National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council | NIDCD

The Council advises the Secretary, HHS; the Director, NIH; and the Director, NIDCD, on matters relating to the conduct and support of research and research training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.

Authority

Established February 15, 1989, by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Section 406 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 284a). This Advisory Council is governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).

Structure

Consists of eighteen members, appointed by the Secretary, HHS, and six nonvoting ex officio members: the Secretary; the Director, NIH; t

he Director, NIDCD; the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Chief Medical Director, Department of Veterans Affairs; and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (or the designees of these officers). Twelve of the appointed members are selected from among the leading representatives of the health and scientific disciplines (including not less than two individuals who are leaders in the fields of public health and the behavioral or social sciences) relevant to the areas of deafness and other communication disorders. Six members are appointed by the Secretary from the general public and include leaders in the fields of public policy, law, health policy, economics and management. Members are appointed for o

verlapping terms of four years. The Chair of the Council is selected by the Secretary from among the appointed members or the Secretary may select the Director, NIDCD.

Function

Advises the Secretary, HHS; the Director, NIH; and the Director, NIDCD, on matters relating to the conduct and support of research and research training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.

Meetings

Meetings are held not less than three times a year as called by the Chair, or upon request of the Director of the Institute, with the advance approval of a government official who also approved the agenda. A government official is present at all meetings. A quorum for the conduct of business is one more than one-half of the authorized membership.

NDCD Meetings

Start Times

Meetings routinely begin with a closed session prior to the open session. Consult the meeting agenda for details.

Open Sessions

The public can watch the open sessions of the meeting online.

Closed Sessions

Only NDCD Advisory Council members participate in the closed sessions.

Documents

Agendas, minutes, and other meeting documents are available as PDF files. PDF files require a viewer such as the free .

Questions?

Communications about the NDCD Advisory Council can be sent to

NIDCDCouncilMailbox@nidcd.nih.gov

  • January 28, 2027 - January 29, 2027 
    NDCD Advisory Council Meeting: January 2027 
  • May 6, 2027 - May 7, 2027 
    NDCD Advisory Council Meeting: May 2027 
  • September 15, 2027 - September 16, 2027 
    NDCD Advisory Council Meeting: September 2027

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Members

Chairperson

Debara L. Tucci, M.D., M.S., M.B.A.
Director
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Bethesda, MD 20892

Members

BARLOW, Linda A., Ph.D. (2028)
Professor
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
University of Colorado
Aurora, CO 80045

BOUTON, Katherine (2026)
Speaker, Advocate, and Author
New York, NY 10024

JOHNSON, Kia N., Ph.D. (2028)
Associate Director
Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research - Atlanta, GA Satellite
University of Texas at Austin
Atlanta, GA 30324

KIRAN, Swathi, Ph.D. (2028)
James and Cecilia Tse Young
Professor of Neurorehabilitation
Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Boston University
Boston, MA 02215

MERFELD, Daniel M., Ph.D. (2026)
Professor
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
College of Medicine
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210

PICCIRILLO, Jay F., M.D. (2028)
Professor
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO 63110

SVIRSKY, Mario A., Ph.D. (2027)
Noel L. Cohen Professor
Department of Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery
New York University
Grossman School of Medicine
New York, NY 10016

TRUSSELL, Laurence, Ph.D. (2027)
Associate Director and Professor
Department of Otolaryngology and Oregon Hearing Research Center
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR 97239

YOUNG, Nancy M., M.D. (2028)
Lillian S. Well Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, IL 60091

Ex Officio

KENNEDY, Robert F., Jr.
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC 20201

BHATTACHARYA, Jayanta, M.D., Ph. D.
Director
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892

MCCLENNEY, Sean, Au.D.
National Director
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Audiology and Speech Pathology Service
Washington, DC 20420

Executive Secretary

MILLER, Rebecca, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Bethesda, MD 20892

Note: Terms end on May 31 of the designated year.