The audiologist and hearing-access advocate will take on a leadership role at the national non-profit.
The Center for Hearing Access, a national advocacy and education initiative of The John G Shedd Institute, has announced that Dr Juliëtte Sterkens joined the organization as hearing access advocate, effective June 1, 2026.
A Dutch-born audiologist with over 45 years of experience in audiology and hearing rehabilitation, Dr Sterkens transitioned to a career as a consumer and hearing-access advocate. She is a sought-after speaker and author of numerous articles for consumers, hearing care professionals, and device manufacturers.
“The good news is that modern hearing aid technology continues to bring us new features that can help those with hearing loss to hear significantly better in more places across their daily lives,” she says in a release.
“We have been working collaboratively with Juliëtte Sterkens for 10 years. Now, we are excited to engage her directly to make an even greater impact on promoting effective communication for those with hearing loss, as is their right under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” says Ginevra Ralph, the director of the Center for Hearing Access, in a release.
Sterkens has received the American Academy of Audiology Presidential Award, and her TEDx talk, “What You Don’t Know About Hearing Aids,” has over 1.3 million views. She was also recently interviewed by Consumer Reports about useful hearing aid features. Previously, Sterkens served as a professional advisor for the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). She also serves on the boards of the HLAA Wisconsin State Association and HEAR-in-the-Fox Cities. Her advocacy has led to the implementation of over 1,000 hearing loops in Wisconsin.
About the Center for Hearing Access
Founded in 2024, the Center for Hearing Access is a national, non-profit advocacy initiative that educates and supports consumers, audiologists, hearing instrument specialists, and facility staff about ADA-compliant assistive listening systems and other strategies. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Center refrains from endorsing any specific products, businesses, or services.
