2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
Award Winners 2024
Amanda Devereaux
Amanda Devereaux demonstrates exemplary leadership, passion, and compassion in EHDI and in preventing congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in her local state of Iowa as well as nationally. A nurse by training, Amanda had never heard of CMV until her beautiful daughter Pippa (age 8) was born. Pippa is deaf with other disabilities due to cCMV, which has inspired Amanda to take on the mission of preventing other families from going through the same challenges she and her family have had to endure.
On a state level, Amanda has held the role of co-president for Iowa Hands & Voices (H&V) for the past two years. In this capacity, Amanda consistently demonstrates exceptional qualities such as overseeing and managing required data, maintaining effective communication with stakeholders, fostering positive and empathic connections with Iowa families who have deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) children, and coordinating important board events. Her contemporaries at Iowa H&V state that "we have had the privilege of closely working with Amanda and witnessing her unwavering commitment to Iowa’s H&V mission and vision. Her leadership and motivation have been instrumental in keeping the Iowa chapter alive." Nationally, Amanda demonstrates unparalleled dedication to families navigating the cCMV journey. Serving as the Program Director of the National CMV Foundation, she passionately engages in meaningful interactions, providing crucial support to families in need and CMV advocates. Amanda's commitment to CMV education and awareness is evident in her relentless efforts to implement impactful educational activities and initiatives and provide support for various advocacy efforts. Her tireless dedication coupled with her lived experience as a CMV caregiver, makes her an asset to the foundation, ensuring that her work leaves a lasting positive impact on the lives of those affected by cCMV.
Moreover, Amanda has had a significant role in planning the biennial CMV Public Health and Policy Conferences for four years. She always brings ideas of how to engage providers while keeping families at the heart of the conference. Having Amanda on the planning team means you have someone who does what she says she will do because of who she is and because she is determined to make life-changing differences for families. Amanda’s ability to effectively bring together various providers and stakeholders, including primary care providers, infectious disease specialists, researchers, and families is impressive and has led to real improvements for children and families living with cCMV. Amanda is an asset in the U.S. fight against cCMV as well as building the important work of IA H&V.