2016 AuD Education Summit Invited Speakers

Biographies and Disclosures

Fred H. Bess, PhD, is director of the National Center for Childhood Deafness and the Vicki and Thomas Flood Professor of Audiology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences (DHSS), Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center (VBWC). He served as Chair of DHHS, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine from 1978 until 2009. He also served as director of VBWC for more than 20 years. Dr. Bess completed his master's degree at Vanderbilt University, and his PhD at the University of Michigan. In 1969, he initiated and directed the audiology program at Central Michigan University, where he remained until joining the Vanderbilt faculty in 1976. Dr. Bess' recent research has centered on listening effort, stress and fatigue in pediatric hearing loss, and the possible impact of these constructs on listening and learning.

Financial Disclosures:

  • No financial relationships to the content of this presentation

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

  • No nonfinancial relationships to the content of this presentation

William Boissonnault, DPT, DHSc, is executive vice-president of Professional Affairs (Education, Practice and Research), American Physical Therapy Association. He also holds the rank of professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He received a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, doctorate in physical therapy from the Institute of Health Professions, Massachusetts General Hospital, and doctorate of health sciences from the University of St. Augustine, Center for Health Sciences. He is a co- founder of the University of Wisconsin Hospital/Clinics and Meriter Hospital Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency Program, and served on the program's steering committee, chaired the curriculum committee, and served as an instructor and clinical mentor for 17 years. In 1997 he chaired the American Physical Therapy Association's Task Force on the Implementation of Clinical Residency Programs/Faculty Credentialing. He has received the American Physical Therapy Association's Baethke-Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Medical School Dean's Teaching Award for Excellence and Innovation, and was named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Financial Disclosures:

  • No financial relationships to the content of this presentation

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

  • No nonfinancial relationships to the content of this presentation

Donald W. Brady, MD, is a general internist, a fellow in the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare (AACH), and a past-chair of the AAMC Group on Resident Affairs Steering Committee. A graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, he also did his internal medicine residency at Vanderbilt. In 1993, he joined the faculty at Emory and helped establish the internal medicine residency's primary care track, serving as director for a decade. Dr. Brady returned to Vanderbilt in October 2007 as associate dean for GME. From 2010–2012, Singapore's National University Hospital System and National Healthcare Group Residency Programs hired him as a special advisor to guide them in their accreditation journey. One of 6 principal investigators for the Macy Foundation's Regional Conferences on Innovations in Graduate Medical Education, he led the southern region conference hosted by Vanderbilt in February 2016. In 2015, he organized the first regional faculty development course co-sponsored by ACGME and a sponsoring institution. In addition to his administrative roles, he works as a general internist on the ward service at Vanderbilt. Dr. Brady's main interests are in medical education, doctor-patient communication, and physician wellness. He has received numerous teaching awards, including Clinician-Educator of the Year by the Southern Society of General Internal Medicine in 2002 and finalist for the Parker Palmer Courage to Lead Award in 2013 and 2016. He serves currently on the Board of Directors for ACGME, and served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for AACH, President of AACH, and Chair of Vanderbilt University's Faculty Senate. In 2016, he has presented plenary addresses at the APDIM Spring Educational Conference on aligning the values and needs of residents with institutional priorities and community needs and at the Program Coordinators Meeting at the ACGME Annual Education Conference on wellness and overcoming unconscious bias.

Financial Disclosures:

  • No financial relationships to the content of this presentation

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

  • Serve as board member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

Susan C. Oleszewski, OD, MA, FAAO, received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), the founding College of Salus University in 1976. She completed a residency at The Eye Institute (the clinical practice of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry) in 1978 and received a master's degree from Temple University in  neuro-biology in 1979. She joined the faculty at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1979 and since that time has held numerous positions at PCO/Salus, including: 

  • Clinical Instructor and classroom lecturer
  • Clinical Service Chief
  • Associate Dean for Optometric Practice
  • Director Residencies
  • Vice-President for Clinical Operations, The Eye Institute
  • Chief of Staff, Salus University

In July 2016, Dr. Oleszewski assumed the role of Vice-President for Institutional Advancement and Community Relations. Dr. Oleszewski is a tenured associate professor who has written a number of chapters for professional text books, authored or co-authored numerous articles and presented frequently at national scientific meetings. She has lectured throughout the country and internationally in 10 countries. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.

Dr. Oleszewski started the "Looking Out for Kids" charity in 2007. This University charity provides comprehensive vision care and treatment services to economically disadvantaged children in Philadelphia and its surrounding communities. Through her leadership, grant writing, and fundraising, and a team of skilled vision care provides at Salus University, thousands of children have been able to receive comprehensive vision care and eyeglasses.

Financial Disclosures:

  • No financial relationships to the content of this presentation

Nonfinancial Disclosures:

  • No nonfinancial relationships to the content of this presentation

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