Hearing Practitioner Australia’s bi-monthly People on the Move bulletin keeps the Australian hearing sector updated on new appointments and personnel changes, nationally and globally.
NEW PRESIDENT OF AAO-HNS
Cleveland Clinic professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, Dr Troy D. Woodard is the new president of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and its Foundation (AAO-HNS/F). Dr Woodard, who graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is the second African American president in the academy’s 128-year history. He was elected by academy members and will serve a one-year term leading nearly 13,000 members who specialise in treatment of ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck.
BHOWMIK APPOINTED TO FDA COMMITTEE
Starkey’s chief technology officer Dr Achin Bhowmik has been appointed as an industry representative on America’s FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee. The committee offers expert guidance on development and regulation of digital health technologies. Dr Bhowmik said he was honoured to support the FDA and contribute to the evolution of digital health. Starkey president and CEO Mr Brandon Sawalich said the appointment was testament to Dr Bhowmik’s expertise and leadership in the field.
JOHN ROSS JOINS MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY PANEL
Mr John Ross has started a new position as part of a Consumer and Community Involvement Panel at Macquarie University. He is part of a team co-designing an Australian website and online national support service for hearing loss. The Sunshine Coast cochlear implant recipient and advocate is a motivational speaker on hearing loss and hearing technology and CICADA Queensland president. In this role he attends disability and other expos representing CICADA and lived experience of hearing loss. He recently hosted a Hearing Solutions Summit for patients and families and attended an advocates summit in Austria for MED-EL.
NEW AUDIOMETRIST FOR CONNECT HEARING
Mr Arash Pourmotemed has started as a qualified audiometrist at Connect Hearing, Bendigo, Victoria. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in audiology from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2008, he gained significant experience in clinical practice, diagnostics and auditory rehabilitation with adults. From 2015 to 2023, Pourmotemed was executive manager and training manager of Interton Exclusive Distributor in Iran. In November 2023 he moved to Australia and began clinical practice with Connect Hearing in early 2024. He recently earned his QP and is embarking on the next phase of his career in Australia.
AMPLIFON’S BACCHUS MARSH AND TAYLORS LAKE AUDIOLOGIST
Mrs Afyeda Rahman completed her internship in October 2024 and is now working as a clinical audiologist in the Bacchus Marsh and Taylors Lakes Amplifon clinics. She has had a passion for audiology since her younger brother was seen in the Royal Children’s Hospital audiology environment. Rahman studied audiology at The University of Melbourne in 2022. Her student placements were with Hearing Australia, Monash Health’s Paediatric Audiology department, Amplifon’s Leopold clinic and zoom telehealth appointments for the Cambodia Surgical Centre audiology department.
UK ROLE FOR BUPA’S CHRIS CARROLL
Bupa has appointed Mr Chris Carroll, Bupa managing director, health insurance, Australia, to CEO, Bupa UK Insurance. He will move to London in January 2025. Carroll joined Bupa in November 2020 as director, domestic retail portfolio, health insurance, before being appointed to his current role in March 2022. He has more than 25 years’ commercial experience including most recently as CEO of WS Audiology Asia Pacific. Ms Kate Williams, director, domestic retail portfolio, health insurance will be appointed to acting managing director, health insurance in Australia while a search is underway for a permanent replacement.
Do you have career news to share? Email details to HPA editor Helen Carter at helen.carter@primecreative.com.au to be featured.
More reading
People on the Move – October-November 2024
People on the Move – August-September 2024