2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA

DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER

  • A young couple sitting together on a couch, the mother holding their baby. The father is holding a small black-and-white picture book and using sign language to communicate.
  • A woman sits at a desk using a desktop computer to video chat with a man and a young girl. The young girl is holding Legos above her head.
  • Two men smile and interact with a baby.
  • A close-up of a baby wearing a hearing aid, gazing attentively to the side.
  • A young boy with a cochlear implant playing with an educational bead maze toy while a woman attentively listens and engages with him.
  • A young boy wearing a bone conduction hearing device plays attentively with a toy mailbox in a playroom.
  • A female teacher interacts with three young children, two of whom are wearing cochlear implants, as they play together with toys in a classroom.
  • A young girl sits next on a woman's lap during a hearing test session. A male audiologist wearing headphones and is seated across from them engaging with the child. They are in a soundproofed room with a window through which another technician can be seen operating equipment.
  • A young mother holds her toddler while they interact with a female therapist or educator. The therapist is gesturing with her hands, possibly using sign language or explaining something, while the mother and child are engaged and attentive.
  • A young boy with a bone conduction hearing device looks excitedly at a large turtle in an aquarium.
  • A baby sits on their mother's lap while a female audiologist fits a hearing aid.
  • A woman joyfully holds a smiling toddler, who is wearing a hearing device, in a garden filled with blooming white and pink flowers.
  • A man holds a young child while listening to a doctor, who is dressed in a white coat and seated at a desk with a tablet in front of him.
  • A baby sits on their mother's lap while a female audiologist fits a hearing aid.
  • A baby sleeps peacefully, wrapped in a pink blanket with a pacifier in their mouth. A hand gently places a hearing test device in the baby's ear, while a medical monitor is visible nearby.
  • A close-up of a baby wearing a hearing aid, gazing attentively to the side.
  • A young couple sitting together on a couch, the mother holding their baby. The father is holding a small black-and-white picture book and using sign language to communicate.
  • A young girl sits next on a woman's lap during a hearing test session. A male audiologist wearing headphones and is seated across from them engaging with the child. They are in a soundproofed room with a window through which another technician can be seen operating equipment.
  • A young girl sits next on a woman's lap during a hearing test session. A male audiologist wearing headphones and is seated across from them engaging with the child. They are in a soundproofed room with a window through which another technician can be seen operating equipment.
  • A young child with wet hair and swimming goggle on their hand stands outdoors, wrapped in a blue-striped towel and wearing a cochlear implant.
  • A woman excitedly reads a Christmas book to a young girl wearing a headband and a cochlear implant.
  • A baby wearing a green hearing aid lying on its back and sucking on its fingers.
  • Two young boys playing with puppets at a table. One boy is wearing a hearing aid.

Award Winner/Nominee Details 2020

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Maria Cantu

Maria Cantu is an innovator, critical thinker, EHDI expert, and founding member and VP of Operations of OZ Systems International. Over 26 years ago she began as a hearing screener with the Sounds of Texas pilot.

"Maria's decades of tireless child health efforts began as a screener. After seeing the success of EHDI programs' electronic data integration, she pushed for similar technologies in other arenas. She led the way to automated electronic lab orders and electronic lab results for NDBS, and clinical decision support in CCHD, allowing for faster intervention. Maria delivers innovative solutions to improve outcomes and data quality for public health programs. She truly keeps babies' and clinicians' best interests at heart." - Brenee Mitchell, Regenstrief Institute

Today, she develops technology that ensures millions of babies, internationally, receive their newborn screenings and timely intervention.

"In my mind Maria Cantu is Wonder Woman and my gold standard for testing the hearing of babies. She once had two babies - was testing one with ABR and the other with OAE. Baby #3 began a loud howl of irritation. Maria went to the howling baby, performed a perfect snuggle wrap, picked Baby #3 up and patted until quiet, put the happy baby back, unhooked the baby getting ABR after checking the results, unhooked the baby getting OAE testing, and hooked up baby #3 for testing....all the while smiling and explaining what she was doing. From testing, Maria went on to many other responsibilities with OZ Systems, and I saw her excel at everything she did. She loves what she does, is beyond competent, and is the epitome of a high professional standard in all that she does." Joy O'Neal, Former Director of the Texas EHDI Program.

"The Newborn Hearing Screening programme in England has much to thank Maria for. Her expert support was crucial as we developed and rolled out the programme and she was always there for us." Gwen Carr, Former NHS England Newborn Hearing Screening Programme DD.

Nick Johnstone-Waddell, Public Health England, "I worked with Maria on the rollout of newborn hearing screening across England. I remember her enthusiasm, dedication to newborn screening and commitment to end users. I remember when a user spotted something that could be improved, she wanted to get straight on the phone to a developer and get it fixed for the next day. Maria's first instinct was always to help the users as much as she could, which I was really inspired by. Our mantra in the UK government is to always understand and meet the 'user needs' and Maria seemed to have grasped this before it became widely understood."

Maria understood the needs of multi-lingual and first generation families. With new Hispanic moms, she understood their fears and concerns – beyond screening and follow-up care. With nursing staff, she engaged them as equals. Maria is co-inventor of EHDI software, of pre-analytic tools for bloodspot screening and for assuring accurate critical congenital heart screening. The time has come to recognize her excellence in EHDI.