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ISHA Announces New Executive Director

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 21:34:33 GMT

The Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Association now has a new executive director.

ISHA Executive Director Update

Capture Management Solutions (CM), who has been serving your association for the past several years, is announcing a planned and coordinated change in company ownership and to the director position for your association.

Effective July 1, 2022, Natalie Battles is announcing she will be stepping down as your association director to pursue other initiatives. Natalie has worked to increase membership and non-dues revenue for the association while continuing to work with the board and members to ensure quality programs for members.

“It has been my pleasure to serve as the Association Director and work alongside the ISHA Board and leadership to support the mission of the organization,” Natalie said. “I have truly enjoyed getting to know so many of you and appreciate all the support that you have provided me in this role.”

Over the past several months, CM has been planning for this transition with the hire of Kayla Bruns, who has extensive association experience, including event planning and board strategic planning. We are excited to announce Kayla Bruns as your new association director!

A Message from Kayla

Hello! I am very excited to be the incoming Executive Director and cannot wait to work with all of you.

I come into this role having experience within the non-profit world, after serving as the COO of Grimes Chamber & Economic Development for six years. In my previous position, I had the opportunity to communicate and work with more than 300 members, manage multiple sponsorship campaigns, and coordinate both large- and small-scale events.

A few fun facts about myself:

I grew up in Huxley, IA and currently reside in Polk City, IA (one small town to the next)
My fiancé and I will be tying the knot in October after 12 years together
I have two Olde English Bulldogges named Winston & Odin
Ice cream is my favorite food
Purple is my favorite color

Again, I am looking forward to working with you all!

Kayla Bruns

Chatter Matters! Communication Camp 2022

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 22:06:46 GMT

Learn more and apply today!

Does your child, or a child you know, use Augmentative or Alternative Communication?

Do you want to have fun as a family this summer?

Apply to attend Chatter Matters! Communication Camp from June 16th-19th, 2022 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

UW-Whitewater and Variety-the children’s charity of WI partner every summer to provide a four-day, overnight camp for AAC users between the ages of 5 and 15 and up to five additional immediate family members.

Camp Goals

The goal of camp is multi-faceted. Among other things, it strives to:

Provide kids who use AAC and their families with a camp experience they might not otherwise be able to access
Provide kids who use AAC and their families an opportunity to interact with other AAC users and their families
Provide individualized intervention aimed at improving the communication skills of each AAC user through a variety of small group, family based, and large group activities
Provide parents of kids who use AAC with opportunities for continuing education and family networking/support
Provide graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (and other related professions) the opportunity to interact and intervene with kids who use AAC and their families

Applications and Scholarships

Every summer, the camp’s attendance goal is to create a healthy camp community of new families, as well as families who have had experience with camp in previous years. Up to 15 scholarships to help fund families’ attendance at camp are available through Variety.

Camp applications must be received by January 24th to be considered.

Click here to download a PDF with more information, and press the button below to apply.

Apply for the 2022-2023 ISHA Board

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 17:38:11 GMT

These volunteer roles are great ways to get involved with ISHA!

The ISHA Board of Directors is looking for new volunteers to serve in 2022-2023. The board currently has openings for a convention chair and co-chair and newsletter editor. All roles are great ways to get involved with ISHA and work with your peers and colleagues from across the state. Please see the job descriptions for each role below, as well as instructions on how to apply. We hope to fill these roles by mid- December.

Please email isha@isha.org if you have any questions.

Convention Committee Chair Description

The ISHA Board of Directors is looking for volunteer members to serve as the 2022 convention chair and co-chair. Serving as an ISHA Convention chair is a great way to work with the board and ISHA committee members to help organize and plan all aspects of the convention, including the speakers and agenda, selection of the venue and meeting facilities, sponsorship and exhibitor management, and social events. The Board is seeking a highly motivated and organized individual who likes to collaborate with others and work with our industry partners to host an exceptional event annually for ISHA. During the convention, the committee chair is expected to help with on-site communications and work with the management firm to welcome attendees and vendors to the event.

Convention Committee

The convention committee is the top advisory group for convention decisions. It is comprised of:

Convention Committee Chair(s) & VP for CE – Responsible for content, overall vision and schedule
President/Vice President Elect – Advises on strategic partnerships
Treasurer – Advises on budget
Staff (Executive Director, Account Manager) – Responsible for logistics, including budget tracking, communication with venue, registration, marketing, and speaker travel coordination
VP for Schools, Audiology and Medical – Advise on speaker selection and content
VP for PR – Responsible for social media marketing and outreach, on-site volunteer coordination of classroom moderators, and ISHA activities (table, social events)
VP for GCU – Responsible for poster presentations and ISHA scholars
Secretary – Responsible for ISHA elections, annual meeting of the association and awards and honors program

Co-Chair and Co-Vice Chair Responsibilities

Chairs hold the following responsibilities. Vice-chairs observe and assist as needed, and become chairs the following year.

Attend monthly meetings (video calls)
Work with staff to identify and invite committee members
Work with committee members to identify speakers and collect speaker information
Lead/facilitate conference planning meetings
Support staff efforts on sponsorship solicitation, marketing, exhibit sales, and public relations (e.g. offer contacts, review, make a few key calls)
Review and finalize decisions by convention committee and VP for CE
Build the session schedule
Work closely with staff and committee members to ensure on-time delivery of content

Ideal Convention Chair Skills and Attributes

Sees the value of ISHA’s mission and has a vision for the convention
Has time to commit to this project, independent control over their schedule, and can be available to staff when critical decisions need to be made
Possesses strong organizing, meeting facilitation, and people skills
Has content knowledge (what’s strategic, compelling, “edgy”) and wide professional network

Time Commitment

Monthly one-hour video meetings and weekly touchbase meetings during the month before the conference
Some meetings will require follow-up work, an average of 3 hours/month
Two in-person meetings – spring and fall board meetings
Two days to review and make final decisions on content

Newsletter Editor Chair Description

The ISHA Connection is the signature communication tool for ISHA to reach our membership. The ISHA board is seeking a volunteer newsletter editor to source and prepare content for the ISHA Connection. The ISHA Connection is a quarterly newsletter.

Newsletter Editor Responsibilities

1. Work closely with the ISHA Board and ISHF to ensure that work updates are submitted for inclusion in the newsletter.
2. Develop compelling and timely content that will drive membership engagement.

3. Research and write short articles on relevant topics as needed.

4. Coordinate strategic partnership commitments for advertising or to meet convention vendor/exhibitor agreements.

5. Approve content for staff to complete layout and delivery of ISHA Connection.

Ideal Newsletter Editor Skills and Attributes

1. Good interpersonal skills; friendly and enjoys interacting with people
2. Basic research skills, especially online research
3. Ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in written format

Time Commitment

All estimated time commitments are per quarter.

Two hours to develop content outline for ISHA Connections and communicate content deadlines to committee and board members.
Two hours researching and writing of short articles on ISHA current topics.
Two hours of communicating with staff, providing layout recommendations, and approving the final version of the newsletter.

Hamilton Relay Offering $500 Scholarship

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:29:39 GMT

Graduating high school seniors in Iowa may be eligible!

As the Telecommunications Relay and/or Captioned Telephone service provider for Iowa, Hamilton Relay acknowledges that opportunities for higher education affect the future of Iowa’s high school students.

Hamilton Relay is pleased to once again extend the Hamilton Relay Scholarship opportunity to graduating high school seniors in Iowa who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or have difficulty speaking to assist in their goals of continuing their education. Hamilton Relay selects one recipient from each state annually. Scholarship recipients will be determined on or before March 1, 2022.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be a graduating high school senior who is deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or has difficulty speaking.
Applicant must be a resident of one of the following states: CA, DC, GA, ID, IA, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MT, NM, PA, UT, VA or WA.
Applicant must complete and submit application, essay, letter of recommendation and signed talent release form to be eligible.
Scholarship will be awarded to the selected applicant in each state after the Hamilton Relay Scholarship Committee reviews all applications submitted on or before the posted deadline.

Guidelines for Hamilton Relay Scholarship

Application packet must be completed and postmarked by January 31, 2022 and must include all the following items:
- Scholarship Application
- Letter of Recommendation from faculty staff member at high school or from employer
- One page essay as required (topic assigned on application)
- Signed Talent Release Form

Scholarship award recipients must complete and return a “Scholarship Recipient Agreement Form” and provide a copy of their Letter of Acceptance from the post-secondary school they will attend, allowing Hamilton to process payment directly to the school.

Mail the application and attachments to:

Hamilton Relay Scholarship Committee
1006 12th Street
Aurora, NE 68818

Click here to download the application.

Survey: Head and Neck Cancer Dysphagia

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 19:16:00 GMT

An online survey looking at the relationship between education and experience with dysphagia associated with HNC and the comfort in providing evaluation and treatment services to this population.

You are invited to participate in an online survey looking at the relationship between your education and experience with dysphagia associated with HNC and the comfort in providing evaluation and treatment services to this population.

You are invited to participate in this survey if you have either registered with ISHA as a medically-based SLP or are a medically-based SLP belonging to an Iowa SLP social media group.

The ultimate goal of this survey is to use the data to identify areas of growth in the evaluation and management for this growing population in Iowa and nation-wide.

If you are interested in participating, please follow the link below:

https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1LkY5AvVEPym0my

Thank you for your consideration!

2021 Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Patient Conference

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 18:34:12 GMT

The University of Iowa's 28th Annual International Conference

Join the University of Iowa and other audiology professionals for this year's Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Conference on August 12-13, 2021 !

The event will be held both in person and virtually. In person sessions will take place at the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center.

The purpose of this conference is to provide a review of current evaluation and management strategies for the treatment of tinnitus. Otologists, audiologists, psychologists, hearing aid specialists and nurses who provide clinical management services for patients with tinnitus are all welcome to attend! The conference will also provide information to patients who have tinnitus, their family and friends.

Browse the conference brochure and agenda to learn more about this year's speakers and the topics that will be discussed.

REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/3wOaQfQ

Autism, Gender and Sexual Diversity Conference

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:44:44 GMT

April 9, 2021

Join internationally-recognized experts and community panelists for a virtual conference to learn more about autism, gender and sexual identity.

The event will take place online from 9 AM to 4 PM on Friday, April 9th.

Visit the Autism Society of Iowa's website to see the full agenda and register today!

Relay Iowa and Telecommunications Access Iowa

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 18:19:33 GMT

Changing Lives with Communication Access

Relay Iowa

For individuals who have difficulty speaking or being understood on the telephone, a relay service called Speech-to-Speech (STS) can be life-changing! Jim Robinson shares how he heard about STS and how using the service has impacted his life.

At 45, Jim survived two strokes, the last of which left him with limited ability to speak. Before learning about STS, Jim was unable to communicate over the telephone and communicated primarily through text. While attending a stroke support group where he learned about STS, Jim decided to give it a try. After the initial call, Jim said he felt more independent because he could communicate over the telephone again.

“A big obstacle for someone who doesn’t understand your speech or know about the difficulty you have, is for them to have patience,” Jim said. “The first thing I noticed when working with the Communication Assistants was their patience.” Jim noticed great changes right away.

Jim is one of many individuals who realized the benefits of using STS every day. Relay Iowa also has services such as Captioned Telephone for people who have hearing loss. For more information about services offered by Relay Iowa, contact Lori Sporrer at 515-344-8548 or Lori.Sporrer@hamiltonrelay.com .

Telecommunications Access Iowa (TAI)

“I feel more independent because I am treated equally.”

That was a testimony from one of the wireless device recipients through TAI. Prior to getting an iPad through TAI’s wireless program, this person was struggling to connect with people to conduct both professional and personal business. They were facing barriers to get things done!

“My experience with the iPad is wonderful,” they said. “It helped me greatly to communicate.” With the iPad, they were able to connect with society and communicate with their loved ones, friends, co-workers, and more!

People who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty speaking face these real frustrations every day. They do not have the same degree of access through telecommunications to stay connected.

TAI offers vouchers for individuals who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty speaking that will cover up to 95% - 99% of the average cost of the equipment. With these vouchers, individuals can purchase iPads at little or no cost, which come with preinstalled apps to assist individuals based on their communication needs. For example, for individuals who have difficulty speaking, there are speech-specific apps.

For more information on all of TAI’s equipment programs, contact Dylan Heuer at 800-606-5099 or email at dylan@deafservicesunlimited.com .

Connect Iowa Monthly Webinars

Relay Iowa and TAI provide monthly webinars to share about our services. Please consider attending and sharing these webinars:

Connect Iowa – Senior Solutions on the Telephone

Connect Iowa – Deaf Community Access

Wednesday, April 21 | 5-6 PM - Click here to register.

Connect Iowa – Solutions for Veterans with Hearing Loss

Wednesday, May 26 | 3-4 PM - Click here to register.

Virtual Town Hall Meetings

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 22:36:23 GMT

Join us to hear from our board members and discuss topics and issues currently facing our industry.

Tuesday, February 16th, 4 PM | Schools – Danika Schroeder, VP for Schools

Register here: https://capture.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckcO2opz4tEtdBrcY_V1WeTSUPZ4jfXdbd

Tuesday, February 23rd, 7 PM | Advocacy – Rachael Suddarth, President , Ashley Laudick, President Elect , and Kevin Kock, Treasurer

Register here: https://capture.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrf-yrqz8vHd3w9as_amc9qXJExBYl_Aiu

Tuesday, March 9th, 7 PM | Medical – Brian Peterson, VP for Medical, Clinical, and Private Settings , Katie Decker, VP for Continuing Education , and Ashley Laudick, President Elect

Register here: https://capture.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpceitrz8uGNBr6aO5aV2nMdjt3NLFMjr2

Tuesday, March 23rd, Time TBD | Audiology – Stephanie Fleckenstein, VP for Audiology , Kevin Kock, Treasurer, and Kellsie Busho, VP for Public Relations

REGISTRATION OPENING SOON

NAMI Greater Des Moines Hosting "We Are Here. With You." Event

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:28:52 GMT

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Des Moines is back in 2021 with another inspirational speaker series! This year's lineup features some of the country's top motivational speakers, and the event is designed to provide inspiration in the midst of uncertainty and practical tools to help you navigate new situations.

The free, virtual event will take place February 3 - April 14, 2021.

Visit the We Are Here. With You website to learn more about what you can expect and register today!

Free Webinar Opportunity

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 21:58:03 GMT

Check out the FREE CEU opportunity below from one of our ISHA Industry Partners, Talk To Me Technologies!

Click here to learn more!