Message from the President

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I hope you all had a great summer and were able to enjoy some summer holidays and spend time with family and friends! I am unsure where the time has gone, but it feels like it has been flying by.

On behalf of the Canadian Academy of Audiology (CAA) Board of Directors, I wanted to update you on our team's work.

In recent months, CAA has continued to be a key stakeholder at the various tables, supporting and advocating for Ontario audiologists with the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) changes made earlier this year. I thank our team for diligently working on this important topic.

Earlier this year the Canadian Infant Hearing Task Force, which CAA is a key member of, released their 2024 Report Card for early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs across the country. Join Marlene Bagatto via webinar on November 13th, 2024 as she provides an update on infant hearing health services in Canada.

CAA continues to solicit questions from our members to address ongoing issues with our Federal Health Partners (FHP). The members of FHP include Veterans Affairs Canada, Department of National Defence, Veterans Affairs Canada, Medavie-Blue Cross, Non-Insured Health Benefits, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and industry partners. Please refer to the email from CAA for more information about how to send in your questions, suggestions, and concerns about FHP matters before September 14, 2024.

We are also excited to add a Special Interest Group (SIG) for Implantable Hearing Devices. This new and exciting SIG will be coming to CAA members this Fall – watch your email for more information.

There is an abundance of work that your dedicated volunteer Board of Directors and staff at CAA have been working on, the above is just a snapshot. I am very proud of all the wonderful work that our teams are doing.

We will be holding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 12th, where we will present and reflect on our accomplishments over the past year. We will also present our newest members to our Board of Directors – I am very excited to have these individuals join our team and look forward to working with them over the next several years. Check your email for more information about the CAA AGM and please register and attend if you have not already done so – if you are unable to attend, please complete the Instrument of Proxy form and return as directed in the email.

The 2024 CAA Conference is coming up very quickly in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort. I look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible!

This will be my final message to you as the President of CAA, as I pass the torch to our incoming President. It has been my pleasure to serve as your President over the past year, and I look forward to continuing to support our team as Past President over the year to come.

Wishing you all the best,
–Michael

Dr. Michael J. Vekasi, AuD, R.Aud, Aud(C), FAAA
Doctor of Audiology | Registered Audiologist
President, Canadian Academy of Audiology

About the author

Michael Vekasi, AuD, R.Aud, Aud(C), FAAA

Dr. Vekasi is a Senior Trainer for Allied Health with a province-wide clinical information system implementation at Alberta Health Services. He was previously a clinical audiologist where his caseload focused on vestibular diagnostic assessments as well as a multi-disciplinary vestibular clinic. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor with A.T. Still University, teaching vestibular assessment and management to post-professional Doctor of Audiology students, and a sessional instructor at MacEwan University.

He is an editor of the “Striking the Right Balance” column in Canadian Audiologist, an executive member of the National Vestibular Special Interest Group, a director (and president-elect) for the Canadian Academy of Audiology (CAA) and also volunteers his time with ACSLPA, SAC, the AAofA (Alberta Association of Audiologists), and TAP (The Audiology Project) Canada.

Dr. Vekasi was recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal in 2022 and awarded the 2020 Professional Leadership Award from A.T. Still University.