Candidate for Board Member at Large in Audiology

Madison (Madi) Saunders

Why are you running for the Board Member at Large in Audiology on the ASHA Board of Directors?

Ms. Saunders earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Louisiana State University with minors in psychology and linguistics, and she earned a doctorate of audiology (AuD) from The University of Kansas Medical Center. She’s worked clinically in five states and in five distinct settings—university clinic, research hospital, private practice, VA health care system, and manufacturing/industry—with each providing unique clinical competencies.

Outside of work, Ms. Saunders has dedicated her time to hearing education and conservation by participating in community outreach efforts, mentoring, and holding leadership positions in professional organizations. When her husband’s career transitioned from operational military to foreign service, assigned to Latin America, Ms. Saunders expanded her expertise beyond the clinic to learn the skills needed to best serve in population-level health care on an international scale. She completed the Department of Defense Foreign Area Officer language, cultural immersion, and attaché training while pursuing a master’s degree in public health with concentrations in humanitarian health and leadership from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since graduation, Ms. Saunders has continued to facilitate communication and improve quality of life through work in the global hearing health care landscape as well as expanding her impact through health diplomacy initiatives.