Helping folks with hearing loss is our passion.
Meet the Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association board of directors. They are a tireless, dedicated, volunteer team united by a commitment to hearing loss causes.
Nanci Linke-Ellis, President
Nanci Linke-Ellis was elected HLAA-CA director 2007-2009 before being appointed HLAA Southern California Chapter Coordinator in 2009 until she retired in June 2016. She rejoined the Board in 2019 – Present. She is a hearing loss and disability consultant to movie studios, theatres, and the film industry. She is an experienced captioning advocate and founder of InSight Cinema, the open-captioned film distribution nonprofit. She was also a partner of Captionfish, an entertainment deaf and hard-of-hearing source. Nanci currently serves on the Santa Monica Commission on Disabilities 2012-present, and The National Institute on Deafness and Communications Disorders (NIDCD). She served on the board of trustees of the World Institute on Disability 2011 – 2019, California State Rehabilitation Council, Commission 2003 – 2007. She has received multiple awards, including HLAA’s Keystone Award in 2015, the World Institute on Disability 2014 Media Access Award, HLAA Spirit of HLAA in 2014, Disabled Resources Center 2014 Jerry Stein Independent Living Award, and the Federal Communications Commission Chairman’s 2011 Award for Advancement in Accessibility, among others. She holds a BFA from Ohio University. Nanci has hearing loss, uses cochlear implants, and lives in Santa Monica, California.
Katie Wright, Vice President
Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter, kwright@hearinglossca.org
Katie Wright was elected HLAA-CA director in March 2018. She was also elected HLAA-CA President in February 2019. Katie is the former president of the HLAA Long Beach/Lakewood chapter. Previously, she served as newsletter editor, membership chair, and Walk4Hearing chair. She is a retired school teacher, having taught for 38 years at the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she also held multiple leadership positions, including grade-level chair, school site council, beginning teacher support specialist, local leadership council member and chair, union representative, magnet school coordinator, professional development coordinator, and literacy coach. Katie has a BA degree from Occidental College in independent pattern of study and multiple subjects teaching credential and also has an MS degree from Pepperdine University in school management and administration and earned administrative services credential. Katie is hard-of-hearing (late-deafened) and has several family members who are hard-of-hearing. Katie is a certified hearing assistive technology trainer with the N-CHATT program. She is also the late-deafened representative on the Administrative Committee for the California Phones program. Katie lives in Southern California.
Laura Gaeta, Secretary
Laura Gaeta, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders (audiology) at California StateUniversity, Sacramento. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a Ph.D. in audiology in 2017 and from the University of Florida with a B.H.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a B.A. in Spanish in 2013. Dr. Gaeta is interested in aural rehabilitation with older adults and service delivery considerations for culturally and linguistically diverse populations. After meeting HLAA CA members at the Disability Capitol Action Day in 2019, she joined HLAA CA’s West Coast Virtual Meetings Committee in 2020 before being elected to the California State Association Board of Directors in 2021. Dr. Gaeta lives in Sacramento, California.
Cristina Duarte, Treasurer
Cristina Duarte was elected to serve as an HLAA-CA Director in January 2023 and then appointed to serve as Treasurer January 2024. Cristina is the Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and In-House Counsel for InnoCaption, an Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) provider where she leads the advocacy efforts with the FCC. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hood College and her Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law. Cristina is a member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar and the District of Columbia Bar.
Cristina’s passion for accessibility and advocacy is deeply rooted in her experience as the daughter of two individuals with hearing loss, who now use cochlear implants.
Stuart Steene-Connolly, Webmaster
ssteene_connolly@hearinglossca.org
Stuart Steene-Connolly was elected HLAA Webmaster in 2024 to share his online marketing expertise with the HLAA community. He has 20 years experience helping brands and businesses improve their outreach and internal sales operations. He currently resides in Sacramento and owns an online marketing agency that specializes in medical services and biopharmaceutical companies lead generation and online marketing.
Stu’s passion for hearing loss advocacy comes from being underserved by the various systems in place growing up and to ensure hard of hearing children receive excellent care and technology. He and his two daughters share a profound hearing loss in both ears from a genetic condition known as Wolfram Like Syndrome. His goal is to ensure that the educational and healthcare systems in California treat hearing loss as the critical quality of life issue it is.
Janice Armigo Brown
East Bay Chapter, jbrown@hearinglossca.org
Janice was elected HLAA-CA director in January 2022. She has spent most of her life coping with hearing loss after a childhood accident. “You will be fine now,” she was told when fitted with her first hearing aid at age 8 – with no support, instructions or camaraderie to “cheer” her on in her isolating journey through life. She is a member of the HLAA East Bay Chapter and numerous organizations such as the Hearing and Speech Center of Northern California, and the Deaf Counseling Advocacy and Referral Agency. Recently, the Department of Rehabilitation welcomed her to share her experiences coping with hearing loss. She advocates for others as a member, and now Co-Chair, of the BART Accessibility Task Force for 10 years, acquiring hearing loop systems throughout the BART transit system. Today she is the newly elected Hard of Hearing Representative for the Equipment Product Advisory Committee for the California Public Utilities Commission. She has over 20 years of experience in Special Education and is a freelance writer. Janice has a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She is most at peace surrounded by nature.
Tim Browning
Los Angeles Chapter, tbrowning@hearinglossca.org
Tim was elected HLAA-CA director in July 2020 to fill a mid-term vacancy. Tim has been a member of HLAA since August 2014 and is currently part of the Steering Committee and Webmaster of HLAA-Los Angeles. He was born with moderate-to-severe hearing loss so the years growing up were challenging as he struggled with his sense of self-worth. The support he has found through HLAA has profoundly changed his worldview and has given him new confidence and professional success. His main goal as a trustee is to usher HLAA-CA into the 21st century by improving its technology and communication capabilities. He enjoys fitness, movies, making breakfast dishes and smoothies, and spending quality time with family, friends, and his wife.
Trevor Finneman, Esq
Trevor was elected HLAA-CA trustee for a term beginning in 2022. He is an attorney with the University of California Office of the President, where he advises on disability and education issues. Previously, Trevor spent a decade litigating disability and employment law cases, primarily representing Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients.
Alan Katsura
Diablo Valley Chapter, akatsura@hearinglossca.org
Alan was elected to the HLAA-CA board in the Spring of 2021. He became involved with the HLAA Diablo Valley Chapter in 2011 because his mother has hearing loss. Since that time he has been a very active volunteer and won many awards for his educational outreach efforts on behalf of people with hearing loss, to name a few, HLAA Chapter Website, HLAA Alice Marie Stone Family Involvement Award and the HLAA Virtual Ambassador Award. Alan lives in Walnut Creek, California.
Richard Osborne
North Bay Chapter, rosborne@hearinglossca.org
Rich Osborne’s hearing loss was detected in High School but nothing was done. As an adult, he tried hearing aids, with unsatisfactory results. A few years ago, Rich suddenly lost all hearing in his right ear. His left ear is severely limited, and he is in the process of being evaluated for a cochlear implant. In retirement, Rich sees that hearing loss was a severe handicap in his career as a project manager in IT. He is retired and happily devoting himself to the opportunity to help others cope with the difficulties he encountered. He was elected to the HLAA-CA board in Spring 2021.
Charlene Sivertson
San Diego Chapter, csivertson@hearinglossca.org
Char Siverton’s progressive hearing loss started in her teens when she desperately tried to hide it from others. Finding HLAA and ALDA in her thirties was the game changer. Her personal goal as President of the HLAA San Diego Chapter and now as a member of the California Board is to pay it forward to anyone struggling with hearing loss, whether that is through mentoring or advocating. Char enjoyed a long, successful career with Northrop Grumman Corporation as a Publications Manager, thanks in great part to the confidence gained with HLAA peers. Her profound hearing loss was transformed by a cochlear implant over a decade ago and she can now enjoy music, audio books, intimate conversations, and the thrill of hearing birds sing again. She feels honored to be on this journey with such distinguished Board members, who serve as role models and remind her that, yes, a sense of humor goes a long way.
Sharon Wasserman-Swerdlow
Los Angeles Chapter, sswerdlow@hearinglossca.org
Sharon Wasserman-Swerdlow was elected as a board member in 2022. She is a past president of HLAA-Los Angeles. Sharon has cochlear otosclerosis, a genetic and progressive hearing loss. She has a cochlear implant on her right side and wears a hearing aid on the left. Professionally, she worked as an Investment Advisor for three decades, over which time her hearing loss progressed from mild to severe/profound. She is excited to be of service on HLAA-CA’s board in advocating for captioning in public places (and be involved in future advocacy projects as well).
Liz Lesan, The Hearing Loss Californian Newsletter Editor Emerita
Liz Lesan became co-Editor of The Hearing Loss Californian HLAA-CA newsletter in the fall of 2016 and became Editor in the summer of 2017. She became an HLAA-CA ex officio trustee in November 2018. Liz is particularly interested in the HLAA mission: Support, Education and Advocacy for those with hearing loss. She is part of the 2018-19 Network of Consumer Hearing Assistive Technology Trainers (N-CHATT) cohort and is currently focusing on the Get In The Hearing Loop (GITHL) campaign to promote hearing loops in public spaces. Liz is retired from a career in computer systems engineering and college financial aid advising. She and her husband Kats raised two self-sufficient kids who return occasionally to visit their parents in Los Angeles. Liz loves to read and tries to keep up with multiple book clubs. With her extended family spread around the world plus a bucket list of interesting places to see, travel is a family priority. Her other interests are supporting women’s education, staying informed on international issues, and keeping in touch with many wonderful friends.
Toni Barrient, HLAA-CA Southern California Chapter Coordinator
Mission Viejo Chapter, tbarrient@hearinglossca.org
Toni Barrient was elected HLAA-CA director in March 2018. Previously, Toni was appointed and served as HLAA Southern California Chapter Coordinator from June 2016 to March 2017. Toni has been an HLAA member for over 20 years. She was President of the HLAA (SHHH) Orange County Chapter in 2000 before being recruited by the HLAA Bethesda national office where she worked for over nine years as Director of Member Services and Chapter Development. There, she worked with HLAA chapters nationwide, planned annual leadership training events in Bethesda and workshops at conventions, and was responsible for the daily oversight of support staff and volunteers. She retired from HLAA to move back to California. Currently, Toni is a chapter advisor for the Mission Viejo and the City of Orange Chapters as well as Founder and President of the Hearing Well Club in Laguna Woods Village. Toni is interested in advocating for hearing accessibility and legislation requiring T-coil counseling for each hearing aid purchase so users can access hearing loops and personal neckloop technology.
Bob Zastrow, HLAA Northern California Chapter Coordinator
Diablo Valley Chapter, bzastrow@hearinglossca.org
Bob Zastrow became the HLAA Northern California Chapter Coordinator in September 2016 and HLAA-CA ex officio director in October 2016. Bob Zastrow is a retired United States Marine Corps veteran. He came to HLAA in the 1980s when an audiologist at his local Veterans Administration told him about the newly-formed Diablo Valley Chapter in Walnut Creek, California. Bob has been active in the HLAA Diablo Valley Chapter ever since, including having served as president. In addition, he regularly participated in HLAA-CA board meetings, which he attends as a guest and provides technical support by setting up the hearing loop for the meetings. Bob is also very knowledgeable about assistive listening devices. He has helped many new chapters during their startup and knows what it takes for chapters to survive and grow.