Table of Contents
- Alumni Spotlights
- Giving Back to the University of the Pacific Audiology
- Congratulations Class of 2024!
- Student News and Events
- Department News
- Connect with Alumni & Current Students
- Past Newsletters
Fall 2024 Alumni Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Join current students, faculty and alumni for the University of the Pacific, Alumni Reunion during the 2024 CAA conference in Irvine, CA. The event will be at Irvine Marriott on Friday, September 13, 2024 from 6-8 pm. Make your travel arrangements now! RSVP here.
Alumni Spotlights
Natalie Sienko, Au.D. Class of 2022
The anatomy of the ear initially sparked my interest in the hearing and vestibular field. I have always envisioned my career in the healthcare field that was centered around helping and educating others. A career as an audiologist allowed me to become an expert of the hearing and vestibular system, and to work directly with patients in their journey toward improved hearing and confidence with their balance/dizziness.
The University of the Pacific audiology program guided me, as an aspiring clinician, to become the ultimate expert in audiology. The faculty and staff continued to provide support, exceptional education and hands on learning throughout the program. I also had the pleasure of assisting and collaborating with faculty members’ research studies, which allowed me to strengthen my passion for translational research. I currently work as a clinical audiologist at UCSF, providing comprehensive audiological care, including diagnostics and rehabilitation for adult patients. I am thankful to continue to share my audiological expertise as a visiting clinical professor for audiology graduate students at UOP. I am an active member of the California Association of Audiology and am humbled to have received the inaugural CAA Founders Volunteer award in 2023 in recognition of my contributions to the organization.
Patty Anderson, Au.D. Class of 2022
I chose to pursue a career in audiology due to my lifelong experience with hearing loss, which has given me deep empathy for individuals with auditory challenges. My education at the University of the Pacific was instrumental in shaping my career. Graduating with accolades as a Doctor of Audiology, I received comprehensive training and mentorship that prepared me for my career. Currently, I am the lead audiologist and student program manager at California Hearing Center in San Mateo and San Carlos, focusing primarily on auditory rehabilitation, sound disorders and hearing conservation. I actively mentor students, lecture on specialty topics and sit on the CAA Board of Directors. My recent accomplishments include becoming a certified music audiologist and serving as the keynote speaker for a local conference on senior educational awareness.
Giving Back to University of the Pacific Audiology
Adjunct Teaching, Preceptors, and Guest Lecturing
Share your experience with the next generation of audiologists. The Audiology Department needs adjunct teachers for 10 classes per year and preceptors for 1-3 days weekly ($65/hour). Not ready to commit to a full class, but want to try it out by giving a guest lecture? We have plenty of opportunities! For more information or how to apply to the pool, contact pacificaud@pacific.edu.
Giving Back
Alumni giving is critical to ensure the legacy of the University of the Pacific Audiology. We need your support now more than ever. Please consider making a gift by giving in one of these ways here:
- Audiology Restricted Scholarship Fund: This is a current use fund given out each year at the White Coat Ceremony in the fall.
- Bob and Martha Hanyak Audiology Student Travel Endowed Fund: This endowed fund helps support students with travel expenses as they attend either state or national audiology conferences.
- Stephenson / Parker Diversity in Audiology Endowed Scholarship: This endowed scholarship helps attract and retain diverse students.
Please contact Lana Watts, lwatts@pacific.edu, for more information.
Congratulations Class of 2024
Welcome Class of 2024 to our Audiology Alumni Family!
- Christopher Barajas, Au.D.
- Madeleine Buchanan, Au.D.
- Dezsiree Khamosh, Au.D.
- Kabrina Do, Au.D.
- Giana Hatem, Au.D.
- Analisa Johnson, Au.D.
- Jade Kwan, Au.D.
- Gabriel Liboiron-Cohen, Au.D.
- Jacob Nimmo, Au.D.
- Fariyah Omarshah, Au.D.
- Kathleen Parker, Au.D.
- Myriah Pitt, Au.D.
- Mayra Rodriguez, Au.D.
- Sanjna Saini, Au.D.
- Hind Shihadeh, Au.D.
Student News and Events
OKU Sutro Excellence Day
- Doctor of Audiology students presented their research and clinical work at OKU Sutro Excellence Day held annually in collaboration between the Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry and the Audiology Department of the School of Health Sciences. This longstanding tradition allows students to publicly share their projects with colleagues, faculty, staff, alumni and special guests. Although there is a competitive component, Excellence Day is primarily a collaborative celebration of our students’ research and clinical accomplishments.
Community Hearing Screenings
- Our students have been collaborating with government agencies and community partners to provide hearing screenings. Most recently, our students completed hearing screenings at Mission Child Care Consortium, St. John School and the Northern California Special Olympics.
Hearing Aid Workshops
- Dr. Fadi Najem invited Oticon, Widex and Phonak to his Amplification class for demonstrations on new hearing aid technology. We really value our partnerships with them and all they do for our students.
Externship Sendoff for Class of 2025
- Congratulations to our Class of 2025 as they embark on their externship, the final step in their doctoral program. They are fully prepared and we wish them the best of luck!
| Name | Externship Site |
| Emily Bernard | San Francisco VA Medical Center |
| Leigh Grossman | University of the Pacific Hearing and Balance Center |
| Mackenzie Hichman | Kaiser Permanente, Oakland |
| Lauren Hudec | UCSF Health |
| Melody Leñero | Kaiser Permanente, Redwood City |
| Stephanie Lopez | Kaiser Permanente, Vacaville |
| Brianne Mangold | Pacific Hearing Service |
| Emerson Miller | Kaiser Permanente, Union City |
| Jasmine Morales | Kaiser Permanente, Oakland |
| Samantha Rodriguez | University of Southern California, Caruso Family Center |
| Mikaela Sargeant | New York Hearing Doctors |
| Casey Smith | Audiology Associates, Santa Rosa |
| Celia Tow | Stanford Ear Institute |
| Claire Yamada | VA Pacific Islands Health Care System |
Department News
This summer, Department Chair Dr. Musacchia and Vice Chair Dr. Hu embarked on a transformative journey to the Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare Hospital (NWCHH) in Nanjing, China.
Joined by Chief Audiologist Dr. Matthew Fitzgerald at Stanford Ear Institute and Audiology Manager Dr. Melissa Tribble at Lucille Packard Stanford Children’s Hospital, Drs. Musacchia and Hu restarted this multifaceted initiative, which started in 2016 and was interrupted by the pandemic, aiming to foster collaboration between three prominent institutions through research, clinical practice and education.
The trip facilitated hands-on clinical experiences and workshops, allowing local hearing healthcare professionals at NWCHH to observe diverse patient care methodologies and implement best practices in pediatric audiology. Researchers from the three institutions shared their cutting-edge findings, paving ways for innovative audiological assessment and management approaches.
This UOP-Stanford-NWCHH collaborative effort promises to promote patient outcomes in pediatric audiology through shared expertise, elevating clinical education and training through exchange programs and marking a significant step forward in advancing healthcare delivery across globe.
Welcome Dr. Adam Svec and Mr. Sergio Fedasz to Pacific!
Adam Svec, Ph.D., Au.D., CCC-A joins University of the Pacific as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Audiology starting August 2024, after spending four years as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Audiology at San José State University.
Dr. Svec completed an Au.D. / Ph.D. in 2015 at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Dr. Peggy Nelson. From 2016 – 2020, Dr. Svec held a dual appointment in the Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science (CATSS) at the University of Minnesota as a Research Scientist for GN Hearing A/S and as a Staff Scientist for the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences.
Dr. Svec’s work has focused on assessing the reasons that individuals with hearing loss have communication difficulties when attempting to hold conversations in a noisy environment. To this end, he has worked on projects in two areas: A) Assessing what is happening to the perceptual and physiological systems of individuals who have hearing loss (Psychoacoustics); and B) Measuring outcomes after providing amplification for individuals with hearing loss (Hearing Aids).
Dr. Svec is currently working on a grant funded by the Hearing Industry Research Consortium in collaboration with Dr. Marc Brennan at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Dr. Laurel Carney at University of Rochester. The study aims to determine whether the physiological underpinnings of the impact of noise envelope fluctuations can be tied to time-varying cochlear gain that is a result of feedback control by the medial olivo-cochlear system.
As an advocate for LGBTQIA+ faculty and students, communities of color and immigrant populations, Dr. Svec has a particular passion for making sure that all individuals feel supported and encouraged throughout their university experience. He’s had the privilege of serving on the Committee to Improve Racial Diversity and Inclusivity (CIRDI), the planning committee for the Summer Undergraduate Research and Internship Experience (SURIEA) and the Committee on Education in Acoustics for the Acoustical Society of America (ASA).
Sergio Fedasz joins as our new Program Support Specialist. Sergio has been in a variety of forms of Client Support, Customer Satisfaction & Administrative Support for his entire career and he loves doing it! He went to UC Berkeley and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. As a DJ since college, he values his sense of hearing and appreciate the unique importance of speech, hearing and music in building community, and sees the value in helping folks retain and regain it. He has been DJing for nearly 30 years, hosting a monthly disco party for 13 years and continues to keep his weekends busy by DJing at various disco clubs. But all the time he can’t wait to go home to his almost 1-year old foster-turned-adopted little cat Toast.
Connect with Alumni and Current Students
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