The Business Intelligence Group recognized the Starkey vice chair and co-founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation for more than three decades of humanitarian leadership expanding access to hearing care worldwide.
Tani Austin, vice chair of Starkey and co-founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation, has been named a 2026 Herizon Award honoree by the Business Intelligence Group for her leadership in advancing global hearing healthcare and creating lasting change in communities around the world.
Over more than three decades of global volunteer work, Austin has helped more than one million people address hearing loss, championing an approach that combines access to hearing technology with education, professional training, and sustainable, community-based care.
Building a Global Pipeline of Hearing Professionals
A central pillar of Austin’s work has been the development of hearing healthcare infrastructure in underserved regions. Alongside Starkey founder and chairman Bill Austin, she has helped build a global model for developing hearing professionals in communities where access to care is limited, with Starkey Hearing Institute programs in Zambia, the Philippines, and El Salvador preparing a new generation of professionals to deliver care in their own communities.
Since the Starkey Hearing Institute opened in Lusaka, Zambia, in 2016, the programs have graduated more than 200 students representing more than 17 countries. Those graduates are working to address the shortage of hearing healthcare professionals in underserved regions and build local capacity for generations to come.
Recognition Beyond Hearing Healthcare
Austin’s humanitarian work extends beyond audiology. She has championed philanthropic initiatives and collaborations with organizations including Special Olympics and UNICEF, and her humanitarian work extends to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care through her service on the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Rocket Fund.
“True impact is measured not only by the lives we touch today, but by what we make possible for generations to come,” says Brandon Sawalich, president and CEO of Starkey, in a release. “Tani has spent decades turning compassion into action, expanding access to hearing healthcare and empowering people and communities to change lives through service. Her vision has helped make hearing health a lasting part of Starkey’s purpose, and her influence reaches far beyond our company. This recognition reflects the extraordinary difference she continues to make around the world.”
The Herizon Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group, recognize women whose leadership and innovation are changing organizations, industries, and communities. It is the latest in a series of honors from the Business Intelligence Group for Starkey leadership, following the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards received by Sawalich and the company and the 2026 Excellence in Customer Service Award.
