Sensaphonics Adds Musician Heather Malyuk as Staff Audiologist

	Sensaphonics audiologist Heather Malyuk, Au.D.

Sensaphonics, a manufacturer of personal monitoring, has added Dr. Heather Malyuk as the company's new audiologist. Dr. Malyuk has worked at Sensaphonics as a clinical extern for the past year, earning doctoral student of the year honors in audiology from Kent State University. She is also an accomplished fiddle and guitar player who still gigs and teaches professionally, specializing in Old Time Appalachian music.

"During her year as a doctoral candidate here at Sensaphonics, Heather has shown exceptional audiology skills in our Musicians Hearing Clinic," said Dr. Michael Santucci, Sensaphonics founder and president. "She also has great ideas for growing our business and, as a performing musician, totally understands the unique needs and concerns of our clients. We're very excited to add Heather to our team."

Malyuk feels that her doctor of audiology degree is a perfect complement to her musical background, which includes a bachelor's in music history and a prolific career as a performer. "When I realized how much I could help musicians as an audiologist, that's when I knew it was the field for me," she says. "Then I got the opportunity to do my extern studies here at Sensaphonics with Dr. Santucci, which gave me a lot of exposure to working with other musicians on hearing loss prevention and in-ear monitors. That's when it really all came into focus for me."

Even with a full-time position at Sensaphonics, Dr. Malyuk plans to continue as a musician. "I've been playing since I was little, so it's a big part of my life," she explains. "I could never give it up. When I lived in Ohio, I played in a duo with my sister Lisa and in a string band called Hu$hmoney, playing at contra dancing events. I still occasionally travel to perform with both groups, and being in Chicago now, there are even more new gigging opportunities."

At Sensaphonics, Malyuk will be running the Musicians Hearing Clinic, seeing music clients at local venues, and also seeing other audiology patients. "Sensaphonics is the one in-ear company that truly understands how to help musicians, both in terms of product design and long-term hearing health," she says. "It's really just the perfect fit for me, and I'm thrilled to be here."