Committed to Improving the Lives of
People of All Ages with Hearing and Communication Challenges
The Marion Downs Center
Marion Downs Center is recognized worldwide for its leadership, progressive innovations, and cutting-edge clinical services. Its mission to value and promote individual and family choices in treatment, communication, and technological options for people with hearing loss and their families is unique.
Our Mission
The Marion Downs Center provides state-of-the-art, culturally sensitive services, resources, education, and research to support the needs of individuals with communication challenges and their families.
Our Goals:
- Provide high quality evidence-based service to all individuals
- Decrease communication barriers for all we serve
- Identify and support the early identification, education, and literacy of those most vulnerable to early learning challenges
- Provide services that accommodate and support individuals from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds
- Engage and educate the community and professionals in the areas of hearing loss, deafness, and communication challenges
Our Vision
To improve quality of life through compassionate, multidisciplinary, and high quality services and education.
History
The roots of what is now the Marion Downs Center began in 1918 when the Denver League of Hard-of-Hearing began providing community support to individuals with hearing loss. In 2015, the Marion Downs Hearing Center merged with the Center for Hearing, Speech, and Language to become the Marion Downs Center (MDC). The MDC's extraordinary legacy was built through enriching people's lives by providing innovative, caring and high-quality services for people with barriers to communication regardless of financial status. The MDC is truly community based and relies on generous support from organizations, foundations, donors, and community partners.
Success Stories
"The Marion Downs Center is great! They are the first place to really help me with my hearing in 55+ years".
- J.W.
"Thank you for all your help at a less than optimal time in my life! Fitting hearing aids post surgery was a bit crazy, but we succeeded! Your expertise in Audiology has not only improved my hearing remarkably, but very importantly, my quality of life. I thank you, as do the people with whom I come in contact, as I can now hear what they're saying the first time! What a concept! You are a true expert in your field, and a very pleasant person with whom to work."
- C Carroll
"The staff and curriculum at Marion's Way use best practices for educating the DHH as well as doing research on ways for continuous improvement. They held classes for the parents to teach us skills techniques, and approaches to use at home and in the community. The information we learned is invaluable and Connor's language, social skills, and communication showed significant improvement."
- Annie Mason
"Chase has attended Marion's Way Preschool two summers in a row. He continues to make huge strides in his education, has now been mainstreamed in public kindergarten and doing very well. Without the support, guidance and expertise from Marion's Way, Chase would not be where he is today! Today, Chase is a typical, happy, smart outgoing and socially curious 5 year old who just happens to be hard of hearing."
- Cynthia Monson
"My daughter is learning her letters and her numbers in the Early Language Literacy Program. She also knows her colors. She is very happy taking the class and her English is getting better like her older brothers, who also participated in the program and are now fluent in English and in elementary school. She is learning to get along with other children, it is a big help for us. She watches her brothers do homework and wants to do some too. It is a big help. We are very happy you can do this."
- Father of an Early Language Literacy Program Participant
"I was born with Shpritzen Syndrome and gradually my hearing kept getting worse. I had trouble understanding what was on the TV, hearing the doorbell, and other everyday things most people take for granted. It was a true miracle that Marion Downs granted me a gift of hearing aids. I totally love them and everything seems like a new world. They helped give me a new life!"
- April Kauffmann
"I have had my hearing aids for a month now and can't believe how life-changing the ability to hear so clearly is," I don't have to have the TV loudly blaring. I don't have to always ask people to repeat what they have said. I have lived in such a muted world for so long and now I can hear birds, crickets, and my kids talking clearly to me."
- Gayla Greenfield
Changing Lives
Chimie was 6 years old with bilateral severe-profound hearing loss when she began receiving audiology and speech services from the Marion Downs Center. Her hearing aids were not programmed to meet her needs; she had little interest in communication and it was challenging to keep her attention. According to her father, "The improvement in Chimie's communication and behavior is life changing. You have been a strong advocate for her needs and taught us the strategies we needed to ensure her success. We will be forever grateful."
Equipped with bilateral hearing aids, "sugar plum" sparkle earmolds, an FM system, and strategies to optimize her auditory, speech, and literacy skills, Chimie is exceeding expectations at home and in school.
Christina is a thoughtful and kindhearted 5-year-old who struggled to understand speech in everyday life and in school. MDC audiologists diagnosed her mild hearing loss at the age of 4 and fit her pink hearing aids shortly after.
Through the Marion's Way Preschool program, Christina and her family implemented strategies to help Christina maximize her auditory, speech, and literacy skills. Christina is now using a Roger system to improve hearing access in background noise and is thriving at home and school. Her speech and language development continues to improve by leaps and bounds. She is bright, compassionate, and loving to all and is a huge Rockies fan. Your support helps children like Christina grow to their full potential!
Getting a Cochlear Implant:
Dana's Story
Marion's Way Preschool 2019
Born with Hearing Loss:
Eliza's Story
Fitting the Colorado Symphony
Meet Our Team
Our compassionate team of professionals are dedicated to the provision of exceptional service that changes lives.
Dr. Sandra Abbott Gabbard, Ph.D
CEO/President | Clinical Audiologist
Maeline Barnstable, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist | Director, KidScreen
Jordan Belanger, AuD
Clinical Audiologist
Cindy Gladden
Clinic Manager
Dr. Caleb Kronen, AuD
Clinical Audiologist | Director, Hearing Conservation
Ben Livingston
Audiology Fellow
Dr. Ginny Kitch Lupo, AuD
Clinical Audiologist
Lynne Lyons, MPA
Chief Operating Officer
Pam Miller
Patient Care Coordinator
Dr. Julie Peterson, AuD
Clinical Audiologist
Aaron Rose, MSDE
Marketing & Outreach Coordinator
Katelyn Strickland
Clinic Administrative Coordinator
Eva Watson
Audiology Fellow
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lisa Aubert-Tann, AUD
Had Beatty
Emeritus
Stephen Cass
Chairman of the Board
Jim Conley
Sandra Gabbard, PhD
MDC President & CEO
Barbara Biddle Galoob
Charlie Hebeler, PhD
Emeritus
Annie Kempe
Clifford Linhardt
Board Treasurer
Dr. Eric Lupo, MD
Blain Myhre
Jerry Northern, PhD
Emeritus
Jill Wayne, AuD
Board Secretary
Volunteer
Loyal, committed, energetic volunteers contribute significantly to our mission. Volunteer commitment can range to a one-time project to long-term on-going support. Areas of need include: administrative support, community outreach, fundraising, special events, mentorship, early childhood literacy with direct child contact, educational materials preparation, building support and maintenance.
We require fingerprinting and background checks for all direct contact volunteers.
Do you have a skill that you think the Marion Downs Center could benefit from? Do you want to volunteer but have something else in mind? Contact us! We welcome your support and will work together to identify a project that interests you.
Volunteer commitment can range to a one-time project to long-term on-going support. If you are interested in applying for our volunteer program, please email contact@mariondowns.org with "volunteer" in the subject line.
4th Year AuD LEND Fellowship Application Information
The Marion Downs Center (MDC) is currently accepting applications for 4th year AuD Fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year. Applications are due by September 22rd, 2023.
The MDC is a nonprofit “Center of Excellence” in Denver, Colorado that provides culturally sensitive services, resources, education, and research to support the needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have communication challenges, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
The clinic faculty at the MDC consists of five audiologists, two speech-language pathologists, and a teacher of the deaf. The MDC has many community programs including a large pediatric school-based screening program for hearing and speech, a summer preschool, and many special events and
educational programs throughout the year.
The 4th year Audiology Fellow at the MDC is a trainee in the Colorado LEND Program. The Colorado Audiology LEND is a program through JFK Partners at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD). LEND Fellows participate in multidisciplinary educational opportunities at UCD in addition to their clinical responsibilities at MDC. There is a “scholarly” LEND yearlong project. Sandra Abbott Gabbard, PhD is the Audiology Discipline Director of the Colorado LEND as well as the President/CEO/Audiologist at the MDC. Dr Gabbard provides LEND and clinical mentoring to trainees. Colorado LEND Audiology
trainees receive a monthly stipend from the University of Colorado.
The 12-month MDC Fellowship includes experience with all ages of patients in multiple areas of practice including:
• Audiometric assessment (behavioral, immittance audiometry, OAEs, ABR, ASSR)
• Amplification (hearing aids, FM, assistive devices and devices for tinnitus)
• Cochlear Implant candidacy and mapping
• Pediatrics (diagnostic assessment, amplification, community-based screening, preschool audiology support)
• Aural (Re)habilitation (Marion’s Way Preschool and adult classes)
• Hearing Conservation (industrial and musician care)
Every student is unique with different interests; therefore, an effort is made to tailor the experience to the student’s individual needs and professional goals. AuD students who are the best fit for this experience are individuals who are looking for an educational experience with a community-based approach serving all ages.
Students interested in applying for the 2024-2025 year need to submit their application packet by September 22rd, 2023. In the application, please include the following:
• A letter of intent explaining what type of experience you have or plan to have prior to starting your 4th year and your interests and expectations for your 4th year experience
• A resume including relevant education and experience
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation including at least one clinical
• Any additional information you think might be helpful in determining whether or not you would be a good fit for our program
We strongly encourage a visit and personal interview for all applicants. Interested applicants who can visit may request a visit anytime from January 1st, 2023 to October 1, 2023.
Please contact Sandra Gabbard by email to request an in-person visit. Applicants who cannot visit may be offered a telephone/videointerview. The MDC participates in the Audiology Clinical Education Network (ACEN) and follows the recommended timeline. A decision about accepted applicants will be made by October 24th, 2023.
Application materials can be sent electronically to sandra.gabbard@mariondowns.org or mailed to Sandra Abbott Gabbard, PhD; 4280 Hale Parkway; Denver, CO 80220
Internships/Clinical Opportunities
Internship opportunities are structured for individuals interested in gaining knowledge, skills and experience to support future career goals. Interns can be current undergraduate students, graduate students or recent college graduates with completed college level academic coursework in content areas that relate to the job duties.
Applicants will be matched to opportunities at the MDC that best fit their academic background, experience and interests. Interns must commit to a minimum of 8 hours per week for 2 academic semesters. Qualified candidates will be self-motivated, creative, efficient, good with deadlines, and possess strong communication and organizational skills.
All current MDC Internship opportunities are unpaid. Academic credit maybe given at the discretion of the enrolled institution. Internship opportunities are structured for individuals interested in gaining knowledge, skills and experience to support future career goals. If you are interesting in our internship program, please email contact@mariondowns.org with "internship" in the subject line.
Jobs
We currently do not have any open positions at this time.
We also accept in-kind donations. We are looking for used hearing aids, books, arts and craft supplies, and other items for our programs.
Marion’s Legacy
January 26, 1914 – November 13, 2014
Marion Downs was a distinguished professor emerita at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where she spent more than 35 years providing clinical services to patients with hearing loss. She devoted her professional life to promoting early identification of hearing loss in newborns, infants, and young children.
During her career at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Marion Downs created, developed, and evaluated a variety of techniques for testing children’s hearing and fitting them with hearing aids. She was among the first to recognize the need for babies with hearing loss to use hearing aids as early as possible. This way, during the infant’s critical development years, their speech, language, and communication skills could improve.
In 1963, Marion Downs pioneered the first national infant hearing screening program in Denver, CO. Since then, she had relentlessly pursued the identification and management of hearing loss in infants and children as a public health issue and an important medical and educational consideration. Her success has resulted in a widespread national program, which makes the screening of newborn hearing a functioning preventative program in more than 40 states across the US as well as in foreign countries.
She is recognized internationally for her work in pediatric audiology. Her publications and lectures have helped people become more alert to the importance of early intervention for hearing loss.
In 1969, Marion Downs proposed that a national committee be established to ensure that pediatric hearing loss would stay as a concern for pediatric health professionals. The committee would have representatives from various professional hearing healthcare organizations interview, evaluate, and recommend best practices to newborn hearing screening programs.
As a result of her visionary thinking, the nation’s Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) was organized to provide multidisciplinary leadership and guidance for 35 years in all areas of newborn and infant hearing issues.
An Exemplary Teacher
Marion Downs had lectures throughout the US and in more than 15 foreign countries. She had published nearly 100 articles and books on various aspects of audiology and served as a co-author of Hearing in Children—a textbook that was updated between 1972 and 2013. For thousands of audiologists-in-training, Hearing in Children was their cornerstone to learn how to evaluate and manage children with hearing loss.
Awards Received
Marion Downs received an extensive array of awards that recognize her contributions throughout her career. Among her many honors include:
In addition, she has been recognized with honors in nearly every professional hearing-related society, including:
Achievements and Contributions
She was a founder of the American Auditory Society, and in 1980, she was invited to present the prestigious Carhart Memorial Lecture. Marion Downs received an Outstanding Service Recognition Award from the American Medical Association for her work in teaching audiology in Vietnam.
Marion Downs was one of the founders of the International Audiology Society. She has served on numerous committees, boards, and task forces on local, national, and international projects. On two occasions, she served as the program chair for the International Society of Audiology Congress.
The Marion Downs Center is dedicated to continuing her legacy and to developing and providing hearing, speech, and language services to our community.
Marion Downs was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2006. Watch this video about Marion Downs.