Biography

Michael Castle grew up in Albuquerque New Mexico and attended Utah State University where he revived his BS in biology. He then got his MD at the University of New Mexico where he was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He then did his residency training in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Rochester in New York where he won the resident research award twice. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, and is an avid hockey fan. 

Presentation Title

Contemporary Management of Hyperacusis

Presentation Description

This presentation will offer a deeper understanding into the cause or mechanisms of hyperacusis and review the current management strategies of this challenging problem.

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose

Biography

Dr. Samantha Cerasiello is a Neurotology Fellow at the House Ear Clinic and UCLA in Los Angeles, where she is pursuing advanced subspecialty training in Otology and Neurotology. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center and earned her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Presentation Title

Third Window Syndromes

Presentation Description

Third window syndromes are inner ear disorders caused by abnormal openings in the otic capsule that disrupt normal cochlear and vestibular mechanics. These conditions can present with conductive hearing loss despite normal middle ear function, autophony, and vertigo induced by sound or pressure, often leading to misdiagnosis. This presentation will review the pathophysiology of third window syndromes, including superior semicircular canal dehiscence and related entities, emphasizing audiometric patterns, vestibular testing (including VEMPs), and imaging findings. Practical strategies will be provided to help audiologists identify key diagnostic features, avoid common pitfalls, and contribute to multidisciplinary management and patient counseling. 

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose

Biography

Keri joined Rady Children’s in 2013 and serves as the cochlear implant program coordinator. She received her doctorate in audiology from East Tennessee State University in 2013 following completion of a four-year residency program. Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in audiology from the University of Tennessee. Keri is certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She maintains an audiologist license from the state of California and serves as a subject matter expert on the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. 

Presentation Title

Supporting Families with Newly Identified Atypical Hearing In California 

Presentation Description

This presentation will focus on steps for supporting families once they receive a diagnosis of atypical hearing in California-focusing on California specific resources as well as those developed at Rady Children’s Health which facilitate this process. We will discuss our Comprehensive Hearing Assessment Team approach to shortening the time between identification and fitting with amplification or a cochlear implant.  We will highlight the counseling process we use with medically fragile patients through case discussions.   

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose

Biography

Kimberli joined Cochlear in 2015 as a Clinical Territory Manager and is currently the Senior Territory Manager supporting audiologists and surgeons in the Greater Los Angeles area. Building on her pre-audiology career in child development and social work, she spent several years at Tucker-Maxon School in Portland, OR as the on site audiologist specializing in cochlear implants and FM technology. Relocation to Los Angeles in 2011 brought transition to a hearing aid manufacturer role where she found herself frequently recommending CI evaluations for patients no longer benefitting from hearing aids, and when the opportunity arose Kimberli returned to her passion for CI and loves partnering with professionals to improve outcomes and access to care in our community.

Presentation Title

Maximize Pediatric Outcomes with a Connected Ecosystem of Cochlear Care

Presentation Description

Pediatric cochlear implant and bone conduction users and their families face unique challenges to success in a world where providers are often tasked to do more with less. With more than 40 years of research and industry leadership, Cochlear has developed an ecosystem of products, resources, and services to support our youngest recipients for their entire lifespan.

This presentation will review practical guidance, resources, and considerations to support optimal outcomes for pediatric bone conduction and cochlear implant recipients.

Disclosure Statement

Employee of Cochlear North America since Jan 2015

Biography

Dave Gordey, PhD, has been a pediatric audiologist for twenty-five years. Dave is the director of pediatric audiology and research for Oticon and is the past president of the Canadian Academy of Audiology. Dave currently is an adjunct professor at Western university. Dave’s current research projects include pediatric hearing aids, remote microphones and preschool-aged children, unilateral hearing loss, and the social and emotional development of children with hearing loss. 

Presentation Title

Children with Functional Hearing Deficits and Normal Peripheral Hearing: Clinical Experiences of Audiologists fitting Remote Microphones and Low Gain Hearing Aids 

Presentation Description

Developed guidelines have emphasized the importance of investigating the functional auditory abilities of individuals referred for hearing assessments. Those with normal pure tone audiograms may have listening, and communication difficulties associated with deficits in managing auditory information (e.g. APD). Survey and interview research explored North American Audiologists’ assessment and management practices of patients with normal peripheral audiograms who report functional hearing deficits. In addition, the use of low gain hearing aids and remote microphone systems as a treatment for APD was examined. 

Disclosure Statement

Financial Disclosures: I receive a salary from Oticon A/S

Non-Financial Disclosures: Co-chair, Knowledge and Implementation in Pediatric Audiology

Biography

John W. House received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California (USC) and his Doctorate in Medicine from the USC School of Medicine.  While an undergraduate at USC he was an All-American Swimmer all four years and captain of the 1963 National Championship team.  Following a straight medicine internship, he completed his Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Residency at Los Angeles County/ USC Medical Center in 1974.  Dr. House was called out of his residency to serve in the US Army for two years where he served as the Chief of ENT Service at Beach Army Hospital, Fort Wolters, Mineral Wells, Texas.  After completing a fellowship in otology & neurotology Dr. House entered private practice at the House Clinic in 1975.  Dr. House is a Clinical Professor at both USC and UCLA.  He has published more than 130 articles and book chapters.  He has been president of many professional organizations and received many honors including the USC Alumni Merit Award in 1990, Guest of Honor at the annual meetings of the American Otological Society and the Pacific Otolaryngology & Ophthalmology’s Annual meeting.  Dr. House received the prestigious Award of Merit at the American Otological Societies annual meeting.  Recently he was inducted into the USC’s Century Club’s Hall of Fame.  Dr. House has been an invited speaker at many Departments of Otolaryngology in this country and Keynote speaker in many foreign countries including England, Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China and many others.  Dr. House loves his work of taking care of patients and teaching. 

He has taken care of many famous and well-known patients including President Reagan, King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia and many movie personalities.  He runs a very busy practice managing the care of patients at the House Clinic. 

Some of the local and national societies Dr. House has been president of include the Research Study Club, the Los Angeles Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Society, the Pacific Coast Oto-Ophthamalogic Society, American Otological Society and the American Neurotologic Society.  He is past member of the Board of Directors and Secretary Treasurer of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 

Presentation Title

Cochlear Implants: Past and Present

Presentation Description

This presentation will explore the evolution of cochlear implant technology from its earliest development to current clinical applications. Drawing on firsthand experience in the pioneering days of cochlear implantation, Dr. House will discuss the scientific, clinical, and regulatory challenges that shaped the field, including the pathway to FDA approval. Attendees will gain insight into how cochlear implant technology has advanced over time and review current indications and outcomes for patients with hearing loss.

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose

Biography

Dr. Kelsey Klein has been with HIF since 2024. Her interdisciplinary research broadly focuses on understanding and improving the listening and spoken language skills of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Specifically, she uses eye-tracking to characterize the real-time cognitive processes that children with and without hearing loss use to recognize words while listening to speech. This line of basic research is complemented by translational research interests, which focus on real-world outcomes of children with hearing aids and cochlear implants. She is particularly interested in identifying malleable clinical, educational, and environmental factors supporting effective communication for school-age children and adolescents both in and outside the classroom.

Presentation Title

Audiologic and Sociodemographic Predictors of Device Use and Listening-Related Fatigue in Children with Hearing Loss

Presentation Description

Relative to typically hearing peers, children with hearing loss (HL) may exert higher effort when listening to speech in challenging environments. This can result in higher listening-related fatigue, which has been linked to lower reading outcomes and well-being. However, children with HL vary substantially in the amount of listening-related fatigue they experience. In this presentation, we will discuss the effects of various audiologic and sociodemographic factors on individual differences in listening-related fatigue. We will also discuss factors affecting children’s amount of hearing device use, which has previously been shown to be lower among children from non-English speaking families. This presentation will provide early results from an ongoing study at the House Institute Foundation that focuses on audiologic and communication outcomes among a diverse sample of children with HL, ages 0 to 20.

Disclosure Statement

I receive a salary as a full-time employee at the House Institute Foundation

Biography

Michelle Mesley-Netoskie is a premier revenue cycle expert with over three decades of experience in medical coding, billing, and practice management. As a specialist with Fuel Medical Group, she focuses on helping members optimize their revenue cycle through advanced auditing, compliance, and strategic workflow improvements. 

Michelle possesses extensive expertise in Audiology and Otolaryngology, making her a vital resource for hearing health professionals navigating the 2026 CPT code overhaul. A national speaker, author, and educator, she is known for her hands-on, case-based teaching style that provides attendees with practical tools for “real-world” clinical documentation. Michelle is a dedicated advocate for the professional community, frequently sharing her insights on payer behavior and regulatory shifts to help practices protect their professional service revenue and ensure long-term financial health. 

Presentation Title

The 2026 Audiology Code Revolution: Mastering New Standards for Hearing Services

Presentation Description

The 2026 CPT code set introduces the most significant shift in audiology billing in decades, replacing legacy descriptors with a refined series of time-based hearing service codes. This presentation breaks down the 12 new codes (92628–92642), which now categorize services into distinct phases of care: candidacy, selection, fitting, follow-up, and verification. We will examine the transition from “monaural vs. binaural” billing to a time-centric model, ensuring participants can accurately apply the “half plus one” rule for incremental reporting. Additionally, we will cover the essential documentation requirements needed to support medical necessity and navigate the technical corrections issued by the AMA regarding service bundling and exclusionary parentheticals. 

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose

Biography

Catherine Moyer completed her Clinical Doctor of Audiology at San Diego State University/UC San Diego (SDSU/UCSD) joint program and has been with Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego since 2006. She first joined their Audiology team as a 4th year extern and then stayed on after graduation.  She specializes in Auditory Evoked Potentials and Amplification. She has specialized experience working with bone-conduction devices and provides support to the Craniofacial, Cleft Palate, and Microtia-Atresia interdisciplinary teams. Her specialized contributions include diagnostics, neurophysiology, inpatient care, hearing aids, and bone-anchored hearing devices (both surgical and non-surgical). Catherine’s focus as an audiologist is to provide the most appropriate amplification to a child, so that they can flourish in their communication, language development, and abilities. 

Presentation Title

Current Verification Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Devices 

Presentation Description

This Presentation will discuss in detail current evidence-based options for verification of bone conduction devices with the use of the (Verifit) Skull simulator. Also, options for speech perception testing will be discussed at different pediatric age groups, with case studies.

Disclosure Statement

Financial Disclosures: Currently employed by Rady Children’s Health, San Diego (RCHSD) as an Audiologist 

Non-Financial Disclosures: As an employee of RCHSD, the Audiology team has participated in the following clinic trails and controlled market release with the following manufacturers (that pertain to bone conduction devices)

Biography

Julie Purdy has been a part of the Audiology team at Rady Children’s Hospital since 2007. She became the Manager of Audiology in 2014. She earned a doctorate of philosophy at the University of Utah in 1990, specializing in multicultural audiology and aging. She earned her masters of science in 1985 and her bachelors of arts in 1983, both in communication disorders from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Julie holds a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, and is licensed by the state of California.

Presentation Title

Supporting Families with Newly Identified Atypical Hearing In California

Presentation Description

This presentation will focus on steps for supporting families once they receive a diagnosis of atypical hearing in California, focusing on California-specific resources as well as those developed at Rady Children’s Health which facilitate this process. We will discuss our Comprehensive Hearing Assessment Team approach to shortening the time between identification and fitting with amplification or a cochlear implant.  We will highlight the counseling process we use with medically fragile patients through case discussions.

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose.

Biography

Dr. William H. Slattery, III, M.D., is a leading expert in otolaryngology and neurotology, with over 30 years specializing in the treatment of Neurofibromatosis Type II (NF2), acoustic neuromas, cochlear implants, and facial nerve paralysis. Dr. Slattery joined the House Clinic in 1993 for a clinical fellowship in neurotology and continues to serve patients there today. In addition to his busy clinical practice, he has maintained a strong presence in the field as a respected clinical researcher. Dr. Slattery’s innovative research and compassionate approach have transformed treatment outcomes and improved the lives of countless patients worldwide.

Presentation Title

Otology Update for Audiologists – Including “Myths” 

Presentation Description

This lecture will provide an overview of common otologic disorders that may present to the audiologist. Current diagnostic and treatment options will be reviewed, along with updates on clinical trials and emerging therapies for hearing loss, including advances in genetic testing and treatment. Referral guidelines to the otologist will be discussed. In addition, common myths and misconceptions related to otologic disorders, hearing loss, and medical management will be examined in light of current evidence and clinical practice.

Disclosure Statement

No relevant financial or non-financial relationships to disclose.