Awarded to an individual with less than 10 years’ experience who has made outstanding contributions to the profession of audiology. The recipient shall have made notable contributions in one or more of the following areas: outstanding clinical practice and/or patient care; teaching or mentoring; advocacy; research; and service to the profession of audiology. Recipients of this award must be members of the Academy. Only one Early-Career Audiologist award may be awarded each year.
How to Nominate
The Academy Honors and Awards Committee encourages all Academy members to identify those colleagues they believe have made significant contributions to the audiology profession. If you know someone who should be recognized for his or her efforts, please take the time to submit a nomination packet to the committee for review. Read more about the nomination requirements and committee policies here.
Award Winners
Riley DeBacker, AuD, PhD, is the 2025 recipient of the Early-Career Audiologist Award. Dr. DeBacker earned his doctorate in audiology in 2020 and a doctorate in philosophy in 2021 from the Ohio State University. Dr. DeBacker is a researcher at the National Center for Auditory Rehabilitative Research (NCRAR) in the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. DeBacker is a tireless advocate in the areas of audiology, diversity, equality, and inclusion. He is the founder of Queer Empowerment for Audiologists, Researchers, and Students (QuEARS), an LGBTQ+ affinity group. At NCRAR he is a member of the Mentoring Core, and a member and former co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. DeBacker is the managing director of Hear for Ears Free Audiology Clinic. In addition, Dr. DeBacker has served in various roles for the American Academy of Audiology, including past president of the National Student Academy of Audiology, a member of the Guidelines and Strategic Documents Committee, and chair of the Scientific Posters Committee for the Academy in 2023.
Dr. DeBacker has a total of 15 peer-reviewed scholarly publications and a growing portfolio of research presentations at both national and international conferences. Dr. DeBacker has developed a line of research investigating potential auditory deficits in participants who are HIV+ and who have a medical history of antiretroviral therapy exposure. He has successfully competed for research funding to continue this ground-breaking work, receiving a Career Development Award in January 2024.
Dr. DeBacker taught at Pacific University, Oregon Health and Science University, and at State University of New York-New Platz, teaching undergraduate and graduate audiology courses. Colleagues of Dr. DeBacker have described him as a “natural and effective teacher.” Due to his exceptional mentoring of an undergraduate student in 2021, Dr. DeBacker received the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award from the Ohio State University.
Dr. DeBacker is an exceptionally accomplished audiologist and respected young professional. The American Academy of Audiology is pleased to recognize Dr. DeBacker as a more than deserving recipient of the 2025 Early-Career Audiologist Award.
Dr. Aaron Roman earned his AuD (2017), MA (2016), and BA (2013) from the University of Pittsburgh. Immediately following his graduation from Pitt, Dr. Roman became an assistant professor at West Chester University and is currently an assistant professor at Salus University where he serves as both an instructor and researcher.
In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Roman holds a position as a clinical audiologist providing comprehensive audiological care through the Pennsylvania Ear Institute, where he also runs the auditory processing assessment program. In this role, Dr. Roman also serves as a clinical preceptor for AuD students.
Those who know Dr. Roman understand that he has a deep passion for volunteerism related to the field of audiology. He has served in numerous roles at the local, state, and national level. At the American Academy of Audiology, Dr. Roman has been a member of the Research Initiatives, Scientific Review, and Business Enhancement Strategies and Techniques Committees. He has also served as the chair of the State Relations Committee and is the AAA 2024 conference Research Podium/Student Research Forum Chair.
One of Dr. Roman’s other passions in the field of audiology is advancing the knowledge of our profession. In his 6 years as an audiologist, Dr. Roman is responsible for eight manuscripts, seven of which he served as first author, 17 peer-reviewed presentations, three grant submissions, and four research projects. Dr. Roman also has been invited to serve on numerous panels at the AAA Annual Conference covering a wide range of topics ranging from adult diagnostics to over-the-counter hearing aids.
While Dr. Roman’s work is extensive, his overarching goal remains the same; to advance the profession through education, research, volunteerism, and direct patient care. The Academy is pleased to bestow its 2024 Early-Career Audiologist Award upon Dr. Aaron Roman in recognition of his significant contributions to audiology.
Dr. Zitelli completed her AuD externship in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). After graduation, she started her clinical career at this same location working her way up from audiologist to audiology manager.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Zitelli serves as a clinical preceptor within the Department of Otolaryngology at the UPMC, as a lab instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh, and as a research audiologist at the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center.
She has garnered a reputation for her expertise in the areas of tinnitus, suicide awareness and prevention, telehealth applications, and interventional audiology. Three of her contributions to Audiology Online—webinars on tinnitus and suicide awareness, in addition to a recent article about remote hearing aid programming—were selected as a top selection by the editors. In addition to her webinars and presentations at professional conferences, she has authored 14 publications and three book chapters. She also served as a guest editor for an issue of Seminars in Hearing, focused on telehealth in audiology.
Dr. Zitelli was a selected participant of the 2018 Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology Conference and has been an active member in the American Academy of Audiology (the Academy). She has held multiple volunteer roles, to include serving on the AAA Annual Conference Program Committee, the Student Academy of Audiology Advisory Committee, the Academy Membership Committee, and contributing to the organization’s recent telehealth position statement. She is currently on the Board of Trustees for the American Academy of Audiology Foundation.
The Academy is pleased to bestow its 2022 Early-Career Audiologist Award upon Dr. Lori Zitelli in recognition of her significant contributions to audiology.
Samantha Kleindienst Robler’s well-rounded contributions in clinical practice, research, and patient care warrant the 2021 Early Career Audiologist Award.
Dr. Robler currently serves as a clinical audiologist and Population Health Informatics Lead with Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome, Alaska, as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii.
Dr. Robler’s accomplishments are diverse and extensive. She holds both AuD and PhD degrees with two post-doctoral fellowships, has 11 peer-reviewed publications and has contributed to over 50 lectures and posters at professional meetings in addition to numerous invited presentations. Her work has led to significant innovation and transformation—Dr. Robler has filed 13 invention disclosures and several patent applications.
Dr. Robler has served on five ASHA committees, two Academy committees, and was recently elected to the Academy Board of Directors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she shared her knowledge of telemedicine and remote patient management solutions and volunteered to assist many audiologists get their clinics functioning in communities that were locked down.
David P. Jedlicka, AuD, began his graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Since his graduation in 2010, he has made numerous notable contributions to the profession of audiology through his outstanding clinical practice, teaching and mentoring, research, and service.
Dr. Jedlicka currently works at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. While at the Pittsburgh VA, he has developed numerous evidence-based protocols for auditory processing testing and treatment, osseointegrated devices, and hearing aids. He has led 24 quality improvement projects in his department to improve patient care. In addition to his clinical duties, Dr. Jedlicka serves as principal investigator or co-investigator on numerous research projects about real-ear to coupler difference, self-perceived hearing loss in Veterans, and other topics.
In addition to his clinical practice and research at the VA, Dr. Jedlicka teaches a lab for audiology students at the University of Pittsburgh. Furthermore, he serves as a mentor for students who are submitting their research to professional conferences, provides customized tutorials and practice sessions for students, volunteers on a grand rounds committee for students, and serves as a clinical preceptor for final year AuD students. His students comment every year that he goes above and beyond his required teaching duties to ensure that his students and prepared for their careers.
Dr. Jedlicka also volunteers in professional organizations. His extensive service to audiology has included an active role on more than 20 committees, several of which he has served as chair. He is also currently the president-elect of the Association of VA Audiologists (AVAA).
Erin G Piker began her graduate studies at Vanderbilt University, where she obtained her degrees in 2006 and 2012, respectively. Dr Piker is notable for outstanding clinical practice, teaching or mentoring, research, and service. Such qualities aptly describe the substantial successes she achieved with respect to participating in academia as an assistant professor, academic adviser, dissertation adviser, director of vestibular and auditory research at a major university—only some six years beyond earning a PhD. Not only has she made significant contributions to the field of audiology through research and teaching future audiologists, her clinical research and direct patient care has resulted in significant contributions to advancing diagnostic tests for identifying balance disorders in the vestibular clinic.
In addition to being both a productive clinician and effective teacher, Dr. Piker exhibits an exceptional level of productivity in the form of 24 peer-reviewed reports, of which she is first author on 41 percent of these, and five book chapters. Other evidence of her extraordinary productivity includes obtaining four internal grants along with six external ones, including the AAA Foundation’s New Investigator Grant in 2014. In addition to her clinical, teaching, and research work, Dr. Piker has given back to the audiology field by contributing service in the area of peer reviews and editorial-board work for academic journals, committee work for professional societies, and state-level advocacy efforts. To summarize, in the six short years after earning a PhD, Dr. Piker has accomplished much in all four areas of assessment for the Early-Career Audiologist Award, including state-of-the-art research on pathological vestibular issues, full teaching and mentoring loads, providing appreciable clinical duties, and giving back to the audiology profession through extensive service.
Dr. Jamie M. Bogle began her graduate career at University of Colorado in Boulder earning her AuD in 2007 and PhD from the same institution in 2010. Following this, she was a research fellow at Gallaudet University and then held a post-doctoral position at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, specifically in the area of vestibular research. Since graduation, she has grown her career exponentially in a short period of time. She currently works at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. During her time at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, she has provided patient care, mentored 17 students, and developed the Mayo Clinic Sport Neurology and Concussion Program which provides baseline concussion measurements and post-concussion testing in a team approach with neurology and neuropsychology.
In addition to this, she also holds academic ranks at not only Mayo Clinic, but three other universities (University of Colorado at Boulder, Salus University, and Gallaudet University). She lectures on vestibular sciences, diagnostics, and treatment. In addition to academic teaching, she has also presented at numerous conferences and seminars including at the American Academy of Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the American Balance Society. She has also presented internationally in Russia, Canada, and France.
Dr. Bogle is a reviewer for fifteen journals and in 2015 she was awarded the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology Editors Award for outstanding contributions to peer review. Dr. Bogle herself has eleven peer-reviewed articles with the majority on vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) and concussion. She is a co-author on the book chapter, “High frequency gain dependent word recognition” in the Adult Audiology Casebook published by Thieme. Finally, she has contributed to the filing of five patents and ten invention disclosures.
When she is not busy with scholarly activities, she is also volunteering in professional organizations. She has been an active volunteer for several committees at the Academy including the Publications Committee, Political Action Committee, chair of the Quality Measures sub-committee, and most recently Public Relations and Outreach Committees. She has also been an active member and is currently serving on the board of the American Balance Society.
Dr. Jamie Bogle has demonstrated a commitment to the profession, her patients, and scholarly activities in her career so far and therefore is well deserving of the Outstanding Early-Career Audiologist Award for 2018.
