Committed to Improving the Lives of
People of All Ages with Hearing and Communication Challenges
Meet Our Board
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lisa Aubert-Tann, AuD
Lisa Aubert is the President of Cochlear North America located in Lone Tree, Colorado. She is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the medical technology industry specializing in hearing implants. As President of the Americas Region at Cochlear, she shapes the strategic vision, drives operational excellence, and champions Cochlear’s mission to help people hear and be heard. During her tenure with Cochlear she has worked in the European and North American regions in roles spanning clinical affairs, marketing, sales, and general management. Lisa has a background in audiology and is passionate about ensuring access for all to hearing screening, early intervention, education, technology, and support services. She has been honored to serve on the board of the Marion Downs Center since 2019.
Had Beatty | Emeritus
Stephen Cass, MD | Chairman of the Board
Dr. Stephen Cass is Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr Cass is board certified in Otology and Neurotology, specializing in disorders of the ear, hearing and balance. Dr Cass is a full-time physician and surgeon, educator, and has been a NIH sponsored scientist. His special clinical focus is vertigo and balance disorders, cranial base tumors, and implanted hearing devices including cochlear implants. He has authored over 100 scientific articles, 40 book chapters and 3 textbooks. Dr Cass has been associated with the Marion Downs Center since its inception and currently serves as Board Chair.
Jim Conley
Jim Conley has spent 43 years working closely with Colorado Medical Community, as bank executive or hospital administration. Jim has been a longtime patient of MDC and joined the board of directors in early 2024.
Sandra Gabbard, PhD | MDC President & CEO
Sandra Abbott Gabbard, PhD is the President/CEO of the Marion Downs Center and has over 30 years of experience as an audiologist, administrator and professor. She continues to practice audiology as well as teach and mentor audiology students. Dr. Gabbard has a PhD in Audiology and has extensive clinical experience diagnosing hearing challenges in children and adults and supporting their technology needs. She has published and presented extensively in the areas of infant hearing assessment, pediatric amplification and communication access. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and adjunct faculty in the Speech, Language, Hearing Science Department at the University of Colorado. Working closely with individuals and their families provides Dr. Gabbard with continual inspiration.
Barbara Biddle Galoob
Charlie Hebeler, PhD
Annie Kemp
Annie Kempe is a retired Occupational Therapist, an author of several articles and a book about her father, Dr. C Henry Kempe, and the Kempe Center. She served as an Executive Board member on the Marion Downs Hearing Center Board (MDHC) from 2001 until 2008, and as President from 2005-2007. She made several videos of Marion Downs talking about her life and work, from which Annie created a pamphlet about the MDHC for distribution. She has served for a year on the MDC Board and is honored to be helping sustain and further the MDC’s unique and unrivaled work in Audiology.
Clifford Lindhardt
Clifford Linhardt is the Vice President of Accounting at Fundare Resources Company, LLC overseeing account and treasury functions. Mr. Linhardt is a CPA with over 20+ years of experience working in public accounting as a senior audit manager and several executive-level positions at private companies. He has experience in non-profits, the energy sector, and manufacturing companies throughout his career as a CPA. Mr. Linhardt has been associated with the Marion Downs Center since 2013 and is currently a Board Member and Treasurer.
Dr. Eric Lupo, MD
Dr J. Eric Lupo MD, MS is the medical director at Rocky Mountain Ear Center. Dr Lupo is board certified in Otology and Neurotology, specializing in disorders of the ear, hearing and balance. Dr Lupo is a full-time physician and surgeon, educator, and researcher. His special clinical focus is cochlear implants, chronic ear disease, dizziness, and skull base tumors. He has authored scientific articles as well as book chapters. Dr Lupo has been associated with the Marion Downs Center for many years and currently serves as board member.
Blaine Myhre
Blain Myhre is a Colorado attorney specializing in civil and criminal appeals and select post-conviction criminal matters. He is currently a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He was formerly a law clerk to Hon. William J. Holloway, Jr., Senior Circuit Judge of the Tenth Circuit. He chaired the Appellate Practice Group at Isaacson Rosenbaum PC before starting his own solo practice in 2011. Blain served for many years as the appellate editor for Trial Talk magazine and on the Colorado Bar Association’s Appellate Pro Bono Program screening committee. He served on the Board of the Marion Downs Center from 2009-2017, including a term as President and Board Chair. He returned to the Board in 2023.
Jerry Northern, PhD | Emeritus
Jerry Northern, PhD, worked alongside his close colleague, Marion Downs, for nearly 40 years in the Audiology Clinic at the University of Colorado Medical Center. Dr. Northern has been associated with the Marion Downs Center since its earliest iterations in 1974. He served as Executive Director in the early 1980s, held two terms as Board President, and continued as an active member of the Board through 1996. A native of east Denver, raised by his deaf grandparents within a few blocks of The Center, he holds academic degrees from Colorado College, University of Denver, and University of Colorado. Dr. Northern is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is currently retired and living in Spokane, WA. Dr. Northern continues his work with the deaf and hard-of-hearing as Founder and President of the Colorado Hearing Foundation.
Jill Wayne, AuD | Secretary
Jill received her Masters Degree in Audiology from California State University Northridge and her AuD from Central Michigan University. She began working for the Marion Downs Center (known at that time as the Colorado Hearing and Speech Center) in January, 1979. She became the organization’s executive director in 1993, serving in that capacity until July, 2014. She has served on several non-profit boards, including Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital, David Taylor Dance Theater, Rocky Mountain Arts Association and Dawson Wallace Dance. She was an active Sertoma member for many years. An avid exerciser, she participated in more than 60 triathlons and dozens of running races. Happily retired, she enjoys hiking, power walking, reading, gardening and traveling with husband Tim.
Serving the Denver Metro region for over one hundred years
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