Your Committee
John Ross
John brings over 20 years of international board experience in the not-for-profit sector, having served in roles like President, Treasurer, and Communications & Marketing lead. With a professional background in the audio industry, John is a passionate advocate for the hearing loss community, living with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, chronic tinnitus, and recruitment. He uses a MED-EL Synchrony 2 cochlear implant with a Sonnet 2 processor on his right side and a Phonak hearing aid on his left.
An author and speaker, John is set to release his book, Breeding a Deaf Generation, exploring the complexities of hearing loss. He is also a sought-after speaker on hearing technology, often joined by his wife, Donna, who adds insights on partner and family support in their presentations. At CICADA Queensland, John works to broaden the organization's reach to all hearing loss communities, advocating for awareness, advanced technology, and rehabilitation access. He also has a YouTube vlog (My Cochlear Journey), where he shares insights on hearing technology and life with hearing loss.
Penny Phillips
Penny has had a bilateral sensorial hearing loss for over 50 years and was implanted in 2014 with a Cochlear Nucleus 6, she upgraded to a Cochlear Nucleus 7 in 2019 and wears a Resound ENZO 2 in her other ear. She is currently being assessed to become a Bilateral recipient.
She has been involved with Hearing Loss organisations in a voluntary capacity for many years, she was secretary of Better Hearing Australia Sunshine Coast Branch for 12 years and has been a member of CICADA Queensland for 6 years, taking on the role of Sunshine Coast Representative conducting regular monthly Meet ups.
She is passionate about helping and supporting anyone with a Cochlear Implant or considering one, as well as people with any form of hearing loss.
Deborah Bordin
Deb is the daughter of Parents with a Hearing loss and a father with a Cochlear Implant.
Deb is a senior accountant who joined Woodgate and Associates in 2014. Deb has over 10 years experience in the profession dealing with taxation, structuring and reviewing business processes of clients.
Deb is particularly interested in assisting small business clients beyond their compliance requirements, with their business improvement enquiries.
Deb has also had significant exposure to the compliance needs of rural clients during her previous employment.
Deb has an extensive background in I.T., and has expertly assisted clients with the implementation and ongoing support of their I.T. systems.
Qualifications & Associations
- Bachelor of Business
- Graduate Diploma of Advanced Accounting
- Chartered Accountants Australia And New Zealand (Ca)
- Diploma of Financial Planning
- Diploma Self-Managed Super Fund Adviser (Personal Advice)
- Xero Certified Adviser
Jody Wallace
Coming soon.
Helen Court
Helen has worked as a clinical audiologist since qualifying from the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research unit at the University of Southampton in 1996. She has worked in both paediatric and adult cochlear implant programs in the UK and was a consultant for a cochlear implant company travelling to help perform testing for the first ever cochlear implant in Pakistan. Further travelling saw her develop audiology services on the island of Bermuda before moving to Australia with her Australian husband and two children in 2007. Since this time she has worked clinically and helped further cochlear implant services on the Sunshine Coast. After being diagnosed in her early twenties with Menieres disease, she underwent cochlear implantation for single sided deafness eight years ago and has loved being able to offer her personal perspective to her clinical knowledge and help lots of cochlear implant candidates and recipients. She is passionate about cochlear implants and recently moved to work with Med-el to help train other audiologist and work in clinical support.
Helen is implanted with a Cochlear CI 512 and is currently using the N7 Processor.
Laura Drexler
Laura Drexler is the creator of the Ambient Menu.
A website that guides hearing impaired people and their families, to conversation friendly eateries so they can connect, relax, and remain social. I currently work as an Audiologist and I designed the Ambient Menu with my patients in mind, I understand their struggle in background noise. I too struggle to hear speech in background noise due to auditory processing difficulties. So, I not only treat my community and guide them to quiet restaurants, but I am also my audience and I use the website whenever I dine out. After spending over 20 years in SA Ambulance as Paramedic, my interest in Audiology was sparked after several defining moment. Patients with vestibular issues, a husband with vertigo, occupational hearing loss and debilitating tinnitus. He received significant relief from visiting several Audiologists, and I was intrigued and fascinated by the field. I decided to transition from pre hospital health, to allied health and successfully undertook my Masters of Audiology whilst still working as a Paramedic, fitness instructor and caring for my family. I now work part-time at an Independent Audiology Clinic, another day with an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist, plus running the Ambient Menu. My main clinic focus is educating patients on communication strategies and giving them honest advice so they feel confident and empowered to engage in conversation once again. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the significant improvements my personalised advice on communication strategies or hearing devices (if required) can make to their lives. Whilst doing my Master's Research project in 2019, the team investigated the topic of commensality, the act of sharing a meal with others. This is something close to my heart because I love food, my friends, good conversation, and enjoy these things together. I wanted all my patients to enjoy it too and what I discovered during the research project led me to create the Ambient Menu website, so they could. If I had to list my favourite things they are my family, food, my job, and creating memories with the special people in my life. I’m hoping the Ambient Menu will give others the opportunity to do that to.
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