HLAA Houston presents

Monica McNamera

September 19, 2026

Monica McNamara is the founder and owner of McNamara Hearing in Houston, Texas. She is a Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist, member of the International Hearing Society, and current board member of the Texas Hearing Aid Association.
Monica will discuss recent hearing aid (Rx & OTC) advancements as well as Auracast
Monica's own personal journey with hearing loss ignited her desire to empower others; she understands the challenges of living with hearing loss, as well as the incredible joy of being able to reconnect. This intimate understanding allows her to seamlessly blend technical expertise and knowledge with a highly personalized, concierge approach, maximizing each patient's potential for success.

Refreshments served at 9:30am

Meeting will begin at 10:00am

Bring a friend!!

Trini Mendenhall Community Center.

1414 Wirt Rd., Houston, TX 77055

New Resources to Engage and Educate Families

HLAA has partnered with Hasbro for kids....PEPPA PIG!

The CI Superpower:

“I can hear you… unless you’re behind me, beside me, too far away, too close, or talking like you’re underwater. Other than that, crystal clear.”

CI Magnet Struggle

“My CI stuck to the car door. I guess my ears were ready to go before I was."

CI Fashion

“Yes, it’s a cochlear implant. No, it’s not Bluetooth. It’s Bougie‑Tech™

The Dinner Table Survival Kit

“My cochlear implant has two settings at family gatherings: ‘Smile and Nod’ and ‘Pretend You Heard It.’”

Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting

September 15, 2026, @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm CST

The mission of the HLAA Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter is to provide education, be an advocate for veterans with hearing loss, and to provide a support system to help them to return and adjust to civilian life.

Meet with veterans from across the county to talk about

issues related to veterans and hearing loss.

Caretakers and family members of veterans are welcome to attend.

Meetings for Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter are held

Monthly on Every 3rd Tuesday.

Future Dates

October 20, 2026 @ 7:00 PM CST
November 17, 2026 @ 7:00 PM CST

UPCOMING HLAA VIRTUAL EVENTS

HLAA National Zoom Meeting: Artificial Intelligence in Hearing Loss

Wednesday, September 16 | 6:00 p.m. CST

What could artificial intelligence mean for the future of hearing health?

Join us for a special HLAA National Zoom Meeting featuring Jan Blustein, M.D., Ph.D., and hosted by Holly Cohen, Shari Eberts, and Roxana Rotundo.

Dr. Blustein will share insights from the HLAA 2026 Research Symposium session, “The AI Revolution in Hearing Health: Smarter Tech, Greater Access.”

The presentation will be followed by small-group community sharing around the question:

“What has been the silver lining in your hearing loss journey?”

The Genetic Connection: A New Support Group for Parents

Thursday, September 24 | 11:30–12:30 CST

HLAA is excited to launch The Genetic Connection, a new peer support group for parents of children with genetic hearing loss.

This welcoming virtual group will give parents an opportunity to connect, share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another. The first meeting, led by Michelle Hu, Au.D., will focus on what families should know after their child has been identified with genetic hearing loss—including what the diagnosis means, what steps to consider next, and how genetic hearing loss may differ from other types of hearing loss.

A promotional graphic is attached. Please help us get the word out to families who may benefit from this new community! Here is the registration link if you or your members would like to participate in this support group.

💼 Employment Taskforce Webinar

October 21 | 1:00 p.m. CST

Beyond Performance: Building a Personal Brand with Hearing Loss

Many professionals with hearing loss are high performers—but strong performance alone doesn’t always translate into career advancement.

Reduced access to informal communication, challenges in group settings, and misunderstandings about communication styles can all affect visibility and how individuals are perceived in the workplace.

This webinar will explore how professionals with hearing loss can move beyond performance and intentionally shape their personal brand to support career growth, leadership readiness, and increased visibility.

HLAA-HOUSTON CHAPTER provides the following to our members & community

Custom Presentations for Senior Residences, Libraries and Civic Groups Contact us on our website to schedule an event	Monthly Chapter Meetings. We help to improve the lives of the growing number of people with hearing loss through education, advocacy and support.	Annual Walk4Hearing Fundraiser Event The Walk4Hearing, held in 21 cities nationwide, raises awareness and funds to provide services to the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community. Click here to go the Houston Walk4Hearing Homepage
Chapter Newsletter Subscribe via the website to be added to our mailing list!!

A Telecoil is One of the Best Hearing Aid Features. Many Still Aren't Using It.

Recent Chapter Meetings

August 15th, 2026

Abigail Reder, Technology Specialist with Access Vine, shared practical resources for people with hearing loss.

May 30,2026 – Disability Rights with Veronica Cortez

April 21, 2026

Chapter Founder & Former State Hearing Loss Specialist -Teri Wathen on Hospital/Emergency Preparedness:

"WHAT IF YOU NEEDED EMERGENCY HOSPITALIZATION OR HAD TO EVACUATE FOR A HURRICANE? ARE YOU PREPARED?

Do you have your 'Go Bag' ready"?!

March 21, 2026

Oticon Hearing -BRAIN HEARING Philosophy

**Alex Morris, AuD, Local Oticon Rep and Audiologist is our Speaker**

As a seasoned Audiologist and Sales Rep for Oticon Hearing, Alex will be talking about the Brain First Hearing that Oticon is noted for. He will also discuss their new ZEAL rechargeable products and features, Bluetooth and Remote Mics, Auracast and Oticon AI.

Join us for this info packed session and stop by to meet/greet old and new friends who deal with Heairng & Communication issues- the Effective and Affirmative Way!

FEBRUARY 21,2026

Dr. Peter Weston:

Member of HLAA Houston, retired surgeon, who is severely hearing impaired. Dr. Weston uses both a cochlear implant and a hearing aid. His advocacy has been instrumental in persuading Houston area theatres to provide live captioning at performances, significantly improving accessibility for the hearing loss community.

November 22, 2025

Guest speaker, Jackie Miller

Civil Rights and Emergency Preparedness.

October 25, 2025

Melinda Ray

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for over eight years helping DHH consumers complete their education and find employment

September 27, 2025

Bill Brown

the legendary voice behind the Houston Astros.

The first time Pam Parfitt used her hearing aid’s telecoil, her life changed.Parfitt, of Santa Fe, N.M., who’s had complex hearing loss for 50 years, had recently gotten new hearing aids, after her audiologist convinced her to make the jump from analog to digital devices, sometime around 2018. The audiologist had offered her the option to include a telecoil, a tiny wire receiver that is included in some hearing aids and cochlear implants. Telecoils pick up magnetic sound signals from assistive listening systems, which can be installed in public spaces and transmit audio directly to users with hearing loss, reducing background noise and providing clearer sound.