Who We Are
Our History
The CHHA-NL was established as the Newfoundland Hearing Association (NHA) in 1984 by the founding President Dr. Norah Browne. It became the provincial chapter of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) in 1994. Since its inception, the association has made steady progress in the number and extent of its programs and services. It is the only organization in the province that exclusively serves the hard of hearing.
Dr. Norah Browne
Dr. Browne was a well-known Newfoundland pediatrician and an active volunteer. She was born in England and earned her bachelor's degree in medicine and science from London University in 1945. She completed postgraduate training in pediatrics before moving to Newfoundland in 1961. Dr. Browne was a Royal College of Physicians of Canada Fellow, a Consulting Pediatrician at the Dr. Charles A. Janeway Child Health Centre, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Memorial University of Newfoundland's Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Browne dedicated her life to helping others. She specialized in the diagnosis and care of children with hearing loss at a time when no other services were available for the hard of hearing in this province. She formed a planning committee in 1983 to establish the Newfoundland Hearing Association (NHA), which became incorporated in 1984 with Dr. Browne as the founding President. She left her full-time job as a pediatrician at the age of 66 to devote her time to the Newfoundland Hearing Association, which later became the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mission, Vision & Core Values
Mission
CHHA-NL is committed to empowering and supporting the hard of hearing community by providing services, education, advocacy and promoting hearing health.
Vision
An inclusive province for the hard of hearing community to fully participate.
Core Values
Inclusivity: We create a welcoming space where everyone feels valued.
Empowerment: We encourage self-advocacy and independence through a person-centered approach.
Continuous Improvement: We are committed to evaluating and enhancing our programs, services, and processes.
Respect: We treat everyone with dignity and support informed choices.
Accessibility: We strive to remove barriers and ensure equitable access to resources.
Collaboration: We work with individuals, communities and the public, private and nonprofit sectors to achieve common goals
Accountability: We strive for excellence in everything we do and act with transparency, integrity and responsibility.
Resource Stewardship: We are dedicated to responsibly managing and maximizing the resources entrusted to us
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the ancestral homelands of a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We recognize the varied histories and cultures of the Indigenous peoples across the province, including that of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Inuit of Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut, and the Innu of Nitassinan. We at the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association – Newfoundland and Labrador strive for respectful relationships with all the peoples of this province as we honour this beautiful land together.
Our Board
As a non-profit organization, the success of CHHA-NL is directly related to the commitment and skills of the volunteers it recruits. Each member of the Board of Directors of CHHA-NL has been elected or appointed. For more information, or to view a listing of our current board members, please contact us.
Our organization is guided by our mission, vision, and values statements. We welcome you to view them by clicking here.
List of CHHA-NL Board of Directors 2024-2025
Past-President – Dan Mahoney
President – Marie Anne Hudson
Vice-President (Elect) – Darren Chislett
Treasurer – Riley Fuglsang
Secretary – Victoria Moulton
Director – Bob Young
Director – Kirstian Gibson
Director – Nancy McDonald
Director – Jordan Hollahan
Director – Ben King