The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) invites you to join us for an experience to remember as we celebrate our 40th anniversary at the HLAA2019 Convention, being held June 20-23 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, New York. Presented by CapTel Captioned Telephone, the Convention offers the opportunity to meet other people with hearing loss, learn in the most communication accessible environment, visit the Exhibit Hall (which is free and open to the public), and enjoy the sights of Rochester—a world of art, theater, music, photography, history, nature, and play.

The HLAA2019 Convention will feature an extensive lineup of educational workshops, a research symposium presented by leading experts in the field, an exhibit hall filled with the latest technology for people with hearing loss, several inspirational speakers, opportunities to explore the beauty of Rochester, and of course a healthy dose of fun and camaraderie.

At the Opening Session you will hear keynote speaker Rebecca Alexander, a psychotherapist, disability rights advocate, group fitness instructor, and extreme athlete tell her inspiring story. As a teenager, Rebecca learned that by age 30 she would be completely blind and deaf due to a rare genetic disorder called Usher syndrome (type III). How did a diagnosis like this motivate Rebecca not simply to survive but to thrive in the face of unimaginable loss? Rebecca shares her deeply moving and personal journey of loss, resilience, perseverance, and hope that has led her to an illuminated life filled with tremendous meaning, hard work, intimacy, fulfillment, and self-acceptance. The Opening Session is sponsored by Advanced Bionics.

This year’s Research Symposium, The Latest on Genetics and Hearing Loss will be presented by world-renowned geneticists who will discuss the latest research on hearing loss that occurs later in life and what can be done for families who have inherited the gene. In a rapidly moving field, much has been accomplished since the last symposium on genetics in 1999. The Latest on Genetics and Hearing Loss is being supported by a grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health, and is sponsored by Cochlear Americas.

Further highlights and details of the HLAA2019 Convention include:

  • Opening Session with keynote address by Rebecca Alexander on Thursday, June 20.
  • Exhibit Hall where you can experience the latest technology and services for people with hearing loss—all under one roof! The Exhibit Hall is free and open to the public, just pick up a badge at the Convention Registration Desk.
  • Research Symposium, The Latest on Genetics and Hearing Loss, moderated by Thomas Friedman, PhD, chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, NIDCD, will feature presentations by Zheng-Yi Chen, PhD, Mass. Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School; Richard Smith, MD, University of Iowa, and Patricia M. White, PhD, University of Rochester School of Medicine.
  • State and Chapter Awards Ceremony & Reception, taking place Wednesday, June 19, will highlight those people from the HLAA Chapters and State Organizations who have worked tirelessly in their communities to help others with hearing loss.
  • Educational and State/Chapter Workshops where we will dive into the advocacy, hearing assistive technology, genetics, and lifestyle of hearing loss. There will also be a special track dedicated to our State/Chapter leaders. Every workshop room will be fully accessible with hearing loops and CART/captioning. Sign language interpretation is also available by request.
  • Cheers to 40 Years! HLAA Anniversary Celebration and Awards Gala on Saturday, June 22 will be a special night where we pay tribute to our many accomplishments over the years, as well as honor those receiving an HLAA National Award, including former HLAA Board member Barry Kasinitz, who will be presented with the Rocky Stone Humanitarian Award. The Cheers to 40 Years Gala is sponsored by CapTel Captioned Telephone.
  • Get Acquainted Party on Thursday, June 20 is an annual tradition where you will see old friends, meet some new ones, and enjoy some refreshments. This year’s theme is Fabulous Hollywood. The Get Acquainted Party is sponsored by CaptionCall.
  • HLAA2019 Convention Walk4Hearing, now in its third year, is an opportunity to explore Rochester while getting some fresh air and exercise. The Convention Walk4Hearing will be held on Saturday, June 22.
  • Night at the Museum, on Friday, June 21, is an off-site event at the George Eastman Museum, an educational institution with a mission to provide leadership in the field of photography and cinema and preserve and develop world-class collections. George Eastman’s estate is also a National Historic Landmark.
  • Complimentary registration for veterans with hearing loss attending for the first time!

We would like to thank all our HLAA2019 Convention sponsors for their generous support (listed in alphabetical order):

Advanced Bionics
CapTel Captioned Telephone
CaptionCall
ClearCaptions
Cochlear Americas
Contacta
CTA Foundation
CTIA
Hamilton CapTel
Hearing Industries Association (HIA)
MED-EL
NIDCD
Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID)
Panasonic
Sprint CapTel
Starkey Hearing Technologies
T-Mobile
Tracfone
Verizon Media

Communication Access
Hearing loops and CART/Captioning will be in use in all workshops and plenary sessions. Sign language interpretation is available for all plenary sessions. You may request interpreters for specific workshops by emailing [email protected]. Please send your request by May 31.

For more information about the HLAA2019 Convention, including how to register, the full schedule, and information about sponsorship, marketing and exhibiting opportunities, visit the HLAA Convention page.

Source: HLAA

Image: HLAA