Shelby Somers

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

I would like to serve on the national SAA Board of Directors because I love giving back to our profession and I am always in search of ways that I can meaningfully contribute to audiology. Furthermore, I enjoy interacting with other chapters and I believe that this position could provide me with great mentorship opportunities that can enhance my ability to be a great audiologist. I’ve enjoyed my time volunteering with SAA on a local and national level, and I want others to be excited about being involved as well.

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

I would like to see more diversity in audiology. Even though we are advancing and expanding very rapidly, we still lack the representation that would qualify our field, in my opinion, as diverse. Representation is so important, and I want all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, etc. to be present and contributing to our growth. Being a truly diverse field can/will ensure that access to hearing-health care is safe, effective, and available to everyone who needs it.