridoos. Nothing else has made me want to go back to grad school as much as hearing about that course.
We cover a wide range of topics including speech science, guitars, hearing loss prevention, blues jams, guitars, firearm noise research, guitars, and even guitars. In a remarkable display of self-restraint, we have reduced the amount of guitar talk by at least two fold. Sorry, and also, you're welcome.
Music in this episode is from Don's band "The Rhythm Allstars".

Colleen Le Prell - NHCA part 2

Colleen Le Prell is our guest to continue the series spotlighting the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA). Colleen wears a great many hats including: NHCA past president; the Speech, Language, and Hearing Department head at University of Texas at Dallas; and the faculty mentor of the students from her UT Dallas Noise Lab whom we featured in the most recent episode of this show. 
In this episode, we cover a lot of ground with topics ranging from the 2024 NHCA conference, hearing protection device fit testing, otoprotective vitamins, the World Health Organization, and new advancements in gene therapy for hearing loss.
All the music heard was produced by Brendan Fitzgerald and Frank Wartinger specifically for this episode.

Spotlight on National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA)

Talking Ears Season 3 begins with a five-part series spotlighting the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA). Brendan Fitzgerald, past guest and friend of the show, joins Juan and Frank to discuss the 2024 conference, but the episode revolves around the voices of five inspiring audiology graduate students: Brynn Stevens (2024 NHCA conference award winner), as well as four students from UT Dallas presented research posters - Conner Jansen, Allison Woodford, Emily Myers, and Azalea Coste. After hearing these students speak passionately about their drive and dedication, it is easy to see that the future of NHCA, hearing loss prevention, and music audiology is bright!
Stay tuned for the other episodes in this NHCA Spotlight series, featuring presenters and attendees from the 2024 conference including; researcher and educator Colleen LePrell, speech scientist and hearing loss preventionist Don Finan, university professor and clinical audiologist Cory Portnuff, and musician and music audiologist Caleb Kronen.