Because hearing matters
We connect people, knowledge, and Rotary networks to improve access to hearing care around the world.
Partners in Impact
We collaborate with organizations committed to expanding access to hearing care worldwide.
We work alongside partners who believe that hearing care should be accessible, sustainable, and life-changing.
Together, we design and support projects that bring real solutions to communities from early detection to treatment and rehabilitation.
Why partner with us
-
Access to global Rotary networks
-
Technical expertise in hearing care
-
Scalable and sustainable project models
-
Direct impact in underserved communities
Blog Feed
From Communities to Classrooms: World Hearing Day 2026
SONIDOS DE ESPERANZA SOUNDS OF HOPE BOLIVIA.
Unlock Exclusive Benefits: Join Our Hearing Rotary Action Group
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors are Rotarians who set the strategy of the Hearing Rotary Action Group and governs its operations.
Chair: Ellen Haggerty
Ellen has played a critical role in establishing the Hearing RAG. In 2013 she changed the Rotarians for Hearing Fellowship from a fundraiser for Hearing Research to a Rotary Action Group with projects around the world to help children and adults with hearing loss obtain the treatment they needed to reach their potential. As a 4 year old child, she remembers being sad at losing her hearing and not being able to hear the nursery school read the stories. From Kindergarten on, she had access to hearing aids and speech therapy. She is grateful for this intervention, without which she would not be the verbal, well educated, and connected person that she is today. She vowed to pay it forward with work as the Chair of the Hearing Rotary Action Group.
Secretary: José Pablo Asencio
MSc in Audiology, Member of the Rotary Club of Mazatenango, Guatemala.
José’s interest in audiology began with his brother’s experience with profound hearing loss. Motivated by this, he and his partner founded a non-profit organization with the intention of bringing hearing services to rural communities, organizing hearing evaluation and early detection campaigns aimed at transforming lives through timely diagnoses and accessible solutions.
He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Philosophy in Audiology and Clinical Vertigo, driven by the shortage of professionals in this field in Guatemala. His commitment is to improve the quality of life of children and adults, promote their inclusion, and strengthen the development of audiology in the country.
Treasurer: Kathy Kruger
Is a retired Pediatric and Labor and Delivery RN. Kathy has been a Pleasant Valley Rotarian since 2000.
Through Rotary, Kathy has been able to use her nursing skills and experience to coordinate and participate in Rotaplast missions in several countries, helping children and adults to receive cleft lip and palate surgeries. Rotary enabled Kathy to go on medical missions to Haiti where many families physicals, medication, and important medical information to make their daily lives healthier. While participating in these medical missions, Kathy worked with many children, and adults, who had lost their hearing or had considerable hearing impairments. The frustration Kathy faced, knowing that the lives of these children were only partially helped by the work she was involved in, made her want to explore groups that were working on helping children and adults receive the gift of life. Again, Rotary was her answer.
The Hearing Rotary Action Group has made it possible for thousands of children, and adults, all over the world, live a more full and rewarding life because of the ability to hear. Kathy feels that it is the right of all children and adults to receive any medical intervention necessary to attain the gift of hearing.
Technical Officer: John Thorne AM FACEA
John, (our Technical Officer) lives in Tasmania (Australian state) and while studying to be a maths/science teacher lived at the Blind and Deaf Society as House Master with major responsibility for the older deaf boys. After teaching in a high school for a very short time he was invited by the Education Department to train as a teacher of the deaf in Victoria. He returned to Tasmania and became the Foundation Head of a brand new, audiologically rich school for the hearing impaired. After a few years John studied in California for a year. At about that time he was invited to join Rotary International becoming in turn - Club President, District Governor then RI Director. John is active in a number of other community groups including the Royal Society of Tasmania. He is married to Shirley and they have two adult daughters.
Christy Vogel
Christy is founder and CEO of Marketing Direction Outsourced Marketing Experts. She was born with hearing loss and didn’t get her hearing aids until she was 27 years old because of the expense. Learning about the addiction and suicide rates related to children not getting their hearing aids, and seeing two of her hearing-impaired cousins die of addiction, she created Sounding Joy, a nonprofit that buys kids hearing aids in the Tampa Bay area. In just two years, Sounding Joy has helped more than 50 children (100 ears).
.
.
Advisors
Our Advisors are experts in their fields related to hearing. They assist with the advisory operations of the Action Group.
Dr Elaine Saunders
Academic, audiologist and biomedical engineer
Professional Director, Business consultant, Academic, Hearing advisor
Hearing aids, diagnostic audiology, business development
Patricia Castellanos de Munoz
Audiologist
Clinician
Education of the hearing impaired, Audiology, hearing aids, diagnostics, NHS,
school screening, cochlear implant, bone conduction hearing aids
Dawn Doig
Audiologist
Clinician
International experience Hearing aids Paediatric audiology
Caitlin Barr
Audiologist, Academic and Consumer audiologist leadership
CEO, Soundfair (Not for Profit, for advocacy and hearing aid bank)
Person centred hearing care, Psychosocial and emotional support for people with hearing disorders (as an audiologist), Tinnitus
Counseling, Advocacy (both individual and
systemic), Audiology education, CALD population information and services
Mon Kalvin Lin and Jelo Gibas
Audiologists, speech pathologists, ENT, Developmental paediatrician
Mon Kalvin Lin is the Program Manager of the Hearing and Ear Alliance Philippines Others are Clinicians
They have a cause based club: rotaryclub.hearing.speech@gmail.com
Dr John Thorne
Trained teacher of hearing impaired children and adults, Trainer and administrator, Evaluation and assessment
Past Director of Rotary International, Cadre Member
Experienced in teaching hearing impaired children and working with hearing impaired
adults. Training support workers and other teachers
Fred Marinus
Project Manager International
Project management, Technical knowledge
Dr Nischal Pandey
Medical doctor (cardiology?)
Dr Stefan Launer
Scientist/Executive
VP Audiology, Sonova
Global hearing challenges
Shukri Abi
Audiologist
Abi Hearing
Strong on diagnostics, cochlear implants, sudden hearing loss, paediatrics.
Kat Penno
Audiologist, Digital health expert
Nuheara
Teleaudiology specialist, Leading a team
with the WA Challenge
Dr James Fielding
MD and Founder/CEO
Audeara
Innovator with expertise in Assistive Listening
devices
Dr Fabrice Bardy
Co-Founder and CEO,
MindEar
Audiologist,
Neuroscientist,
tinnitus specialist
Contact
Get in Touch
For inquiries, partnership opportunities, or event details, feel free to reach out to us. We value your feedback and look forward to hearing from you.