2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA
Award Winner/Nominee Details 2023
Marcia Fort
We are writing today to nominate of Dr. Marcia Fort for the 2023 Antonia Brancia Maxon Award for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Excellence. It is our great honor and privilege to do so. Dr. Fort is a valuable member of the EHDI family whose life work has positively impacted our system of care at the state, national, and federal levels. Dr. Fort is the Unit Manager, Genetics and Newborn Screening, North Carolina Division of Child and Family Well-Being, Whole Child Health Section. She is also the EHDI Coordinator and Data Manager for North Carolina. Dr. Fort holds a Doctorate in Audiology and has spent her career dedicated to serving children and families. Dr Fort ensures the EHDI system of care moves forward and brings quality services to infants and their families within her state and at the national and federal levels. She has led through some of the most challenging times in the history of our country and our world. Dr Fort is an inspiration, and she is always willing to listen and identify how we can be successful as a public health initiative. Dr. Fort speaks up, is culturally sensitive and a true advocate for families, infants and young children.
The following represents just a few of Dr Fort's many accomplishments:
- Redesigned the NC EHDI Program structure to allow for continuity of care management from the consultants (screening through enrollment into early intervention).
- Strengthened the EHDI connection with the Schools for the Deaf, the Division of Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) and Deaf community. She has collaborated on a Common Ground Workgroup and increased the EHDI program capacity for inclusion and diversity.
- Proponent of family participation and family support services in the EHDI Programs.
- Champion of continuous quality improvement. The North Carolina team is well trained in quality improvement strategies.
- Advocate of EHDI staff interacting with the community and building capacity of community partners.
- Leads at the National Level
- President and Board Member - Directors of Speech and Hearing Programs in State Health and Welfare Agencies DSHPSHWA
- Member of the Parent Choice Committee
- Partners with HRSA, CDC, NCHAM and FL3- COVID-19 challenges and other key initiatives
- Mentor of new EHDI Coordinators.
- Expanded the North Carolina EHDI Advisory Committee by increasing parent participation and including Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults.
- Developed a collaborative relationship with the UNC-LEND Program.
- Author on two articles: COVID-19 impact on EHDI systems of care published in the Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (November 2022).
We deeply appreciate Dr. Fort's passion and dedication to our field. She is a true leader that exhibits creativity, compassion, empathy, honesty, and promotes equity and inclusion. Dr. Fort is a key partner in creating collaboration at the national and federal level, successfully supporting and moving EHDI programs forward. There is no one more deserving of the prestigious EHDI Excellence Award than Dr. Marcia Fort. We proudly recommend her for the highest honor in the EHDI system.