We can
help you
Our Team
Meet the amazing people behind NFDHH.
NFDHH's work is made possible thanks to our incredible team, and the network of people and organisations who are dedicated to our vision.
Team NFDHH
The National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is an established and trusted charity that advocates for hearing wellbeing.
Our hard-working team are dedicated to supporting the Deaf and hard of hearing community through our campaigns, services and programmes.
NATASHA GALLARDO
Chief Executive
LISA TALBOT
Donor Relations Manager
LINDA HOLMES
Community & Corporate Partnerships Manager
LUKE WILSON
Grants Manager
AGNES MIKA
Community Partnership Administrator
BONNIE BONNAR
Community Partnerships Administrator
NICOLE KEENAN
Graphic Designer
MUZI LI
Graphic Designer
HELLEN ROBINSON
Digital & Communications Manager
SHIRLEY RIPPEY
Human Resources Advisor
JENNY REGAN
Donor Relations Administrator
Members
NFDHH is governed, and guided by, two professional bodies, Our Board and our Member Organisations. Our Member Organisations are all leaders in the hearing sector, who are dedicated to achieving our shared mission of better hearing healthcare for all.
DEAF CHILDREN NZ
The New Zealand Federation for Deaf Children is an incorporated society made up of regional member groups. Our vision is of a future without barriers for every deaf child.
What we do
In New Zealand, around 170 deaf babies are born every year, mostly to parents with little experience of deafness. We provide support, information and networking opportunities for these parents, as well as help for the children. Our services include:
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Family information kits
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Assistive equipment subsidy
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Tutor fee assistance
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Scholarships for tertiary students
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Freephone helpline providing information about many issues related to childhood deafness
Advocacy on behalf of deaf children and their parents
If you’d like to talk to another parent or learn more about childhood deafness, please contact us.
HEARING RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Our mission: To provide funding for research into hearing disorders that will ultimately transform clinical otology practice and lead to positive outcomes for the hearing impaired.
We achieve our mission by:
• The provision of cornerstone funding for the Eisdell Moore Research Centre
• Supporting high quality, world leading research in hearing loss and its clinical management
• Supporting the career development of emerging scientists
• Supporting research opportunities for clinicians
• Raising public awareness of hearing disorders and promoting the need to support research
Hearing Research Foundation
PO Box 17-220, Greenlane, Auckland 1546
Email: info@hrf.nz
PINDROP FOUNDATION
When someone lives in a world of silence, they live with the hope that somehow they will be given the key to unlock the door to a hearing world.
The Pindrop Foundation was established in 2006 to keep that hope alive through supporting access to cochlear implant information and services.
Our values are commitment and passion for bringing the gift of sound to those with hearing loss.
Visit Pindrop's website to find out more below.
NEW ZEALAND AUDIOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Our objective is to ensure a high standard of hearing healthcare for children and adults with hearing loss. We are here to help you hear! Our members use the letters MNZAS to show that they’re a member of the New Zealand Audiological Society.
Why you should see an NZAS audiologist
Our members all have a university qualification in audiology and a current practising certificate. They are bound by a strict code of ethics and must fulfill continuing education requirements. Members also have to have their work reviewed by their colleagues every two years to keep their membership.
Find an MNZAS Audiologist
To contact a private audiology clinic directly, visit the New Zealand Audiological Society website.
To see a hospital audiologist, you usually need a referral from your doctor or ear specialist.
THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND
Our objective is to promote the science and practice of acoustics. Our members are especially interested in problems associated with noise and noise control.
Membership
We are an incorporated society with branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Our membership is open to anyone with an interest in acoustics.
What we do
We hold regular branch meetings, seminars and a two-yearly conference. Our society journal, New Zealand Acoustics, is published quarterly, and is free for society members. The journal always includes an original research paper, as well as local news, information about people, products and events.
Rating noisy restaurants
Many people have trouble conversing in trendy cafés and restaurants. That’s because noise levels are increasing. Design elements, coffee machines, music and clattering dishes all contribute to the din.
So we’ve developed a Café and Restaurant Acoustic Index (CRAI). Use our CRAI Rating Form to comment on noise levels at any café or restaurant you’ve visited by visiting our website below.
HEARING THERAPISTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
Hearing therapists assist people to manage the impact of hearing loss. Hearing Therapists Association of New Zealand (Inc) (HTANZ) is the professional organisation through which hearing therapists can be represented and the profession of hearing therapy be developed.
Why you should see a HTANZ Hearing Therapist
It's never too early – or too late – to see a hearing therapist. You will be provided with free, independent, confidential advice and support.
Hearing therapists who are Accredited Assessors for Hearing Assistive Technology, funded by the Ministry of Health, or who work with ACC clients, are required to be members of HTANZ. They must work within the HTANZ Scope of Practice, are bound by a Code of Ethics and must fulfil continuing education requirements.
The Ministry of Health currently funds a FREE Aural Rehabilitation Service (Hearing Therapy) for anyone 16 years and over, who is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. LIFE Unlimited currently holds the contract for this service and employs hearing therapists throughout New Zealand. People may refer themselves or may be referred by other services, including their doctor, audiologist or Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.
Hearing therapists will provide a comprehensive report of their findings or onward referral to a health service in consultation with the person.
Find an HTANZ hearing therapist by visiting our website below.
SOUTHERN COCHLEAR IMPLANT PROGRAMME
The Southern Hearing Charitable Trust’s Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) is publicly funded and serves profoundly deaf children and adults in the Lower North and South Islands of New Zealand.
A cochlear implant can help children and adults with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss who derive minimal benefit from conventional hearing aids.
Since 2003, the SCIP team has helped children and adults to reconnect to the world of sound.
View the SCIP website below.
HEAR FOR FAMILIES
Hear for Families is a nationwide organisation for people living with Auditory Processing Disorder, both adults and children. H4F provides support, education, and advocacy for people with Auditory Processing Disorder and their families. We are registered charity run by people living with APD and parents of children with APD.
View the Hear for Familes website below.
NZSOHNS
Otolaryngology, Head and Neck (ORL) Surgery is a surgical specialty, also known as ear, nose and throat surgery (ENT). Our members are doctors who work in this specialty as consultants, hospital doctors and trainees. We also have members who are experts in a related science.
Our members deal with conditions affecting the ears, nose, throat, head and neck. Some examples include:
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Hearing loss and ear infections
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Nose injuries and nasal allergies
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Throat inflammations, snoring problems and tonsillitis
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Neck swellings, thyroid and salivary gland disorders
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The society exists to help members share information and increase knowledge in this specialist area.
Learn more on the NZSOHNS website and find membership forms if you wish to join.
Our Board
NFDHH is governed, and guided by, two professional bodies, our Board and our Member Organisations. Our Board members are all leaders in their respective fields, who are dedicated to achieving NFDHH's mission. They dedicate their time and expertise voluntarily, and NFDHH owes its continuing existence to the commitment of these hard-working individuals.
STEVE SMITH
Board Chair
LYNETTE T MURRAY
Board Member
SARAH NEILSON
Board Member
ANNE FITISEMANU
Board Member
Our Partners
Making our work possible
NFDHH receives no government funding, so we rely on the support of our generous sponsors and donors.
We are hugely grateful to organisations who partner with us, as they make the work we do possible.
Thank you!
Youth Advisors
Youth voices lead the way
Our Youth Advisors support NFDHH's work with young New Zealanders. They help to shape our programmes and our upcoming campaigns to ensure their impactfulness and relevance.
Gaby - Coromandel
I was diagnosed with hearing loss when I was 3 years old.
I have 2 cochlear implants and I use English and NZSL, as both have their benefits.
I love film making, art, and writing. I'm also very passionate about support and access for Deaf people. This can include, NZSL other sign languages, captioning on TV and streaming services, and ensuring physical environments are Deaf-friendly.
While funding and support for captioning continues to increase, the rate at which media is being consumed online is also increasing. A lack of captions on digital platforms can mean Deaf youth miss out on being part of things their peers are watching or listening to. We need to consider accessibility in a more universal way.
Accessibility and flexibility is so important when it comes to living with hearing loss. I am glad that I am able to use the NZSL video relay service, because I am unable to use a phone to make or receive calls. This allows me to be more independent than if I relied on one language alone or only had access to a standard telephone.
“A lack of captions on online services can mean that Deaf youth miss out."
Eleanor - Canterbury
I was diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder in my teens, and I’m currently studying towards a Masters in Sociology at the University of Canterbury.
I am passionate about using my studies to help fight for equality and equal opportunities foryoung people who are Deaf, hard of hearing or have a hearing disorder. Since my diagnosis, APD has taught me a lot about empathy, strength, perseverance and the importance of community.
I have an identical twin sister who has been very supportive of my APD journey. I hope that by sharing my own experience, this will help other young people who also have APD.
"I've learned to see APD as a gift."
Hope - Upper Hutt
Hope has moderately severe hearing loss in her left ear. She also has constant Tinnitus, which she treats with a hearing aid that plays a sound to counteract it.
Living in Upper Hutt with her parents and twin siblings, Hope is a confident and eloquent 16-year-old, and from a young age, she has been a focused student. She has big dreams and aspires to be an advocate for those who have faced similar barriers in their lives.
“I’ve learned to worry less about how people perceive me and realise that, if people are going to judge me for the fact that I can't hear, then they're probably not the kind of people I want to be around anyway... When I was younger I thought a lot about what people thought of me, and if they were going to judge me. I wish I hadn't now, I wish I just lived my life.”
While hearing loss has created challenges, there are a few positives that it has provided. “It's made me much more grateful for the hearing that I do still have left and the sounds of nature that I can hear,” says Hope.
“I love music... I know that I could not have it. So, I enjoy it while I can.”
NFD Trustees
The NFD Trust offers grants and scholarships to New Zealanders who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Grants are also available to those who are hearing able and work in the Deaf and hard of hearing sector.
Our Trustee’s volunteer their time to help manage the funds that are offered to help promote positive outcomes for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. For example, providing funds to Deaf or hard of hearing students, so they were able to attend university and go after their dream career or providing funds to organise camps for Deaf or hard of hearing children.
NFD Trustees have a fundamental role in ensuring funds are spent prudently both with investment and distribution. They help to ensure that any grant and scholarship applications that are accepted will be effective in helping our community.
To find out more about our Grants and Scholarships, click here.
Our current
NFD Trustees are
Peter Thorne
Steve Smith
Lesley Goodey
