Marissa Gallan

Why are you interested in joining the national SAA Board of Directors?

I am eager to join the national SAA Board of Directors to actively contribute to advancing the mission of SAA, fostering engagement among national SAA members and local chapter members, and increasing awareness for the profession of audiology. My experience as president of the MGH IHP SAA chapter has instilled in me a deep appreciation for collaboration, mentorship, and empowerment. A board position would allow me to continue to spread these values on a larger scale through national SAA initiatives. I am particularly drawn to the opportunity to lead initiatives such as the Education Committee or Communications Committee that promote audiology awareness and utilization of audiology services. These efforts directly contribute to cultivating a strong, knowledgeable, and connected student community which is crucial for shaping the future of the profession. By serving on the board as a member-at-large, I will work to continue developing my leadership and advocacy skills that will serve me throughout my career. I look forward to learning from and collaborating with peers and mentors, and building new relationships that will contribute to my personal and professional development. Ultimately, I am excited to contribute to a group that can create meaningful change within the audiology community and help ensure the success of future AuD and related students, and the growth of the audiology profession.

If you could change one thing about the profession of audiology, what would it be?

The limited public awareness and underutilization of audiological services is a significant challenge within this profession. I have become deeply committed to driving change in this area. Despite the critical role hearing plays in communication and quality of life, many individuals, including other health-care providers, remain unaware of the importance of hearing health, or face barriers to accessing care such as financial constraints, stigma, or lack of knowledge about available services and how to access them. To address this, I have begun a mentored research project exploring allied health-care providers knowledge of hearing loss and the impact this has on patient-provider interactions and patient help-seeking behaviors as well as if training modules are effective ways to increase general knowledge surrounding hearing loss. To further address this area, I would continue to focus on expanding outreach and education efforts within local communities and through national SAA’s advocacy campaigns. I would advocate for stronger integration of audiology services into primary health-care settings and interprofessional education to ensure hearing screenings and referrals become a part of routine health care. Increasing public awareness and accessibility of services and general knowledge of hearing loss is not only essential for growth of the profession, but also to improve patient-provider interactions and patient health care satisfaction overall.