Dr. Teresa Caraway Receives 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance

Oberkotter Foundation CEO, Dr. Teresa Caraway has been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the ACI Alliance

PHILADELPHIA, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Teresa Caraway, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSL Cert. AVT, Chief Executive Officer at the Oberkotter Foundation, has been awarded the 2026 American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at the ACI Alliance annual conference on May 7 and recognized Dr. Caraway's contributions to and impact on the field of cochlear implantation.

A leading expert in Listening and Spoken Language (LSL), Dr. Caraway's work in clinical practice, education, and family-centered care has helped children who are deaf or hard of hearing across the country learn to listen and talk. For over 40 years, she has spearheaded efforts to expand access to care, programs, and resources that support families and professionals in improving listening and spoken language outcomes.

Dr. Caraway's long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and her innovative leadership in breaking down barriers to hearing health care were also recognized by the American Otological Society (AOS) and at the 2026 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Conference. In April, Dr. Caraway received a Presidential Citation from AOS for her contributions to the field of otology, the branch of medicine concerned with the study and care of the ear. The award was presented by AOS President Nancy Young, M.D., at the 159^th Annual AOS Meeting. Dr. Caraway was also named an EHDI Hero at the 25th Annual EHDI Conference. The award recognized her work championing education, collaboration, and system-level change so that more children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

"These are well-deserved honors and highlight the bold leadership and undeterred commitment Dr. Caraway has brought to pediatric hearing healthcare," says Oberkotter Foundation Board of Trustees member Cedric Pritchett, M.D., MPH. "As a trailblazer in the field, she has championed innovation, collaboration, and programs that expanded access to quality care across the country. This recognition from multiple organizations speaks to the sphere of her influence and illuminates the breadth of her contributions. By enabling more families and professionals to connect and access essential resources for the advancement of the listening and spoken language outcomes of their children, Dr. Caraway has made a lasting impact on the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing."

As the CEO of the Oberkotter Foundation, Dr. Caraway guides the organization's work to fuel innovation in pediatric hearing healthcare and ensure every child who is deaf or hard of hearing has the opportunity to develop age-appropriate listening, spoken language, and literacy skills. Prior to her role as CEO, she led the launch of Hearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, that provides reliable, evidence-based information to educate families and professionals with the resources they need to improve listening and spoken language outcomes. Entirely free and online, Hearing First has gone on to host a professional learning community of over 15,000 members and provide over 80 research-based courses in LSL and pediatric audiology.

Dr. Caraway has also led and contributed to numerous other organizations and programs that have advanced LSL outcomes. She served as the co-founder and co-executive director of Hearts for Hearing and the founding president of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Additionally, she has served on the board of Auditory-Verbal International and as a founding board member of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized by each of these organizations. From ACI Alliance's initiatives to break down barriers to cochlear implantation, to the work of the American Otological Society to improve standards of care, to EHDI's efforts to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and intervention. Each reflects a critical part of the work to support children who are deaf or hard of hearing as they learn to listen and talk, what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose, and the meaningful change that follows," said Dr. Caraway. "It is a privilege to work alongside so many brilliant individuals and organizations committed to reimagining what is possible in our field to deliver meaningful impact for those who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families."

About the Oberkotter Foundation

The Oberkotter Foundation supports families in providing their children who are deaf or hard of hearing with opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). 

The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families.

For more information about the Oberkotter Foundation, visit www.oberkotterfoundation.org.

SOURCE Oberkotter Foundation