Audiology Awareness Month: Student, Faculty and Alumni Perspectives
Posted on October 16, 2026
In recognition of Audiology Awareness Month, the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions is highlighting a student, faculty member and alumna whose experiences reflect the range of opportunities available through South Alabama’s Doctor of Audiology program.
From clinical training and research to patient care, professional advocacy and industry leadership, each offers a different perspective on the profession and the preparation of future audiologists.
Student spotlight: Holly Francis
Holly Francis did not originally plan on a career in audiology.
Her introduction to the field came about seven years ago through a hearing aid specialist
apprenticeship. With a background in music and amateur sound design, Francis was initially
drawn to the technical side of hearing care, but her experiences working directly
with patients quickly raised new questions.
“I began to wonder why people with very similar test results often had such a wide range of experiences with hearing aids, and whether understanding those differences might improve how we care for them,” Francis said.
A continuing education conference eventually pushed her toward pursuing the Doctor of Audiology degree. After hearing a vestibular audiologist speak about that area of the profession, Francis remembers thinking, “Why am I not already doing this?”
She chose South because of the responsiveness of the faculty, the three-year AuD structure and the opportunity to explore research through the dual AuD/Ph.D. track.
Already, her clinical experiences have exposed her to areas of audiology she had not previously encountered. During a break between trimesters, Francis assisted with sedated auditory brainstem response evaluations at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
“By the second appointment I was able to take a more active role in conducting the test,” she said. “It’s fascinating that we can estimate hearing thresholds by measuring the nervous system’s responses to sound, without the patient needing to respond.”
Francis is particularly interested in vestibular assessment and electrophysiology and hopes to continue developing the clinical judgment needed to perform those assessments independently. She also hopes to become involved in research as her training continues.
Faculty spotlight: Ashley Flagge
Ashley Flagge’s interest in audiology began through her own experiences with hearing care.
After dealing with repeated middle ear problems as a child and undergoing surgery
at age 11 that left her
with mild hearing loss in one ear, Flagge spent significant time in ENT and audiology
offices. She initially entered college as a pre-med major but eventually found herself
drawn to audiology and speech pathology.
Her research interests developed during graduate school, when an assistantship introduced her to the research process. With a background in music, she initially studied pitch perception before later turning her attention toward vestibular science.
Today, Flagge is an associate professor of audiology at South Alabama and also serves as Ph.D. Program Coordinator for Communication Sciences and Disorders and Audiology Admissions Chair.
Two areas continue to drive much of her work: vestibular audiology and pediatrics.
“I’d say my two passions are vestibular audiology and pediatrics,” Flagge said. “A lot of the research I’m doing right now is working closely with our clinical faculty to build a pediatric vestibular center here that really focuses on vestibular diagnostics in children.”
Flagge is also part of South Alabama’s 2026-27 LevelUP Fellows cohort. Her LevelUP project focuses on helping graduate students strengthen career readiness skills, particularly their ability to communicate effectively with patients, other professionals and potential employers.
She said her administrative and faculty roles have also given her opportunities to support students during important points in their education and career development.
“I know this can be very anxiety-provoking for many, so I’m happy to be able to provide information and walk alongside students as they’re applying and making those decisions,” she said.
Beyond clinical and technical knowledge, Flagge hopes students leave South with lasting relationships with classmates, faculty members and clinical preceptors.
“I hope our students leave with strong friendships and good mentors, knowing that if they ever have a question or need help, we’re just a phone call, or email, away,” she said.
Alumni spotlight: Payton Guinn
Payton Guinn began college expecting to pursue speech-language pathology.
That plan changed after she took an introductory audiology course as an undergraduate at South.
“I absolutely fell in love with the field and knew pretty quickly that audiology was where I belonged,” Guinn said. “I loved the combination of science, technology and patient care, and I never really looked back.”
Guinn completed both her Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences and her Doctor of Audiology at South Alabama. She said the relationships she built with faculty, along with the clinical opportunities available through the program, helped shape both her interests and her career.
Among those experiences were a study abroad trip to South Africa focused on audiology
and public health, research that later resulted in publication, and faculty mentorship
that helped develop her interest in cochlear implants.
After completing an externship at Saint Louis University Hospital, where she worked with implantable hearing solutions in a medical audiology setting, Guinn joined Cochlear North America.
She now serves as a clinical territory manager with Cochlear North America, providing clinical and surgical support for cochlear implant and bone conduction devices while also working with healthcare professionals and clinics to improve access to care.
“What I enjoy most is knowing that my impact can extend beyond a single patient,” Guinn said.
Her role includes helping clinics identify barriers to care, develop referral pathways and connect patients who may benefit from implantable hearing solutions with appropriate services. She has also been involved in advocacy efforts related to expanded Medicaid coverage.
Looking back, Guinn said the relationships she formed at South remain one of the most meaningful parts of her experience.
“South continues to mean so much to me, and I still keep in touch with several faculty members today,” she said. “They played such an important role in building the foundation of my career, and they have continued to support and believe in me on a personal level.”
Her advice to current AuD students is to remain open to where the profession may take them.
“Stay curious and don’t feel like you have to have your entire career figured out when you graduate,” Guinn said. “Audiology offers so many different paths, and your interests may evolve as you gain experience.”
