WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 15, 2015 – The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) is pleased to announce that Howard W. Francis, M.D., MBA, will join the AG Bell Board of Directors on November 1, 2015.
Howard W. Francis, M.D., MBA, is professor and deputy director of the department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University where he specializes in otology and neurotology and directs the Johns Hopkins Listening Center and its multidisciplinary cochlear implant team. He obtained his medical education from the Harvard Medical School and his internship, residency and fellowship training at Johns Hopkins. Francis holds an MBA in medical services management from the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University and has completed the Johns Hopkins Leadership Development Program as well as Courage to Lead, a program of personal and professional development for leaders in health care. His research interests include the evaluation of best practices of acoustic neuroma treatment, the study of functional outcomes of cochlear implantation in young children and older adults, and the study of best practices in surgical education.
Francis is an internationally recognized ear and skull base surgeon committed to advancing these fields through clinical innovation, research and education. Since joining the faculty in 1997, he and his colleagues have made significant contributions to the understanding of functional and quality-of-life outcomes following cochlear implantation and acoustic neuroma surgery.
Francis is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of hearing health, including the 2002 George T. Nager, M.D., Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2014 First Place in the Innovation in Materials Science (iMatSci) Forum at the 2014 Materials Research Society Meeting.
"Howard Francis is a true luminary in the field and AG Bell has the good fortune to have him join the organization's board of directors. His clinical and academic expertise combine powerfully with his passion to optimize communication outcomes for and improve the lives of all his patients, which truly aligns with AG Bell's mission to advance listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing," said AG Bell CEO Emilio Alonso-Mendoza.
About the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) helps families, health care providers and education professionals understand childhood hearing loss and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. Through advocacy, education and financial aid, AG Bell helps to ensure that every child and adult with hearing loss has the opportunity to listen, talk and thrive. With chapters located in the United States and a network of international affiliates, AG Bell supports its mission: Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Visit agbell.org.
