Dr Dimity Dornan Expand AO, Associate Professor UQ, PhD UQ, HonDUniv USQ, BSpThy, FSPAA, CpSp, LSLS Cert AVT Dr Dimity Dornan, AO is the Executive Director and Founder of Hear and Say, Australia. Hear and Say was established in 1992 by Dimity with just six children. The organisation now provides services and programs to over 600 children, young adults and families across six centres as well as e-Auditory-Verbal Therapy and e-Audiology programs for rural and remote areas. Read more about Dimity on the Hear and Say website here.
Gwen Carr Expand Gwen Carr BA (Hons), Dip Ed Deaf, FRCA Gwen Carr is an Independent Consultant in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) and an Hon. Senior Research Associate at the University College London Ear Institute. A qualified Teacher of the Deaf specialising in Early Years communication development and pre-school family support, she was for many years Head of Sensory Services in a Metropolitan Authority, before becoming Director of UK Services and Deputy CEO at the National Deaf Children’s Society. Passionate about the opportunities for deaf children afforded by early identification and intervention, Gwen then joined the NHS as Deputy Director of the England Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and subsequently became National Programmes Lead for antenatal and newborn screening for Public Health England. Following retirement from PHE, Gwen now works as an EHDI research and training consultant at home and overseas. She currently serves as a member of the Wales Newborn Hearing Screening Quality and Clinical Governance board, the Executive Committee of FCEI (Family Centred Early Intervention) International, The Coalition of Global Hearing Health Care Pathways Working Group and the Global Research on Developmental Disabilities Collaborators Group.
Dr Carol Flexer Expand PhD, CCC-A; LSLS Cert. AVT Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Audiology, The University of Akron, Ohio Carol Flexer received her doctorate in audiology from Kent State University in 1982. She was at The University of Akron for 25 years as a Distinguished Professor of Audiology in the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Special areas of expertise include paediatric and educational audiology. She continues to lecture extensively nationally and internationally and has authored more than 150 publications. Dr. Flexer’s talks, seminars, and workshops focus on the development and expansion of listening, speaking and literacy skills in infants and children, including those with all degrees of hearing loss. She is licensed as an audiologist and holds the CCC/A and the LSLS Cert. AVT.
Professor Andrew King Expand MA, MMath, PhD Andrew King is a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow and Professor of Neurophysiology at the University of Oxford. He heads the Auditory Neuroscience Group in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and is also the Director of the Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Programme in Neuroscience at Oxford and a Fellow of Merton College. He received his undergraduate training in physiology at King’s College London and a PhD from the National Institute for Medical Research. He then moved to Oxford, where he has been supported by fellowships from the Science and Engineering Research Council, the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine and the Wellcome Trust. He has also been a visiting scientist at the Eye Research Institute in Boston. He is a past winner of the Wellcome Prize in Physiology and, in 2011, was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Andrew’s research employs an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the neural basis of auditory perception and multisensory integration. He is particularly interested in the adaptive processes that take place in the brain to allow accurate hearing to be maintained in different acoustical conditions. This involves studying both short-term changes that help to compensate for the presence of background sounds and the longer-term plasticity induced at higher levels of the auditory system as a result of learning or by hearing loss.
Andrew King is a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow and Professor of Neurophysiology at the University of Oxford. He heads the Auditory Neuroscience Group in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and is also the Director of the Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Programme in Neuroscience at Oxford and a Fellow of Merton College. He received his undergraduate training in physiology at King’s College London and a PhD from the National Institute for Medical Research. He then moved to Oxford, where he has been supported by fellowships from the Science and Engineering Research Council, the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine and the Wellcome Trust. He has also been a visiting scientist at the Eye Research Institute in Boston. He is a past winner of the Wellcome Prize in Physiology and, in 2011, was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Andrew’s research employs an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the neural basis of auditory perception and multisensory integration. He is particularly interested in the adaptive processes that take place in the brain to allow accurate hearing to be maintained in different acoustical conditions. This involves studying both short-term changes that help to compensate for the presence of background sounds and the longer-term plasticity induced at higher levels of the auditory system as a result of learning or by hearing loss.
Graham Louden-Carter Expand BA Hons MBPsS, Executive Fellow, Henley Business School Graham Louden-Carter is an experienced international leader, coach and developer of people. He retired in 2008 after a long career with Diageo PLC as a senior Human Resources executive, having held roles as a member of business leadership teams in Europe, USA and Latin America. Graham now runs his own leadership development and coaching company and is also an Executive Fellow in executive education and member of the visiting faculty at Henley Business School.
Graham Louden-Carter is an experienced international leader, coach and developer of people. He retired in 2008 after a long career with Diageo PLC as a senior Human Resources executive, having held roles as a member of business leadership teams in Europe, USA and Latin America. Graham now runs his own leadership development and coaching company and is also an Executive Fellow in executive education and member of the visiting faculty at Henley Business School.
Dr Josephine Marriage Expand PhD MSc BSc RHAD, Director of Chear Josephine Marriage is a clinical scientist in audiology and registered hearing-aid dispenser. Dr Marriage has worked with children with hearing loss and cochlear implants for 20 years. She was head of paediatric audiology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, from 1993 to 1999. For the past eight years she has worked with Brian Moore, professor of auditory perception at Cambridge University, devising new ways of assessing hearing and programming hearing aids to suit the needs of adults and children. She is also involved in training hearing professionals throughout the UK and teaches at University College London. Dr Marriage was awarded a PhD in hyperacusis in Williams Syndrome from Manchester University. She also has an audiology MSc from the University of Southampton and a Speech Sciences degree from University College London. She received the George Harris Award for her contribution to hearing aid audiology in 2009 and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a hearing aid dispenser. Chear share our London office.
Josephine Marriage is a clinical scientist in audiology and registered hearing-aid dispenser. Dr Marriage has worked with children with hearing loss and cochlear implants for 20 years. She was head of paediatric audiology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, from 1993 to 1999. For the past eight years she has worked with Brian Moore, professor of auditory perception at Cambridge University, devising new ways of assessing hearing and programming hearing aids to suit the needs of adults and children. She is also involved in training hearing professionals throughout the UK and teaches at University College London. Dr Marriage was awarded a PhD in hyperacusis in Williams Syndrome from Manchester University. She also has an audiology MSc from the University of Southampton and a Speech Sciences degree from University College London. She received the George Harris Award for her contribution to hearing aid audiology in 2009 and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a hearing aid dispenser. Chear share our London office.
Samantha Pryke Expand Sam is profoundly deaf in both ears and wears a cochlear implant. Sam did a first degree in Sociology at the University of Nottingham, Masters in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds and a further post graduate degree in management and leadership in the public sector, also at the University of Leeds. Sam joined the board to advise on strategy/policy, using her policy background in Government of 18 years, covering a range of diverse issues such as early years education, cyber security, abuse of learning disabled people in care homes, access to NHS gender reassignment services, NHS employment and cancer policy. Sam also has experience of voluntary sector work, advocating for the rights of disabled people, including work at a women’s refuge and women’s prison to raise awareness of the need for supporting those less able to access services. Sam cares passionately about inclusive environments, working with others to overcome barriers and realise potential. Sam has also joined AVUK to make a difference based on her personal experience of special educational needs and mainstream education. She wants to see all deaf children have the tools they need, to be whatever they wish to be, and to lead happy, fulfilling lives.
Dr Kaukab Rajput Expand FRCS, FRCP, MSc Consultant Audiological Physician Dr Kaukab Rajput is an expert in diagnosis of hearing loss in children with complex problems. She has worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for over twelve years and currently leads the cochlear Implant Department. After completing her training in ear, nose and throat surgery and obtaining FRCS in 1992, Dr Rajput took a training post at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, initially as a registrar and then senior registrar in audiological medicine. Dr Rajput obtained her MSc in audiological medicine in 1995, and became a consultant in 1999. In 2009 she was granted FRCP by the Royal College of Physician London.
Alexandra Rehak Expand MA, BSc Data Advisor Alexandra is an independent strategy consultant with over 20 years of experience in innovative data analysis and strategy development, primarily for the communications and ICT sectors. She has extensive expertise in data usage and statistical modelling, database design and data collection methodologies, and data presentation and interpretation. She first linked up with AVUKthrough ‘big data’ charity DataKind UK, and is currently working with us to develop our approach to using statistics and analysis to deepen understanding of AV therapy outcomes. Alexandra was most recently a Partner and Head of Research at international consultancy Analysys Mason, and prior to that held senior roles at companies including PA Consulting Group and Motorola. She started her career as a Research Assistant to Dr. Howard Gardner at Harvard University, working on experimental neuropsychology initiatives around language and cognition in stroke patients and primary and middle school pupils. Alexandra holds an MA in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.Sc. in Cognitive Science from Brown University.
Dr Peter Savundra Expand FRCP DCH MA MSc Dr Peter Savundra is a consultant Audiovestibular physician at The Portland Hospital, London. Peter’s special interests include Vertigo & Dizziness, Hearing loss & Tinnitus and well and Balance & Gait Disorders. We’re very pleased to have Dr Savundra on board our team of advisors.
Jorge Villon Expand Jorge is the father of a 5-year-old girl who has now graduated from the AVUK programme after being bilaterally implanted at the age of 8-months. Jorge understands the impact that AVT can have on children that are born with hearing loss. Jorge spent most of his career in financial markets, including roles as CEO of MKM Longboat and Polygon Investment Partners, before retiring in 2012. His interest is now mostly in philanthropy, specifically as founder of Rwanda Hope Foundation, a social impact organisation working in Rwanda and Grace Saves, which supports wildlife conservation projects. He joined the AVUK board in October 2018 and retired from the board in June 2022.
Amanda Wilkinson Expand Amanda is lending her fundraising skills to AVUK to help to support the charity to build voluntary income to reach its organisational ambitions in the longer term. Amanda brings with her over 19 years’ experience of successful fundraising and of leading target-driven fundraising teams for national and international children’s and disability charities, including Sense, EveryChild and ChildLine. Amanda became CEO of Motivation in January 2017. Amanda became a trustee in January 2015 and stood down after 8 years in November 2022.
Justine Womack Expand Justine is the mother of a daughter who was deafened by bacterial meningitis as a 1 year old and attended AVUK when she was young. She has a background in journalism and PR prior to completing an MBA and moving into NHS management. The attraction of trying to prevent people from becoming ill unnecessarily proved too great, and her next step was moving into public health. She completed her MSc and the portfolio route of accreditation as a registered, non-medical public health specialist while in her roles as Associate Director of Public Health in the former Government Office for the South West and NHS South West, the former strategic health authority. She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health. Justine now works for Public Health England, an executive agency of the Department of Health.