ALDAcon 2023 Schedule & Speakers
Keynote Speaker Dr. Jaime A.B. Wilson
at the Opening Luncheon
(Tuesday)
Dr. Jaime A.B. Wilson offers a rare and unique perspective into the world of dementia through the lens of hearing loss.
Those of us with hearing loss – including our loved ones and esteemed healthcare providers – must be aware that hearing loss adds a 24% increase to dementia risk. Dr. Wilson discusses what we can do to protect ourselves against the disease of dementia while maximizing our quality of life during the Golden Years.
Dr. Wilson is a prescribing medical psychologist and board-certified neuropsychologist in full-time private practice inside and outside Washington State. He holds privileges at several area hospitals and has worked extensively with physicians, other healthcare providers, and forensic experts, providing neuropsychological evaluations across the U.S.
Note: The field of neuropsychology is dedicated to learning about and diagnosing conditions related to the brain and nervous system.
As a Past President of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses (www.AMPHL.org), Dr. Wilson also serves on the Diversity Council for the Society of Prescribing Psychology and as Chair of the Diversity Committee for the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology.
Born with a profound hearing loss, Dr. Wilson grew up wearing bilateral hearing aids and primarily communicated using spoken language, although he is also an American Sign Language user. Dr. Wilson resides in Olympia, WA, with his wife (a registered nurse who is also deaf), three kids, and a King Charles Spaniel named Pepper Jack.
Comedian D.J. Demers
at the I. King Jordan Banquet
(Wednesday)
As seen on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent, Conan (three times) and his one-hour specials [Indistinct Chatter], Interpreted, and Born In ‘86, D.J. Demers is a steady provider of laughs. His clever stand-up is both personal and universal and has earned him multiple appearances at Just For Laughs, a nomination for Best Comedy Album at the Junos (i.e. the Canadian Grammys), and a growing legion of fans around the world.
Before moving to America, D.J. achieved tremendous success in Canada. In 2015, he was awarded Best Breakout Artist at the Canadian Comedy Awards. He won the Homegrown Comics Competition at the 2014 Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, won the 2013 Toronto Comedy Brawl, and was a 2011 finalist on NBC‘s Stand-Up for Diversity.
All three of his stand-up albums have been played millions of times on all major streaming platforms, including Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM. His appearances on Fallon, AGT, and Conan have garnered tens of millions of views on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
Inspirational Speaker Justin Osmond
at the Plenary Luncheon
(Thursday)
"I may have a hearing loss, but that hearing loss does not have me.”
Being born with a severe to profound hearing loss is hard for anyone, but being the son of Merrill Osmond, the lead singer of the world-renowned Osmond Family, made deafness an even bigger challenge for him.
Despite a 90% hearing loss, over 12 years of intense speech/listening therapy and being told by teachers and professionals that he would never succeed in life, he went on to play the violin, viola, piano, drums and can now speak with passion.
Calling on reserves of courage, determination and self-belief in order to succeed and sometimes to simply survive, he offers his audience an extraordinary experience by sharing life lessons and translating his life experiences into an entertaining and motivational keynote.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
NOTE: Wednesday, Nov. 1 - 9am-10:15am, Terrace North, is now "ALDA Advocacy - Where Do We Go from Here - Spencer Kontnik & Dean Olson"
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: Workshops and events, including days and times, may be subject to change.