October 6, 2008 –Susie Burdick has been elected as Chair of the National Association of Speech and Hearing Centers. In addition, Burdick is the CEO of the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center, Vice Chair of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, a member of the Rotary Club of Seattle, and on the Board of Directors for the Executive Alliance.

Founded in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1986, the National Association of Speech and Hearing Centers (NASHC) is an association of nonprofit community speech and hearing centers located throughout the nation. Formerly the Independent Not-for-Profit Network (INN), approximately 45 agencies belong to the group today to focus on the exchange of information, and professional and public education pertinent to the speech and hearing field.

As a nonprofit agency serving thousands of individuals and families each year – though clinical services, therapy, education, advocacy and technology – the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center (HSDC) strengthens community by promoting effective communication. HSDC’s vision is that all people realize their full communication potential, and achieves this by joining direct services with systemic change to create an inclusive and accessible community. Agency services span the life cycle from infants through seniors, and include Audiology & Hearing Aids, Speech, Language & Learning (Ned Behnke Speech Language Preschool and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Literacy Lab), Early Childhood Education (Parent-Infant Program and the Rosen Family Preschool), Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, and Assistive Listening and Signaling Technology. Partnerships with United Way, regional business, government and community groups, individuals and foundations, enable HSDC to act as a convening force for equal access, giving “voice” to the community. HSDC has been serving the Puget Sound area for over 70 years.