Awards

Ellen Kurtzer-White Award

In 2008, when The Decibels Foundation recognized the need to encourage young Speech Language Pathologists to work with children with hearing loss and their families, the Foundation also recognized the need to honor those professionals who have dedicated their lives to supporting these children and families.

The Ellen Kurtzer-White Award was created in memory of Ellen, a former supervisor in the Thayer Lindsley Program at Emerson College, and is presented annually to a person who has made a significant difference in the treatment of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Ellen Kurtzer-White was a pediatric audiologist whose work on behalf of children with hearing loss and their families included the Thayer Lindsley Parent-Centered Nursery at Emerson, early intervention services for newborns with hearing loss in Rhode Island, and authoring articles and books on young children with hearing loss. The award in her name is intended to recognize her remarkable contributions to the field.

Ellen Kurtzer-White Award Recipients

2024: Judy B. Favro, MA TOD

2023: Terri Pancare
2022: Marty Lapointe-Malchik, M.E.D.
2019: Janice Gatty, Ed.M., M.E.D., Ed.D
2018: Kym Meyer, M.S., CCC-A
2017: Janet Farrell
2016: Megan Ford, Au.D.
2015: Tracy Evans Luiselli, Ed.D.
2014: Gale Ann Merle
2013: Dr. Curtis Bates
2012: Ann Gleason
2010: Lauren Aron
2009: Dr. Marilyn Neault
2008: Julie Goldberg
2007: Dr. Honore Weiner

Decibels Scholar Program at Emerson College

In 2008, The Decibels Foundation partnered with The Robbins Center at Emerson College to create the Decibels Scholar Program. The goal of this program is to encourage the best and brightest graduate students to pursue careers as pediatric Speech Language Pathologists (SLP).

A Decibels Scholar has been selected annually to receive a scholarship along with hands-on training through placements at the Thayer Lindsley Family-Centered Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants and Toddlers   at Emerson College  and at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program  at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention in Concord, MA. Many Decibels Scholars have gone on to careers supporting children with hearing loss and their families throughout the country! 

In 2008, the Foundation selected the first Decibels Scholar, Karissa Silva, a graduate student from the Speech Language Pathology Graduate Program in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Emerson College. 

Decibels Scholarship Recipients

2024:Megan Strachan

2023: Katya Bakal-Schlomann

2022: (co-scholars) Julia Leary and Luli Coto
2021: Katie Conley
2020: Stephanie Parent
2019: Meghan Partlow
2018: Erika Hodlin
2017: Alison Baade
2016: Lisa Boldini
2015: Melissa Guevara
2014: Megan Evans
2013: Rhys McGovern
2012: Emily O’Sullivan
2011: Nicole Pitre
2010: Celina Marnie
2009: Arielle Blake

2008: Karissa Silva

Decibels Scholar in Audiology at Northeastern University

In the spring of 2015, the foundation expanded the Decibels Scholar Program to include the Doctor of Audiology program at Northeastern University. Heidi Bernknopf, our first Northeastern Decibels Scholar, was chosen for her strong desire to pursue a career in pediatric audiology. Through the support of The Decibels Foundation, she pursued an externship at the Ear Institute at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.

In 2016, Ashley Andrew was awarded the Decibels Scholar of Audiology and was given a clinical placement at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The Decibels Scholar in Audiology at Northeastern University was discontinued in 2019 as the Doctor of Audiology program is no longer offered. 

Decibels Scholars

2019: Kassandra Urena
2018: Maria Freitas
2017: Julianne Harris
2016: Ashley Andrew
2015: Heidi Bernknopf