2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA
DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER
Award Winner/Nominee Details 2025
Michelle Wagner-Escobar
It is an honor to nominate Michelle Wagner-Escobar for the prestigious Antonia Brancia Maxon Award for EHDI Excellence. I have known Michelle since the late 1980’s as an admirable colleague with passion to serve deaf and hard of hearing patients. Her contributions to EHDI since initial stages of the program secured the success of EHDI in the state of Indiana and at the national level.
Michelle graduated from Purdue University for her undergraduate studies. In 1984, she obtained her graduate degree in audiology from the University of Iowa. Soon after, Michelle was recruited by Riley Children’s Hospital of Indianapolis working directly with Dr. Richard Miyamoto on the first cochlear implant patients. Her passion for hearing loss led to service children with craniofacial anomalies in the late 1980’s. Due to her involvement at Riley Hospital, Michelle was invited to participate in the early planning stages of what it would become the national EHDI program, she was instrumental in the establishment of the EHDI system in the State of Indiana. Michelle served as EHDI consultant for the State of Indiana for several years.
Michelle recognized the disparity of EHDI implementation among health care systems and she coordinated efforts to secure funds to establish an educational center at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital of Indianapolis to improve EHDI protocols among twenty-three hospitals in the State of Indiana. She provided education to neonatal units and newborn nurseries concerning EHDI procedures. Her experience and innovating efforts motivated Michelle to be one of the funders of the “Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education� as part of the State of Indiana effort to serve children with hearing difficulties. Michelle helped to coordinate the purchase of an audiology mobile unit to serve different isolated communities in the state of Indiana.
Michelle has experience as a speaker to local groups and national organizations including the national EHDI conference, where she has been a passionate attendee and presenter. Michelle’s clinical experience is remarkable. She continues to serve deaf and hard of hearing patients at Indiana University School of Medicine, Riley Children’s Hospital.
Michelle recognizes the influence of genetics and epigenetics in human hearing. Her educational efforts among ENT physicians, Geneticists, Family Medicine specialists and Pediatricians has led to successful collaborations among groups and improved diagnostic rates in patients identified by the EHDI program.
Michelle is an admirable individual with an incredible work ethic. Michelle has an incomparable sense of service to children. Michelle’s passion is evidenced by her professional trajectory that can only be described as: unique, outstanding, and kind. I have no hesitation to nominate Michelle Wagner-Escobar for the Antonia Brancia Maxon Award for EHDI Excellence. Michelle’s contributions continue to help EHDI to be one of the most successful programs in public health.