2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
Award Winners 2024
Leah Williamson
Leah Williamson has been instrumental in improving services for children and families with hearing loss in Tennessee. She is the proud parent of a son Malcolm, born with a profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, he uses ASL and has a cochlear implant. As a parent of four children, she has first-hand experience navigating the early intervention system in Tennessee. Malcom’s hearing loss was identified at 3 years old at US Naval Hospital Bangor, during her time serving in the US Navy. The family was immediately connected to resources but not to other families with a similar experience. Leah has used her lived experience to become a role model and advocate for other parents and understands the unique needs of each individual family and child with hearing loss. PEARS (Parents*Empowerment*Access*Resources*Support) is the statewide parent to parent support program for newly identified children with hearing loss in Tennessee, working closely with the Tennessee EHDI team. Leah has served as a parent guide providing direct support to families since September 2015. Leah was recently promoted in 2023 and now leads the PEARS program as the statewide program coordinator. Leah shares educational materials, trainings, and continues to provide 1-1 parent support for families across the state, including working with the local children’s hospital to meet with new parents following a hearing loss diagnosis.
Leah serves on many advisory boards including Memphis Sound Project Advisory Board, University of Memphis Audiology, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Community Advisory Council, Memphis Deaf Community of the MidSouth Community Advisor, Deaf Literacy Initiative, Shared Reading Project (SRP) with 0-5 Outreach, and Tennessee EDHI Needs Assessment Project (TNNAP). Leah works closely with the Tennessee EHDI team who shared this sentiment about her work: "I have been extremely impressed with Leah’s expansive knowledge of Family Voices PEARS and the resources that are available to children and families impacted by hearing challenges. She is a fantastic presenter who captures her audience and engages them as she speaks about the work happening at Family Voices PEARS and with the families that are served. She has been an integral member of the TN EHDI program by sharing ideas for improvement projects and providing professional guidance to me in my role as EHDI Coordinator. Leah is never short of ideas for engagement, resource information, or passion to help a family impacted by a new (or existing) diagnosis." Leah is passionate about this work and has impacted the lives of hundreds of families during her time with the PEARS program. Leah is the type of person who does great things even when no one is looking. She deserves a round of applause and acknowledgement for her leadership, tenacity, and service to the children and families with hearing loss in Tennessee.