Professional Conversations Session: Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Management at Different Ages and Stages

The AG Bell Global Matters Committee is proud to host a new virtual event, Professional Conversations Session: Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Management at Different Ages and Stages. Be part of this special opportunity to connect with leading experts and families living with cCMV in an engaging and informative conversation.

Save the date and choose a time that best suits your schedule:

• Noon session (12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET)
• Evening session (7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET)

 

Registration is now closed.

 

Download the event poster.

 

Noon Session

Ulrika Lofkvist, PhD, LSLS Cert. AVEd (Moderator) Ulrika Löfkvist is an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, and is also affiliated with the Karolinska Institute. She is a speech-language pathologist and LSLS Certified Auditory-Verbal Educator with extensive experience supporting children and families affected by hearing loss. Earlier in her career, she worked at the Hearing Implant Center, Karolinska University Hospital, combining clinical practice and research, and at the University of Oslo, focusing on teaching and academic research. Dr. Löfkvist’s research explores why outcomes vary among individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, with a focus on etiology – especially congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection – and its effects on language, cognitive development, and preventive actions in primary healthcare. She also studies the impact of early cochlear implantation on long-term cognitive, psychosocial, and quality-of-life outcomes. Her work includes developing and evaluating new assessment tools and family-centered early intervention (FCEI) approaches to support caregivers of young children with hearing loss, bridging research, clinical practice, and innovation in hearing healthcare.

Joan Hewitt, Au.D.       Joan Hewitt, Au.D., is a pediatric audiologist specializing in diagnosing and treating infants and children with hearing loss. Board-certified with a specialization in cochlear implants, Dr. Hewitt has advanced degrees in both audiology and auditory/oral education of the deaf. For more than 35 years, Dr. Hewitt has provided auditory/verbal services, hearing testing, hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant mapping services, and educational support to children with hearing loss. In addition, she serves on the faculty of California State University-San Marcos, teaching audiology and aural habilitation to undergraduate and graduate students. She has co-authored chapters in pediatric audiology textbooks and is a frequent presenter on pediatric audiology and cochlear implants at national and international conferences.

 

Kathryn Manfield, MSW, LICSW    Kathryn Manfield, MSW, LICSW, is a clinical social worker in the Cochlear Implant Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and a Co-Director of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention Program. Her passion and deep regard for parents and parenting is demonstrated in her clinical work and her professional collaborations. She has a master’s degree in social work from Boston College and a graduate certificate in Disability and Health from Suffolk University. Kathy was a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disorders (LEND) Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. She is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Specialist by the MA Association for Infant Mental Health. Excited by learning and growth, she engages in professional development as a participant or facilitator as often as she can. Kathy is a mother to three daughters, all young adults, the youngest of whom is deaf and listens with cochlear implants.

Ma. Fernanda Hinojosa, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT      María Fernanda Hinojosa Valencia holds a Ph.D. Laude in Education Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Neurolinguistics from the Colegio Superior de Neurolingüística in Mexico and a Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the Spanish Ministry of Education. She is a certified hearing and oral language specialist in Auditory-Verbal Therapy from the Alexander Graham Bell Academy, where she is a board member and co-chair of the Global Affairs Committee. She oversaw Auditory-Verbal Therapy within the Spanish-speaking Family Program at the John Tracy Center in Los Angeles, California, for over 25 years. She has participated in the implementation of cochlear implant programs in Mexico and Spain. She has co-authored chapters in scientific publications and is co-author of the book “Pérdida Auditiva en la Infancia”. She is a frequent presenter on listening and spoken language services for the population with hearing loss at national and international conferences.

 

Nuria Montero    Nuria Montero was born in Bilbao and is the mother of two wonderful children, one 17 years old and the youngest, 13, who lives every day with the consequences of cCMV. She studied Computer Engineering at the University of Deusto and holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering, and an MBA. Her professional career has focused on systems project management in large companies.

Doris R. Lewis, Ph.D., Au.D.      Graduation and master’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUCSP). Doctor’s degree at Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Professor at PUCSP for graduation and post-graduation. Working at a public and university Hearing Health Center in São Paulo (DERDIC/CeAC/PUCSP) and at a children’s hospital – Hospital Infantil Sabará – in hearing assessment for children, behavioral, and electrophysiology. Member of the Audiology Committee at the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) and chair of the Audiology and Balance Department of the Brazilian Society of Audiology (SBFa). Founder and member of the Brazilian Academy of Audiology (ABA). Member of the Multiprofessional Committee in Hearing Health Care (Comitê Multiprofissional em Saúde Auditiva – COMUSA).

 

Evening Session

Elizabeth Tyzkiewicz, LSLS Cert. AVT (Moderator) Elizabeth Tyszkiewicz, LSLS Cert. AVT is an independent trainer and mentor in auditory-verbal therapy in the UK and numerous other countries. She previously spent over 25 enjoyable years mainly in children’s cochlear implant programs, as well as in education and the voluntary sector. She values the highly individual coaching interactions offered by work with caregivers and from mentoring relationships with aspiring auditory-verbal therapists. She continues to be fascinated by many aspects of children’s thinking and communication, and by their play, and enjoys learning from a wide range of parents and their children in different countries and settings.

Sharon Cushing, Ph.D.       Dr. Sharon Cushing is a full-time pediatric otolaryngologist and the Director of the Cochlear Implant Program at The Hospital for Sick Children, as well as a full Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr. Cushing has a clinical, surgical, and research interest in disorders of the ear, including hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction in children.

 

Valerie Sung, MBBS (Hons) FRACP MPH Ph.D.   Associate Professor Valerie Sung is a consultant pediatrician at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, Principal Research Fellow and Co-Group Leader at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. She leads a child deafness health services research program that aims to enable all deaf and hard of hearing children to achieve their full potential, and is passionate about enabling early detection of congenital CMV, the most common infectious cause of child deafness. She currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council Grant to determine the population prevalence and outcomes of asymptomatic and symptomatic congenital CMV through 35,000 saliva samples collected from newborns in Victoria, Australia. Her research was recognized by a 2019 L’Oréal-UNESCO Australia For Women in Science Fellowship. A/Prof Sung is the founder of the Childhood Hearing Australasian Medical Professionals (CHAMP) Network, which developed national guidelines for managing childhood deafness. She is a member of the Australian Newborn Hearing Screening Committee.

Ma. Fernanda Hinojosa, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT      María Fernanda Hinojosa Valencia holds a Ph.D. Laude in Education Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Neurolinguistics from the Colegio Superior de Neurolingüística in Mexico and a Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the Spanish Ministry of Education. She is a certified hearing and oral language specialist in Auditory-Verbal Therapy from the Alexander Graham Bell Academy, where she is a board member and co-chair of the Global Affairs Committee. She oversaw Auditory-Verbal Therapy within the Spanish-speaking Family Program at the John Tracy Center in Los Angeles, California, for over 25 years. She has participated in the implementation of cochlear implant programs in Mexico and Spain. She has co-authored chapters in scientific publications and is co-author of the book “Pérdida Auditiva en la Infancia”. She is a frequent presenter on listening and spoken language services for the population with hearing loss at national and international conferences.

 

Eva Dawn Fernández  Eva Dawn Fernandez Martinez Borden is from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and is the mother of two girls, ages 7 and 9. During her second pregnancy, at 33 weeks, she learned that her baby had congenital CMV, beginning a profound journey of resilience, learning, and advocacy. Her daughter Emilia was born with hearing loss and multiple developmental challenges, inspiring Eva to raise awareness and promote inclusion for children with disabilities and complex needs.

Shelly Zappas      Shelly Zappas is the mother of a child born with congenital CMV and a passionate advocate for CMV awareness, education, and early detection. Her daughter’s delayed diagnosis inspired her to become actively involved with the National CMV Foundation, where she serves as a Community Alliance Chair and works to support families and increase provider awareness. In addition to her advocacy work, Shelly’s research interests focus on CMV and its lifelong impacts on children and families. She draws on both her professional background as a nurse practitioner and her personal experience as a parent to help bridge the gap between clinical understanding and lived experience.