Hearing Health with Alyssa Ottmar

Alyssa Ottmar

A native of Coralville, Iowa, Alyssa studied piano and viola at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2016 with a dual degree in Viola Performance and Communication Sciences and Disorders. Alyssa went on to obtain her Clinical Doctorate in Audiology at the University of Iowa. Upon starting her doctoral program, Alyssa discovered the importance of sharing hearing health to all musicians. She has been invited to participate in research studies and offers healthy hearing talks for local music programs, music schools, national music camps, and the Iowa Bandmasters Association. In conjunction to her graduate externship at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics and Center for Disabilities and Development, Alyssa was accepted into the prestigious Iowa LEND (Iowa Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) externship, an interdisciplinary program focused on family-centered care, advocacy and advancing skills in leadership and cultural competencies. Throughout her doctoral studies, Alyssa continued to perform, participating in the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and the UI Chamber Music Residency Program. Graduating in May 2020, Alyssa currently works as an Educational Audiologist for the Great Prairie Area Education Agency, serving Southeast Iowa schools, teachers, and administration. Additionally, Alyssa is the Iowa State Lead Hearing Co-Chair, working directly with the Iowa Department of Education to better the profession of educational audiology throughout the state of Iowa. She became a tenured member of Orchestra Iowa in Fall 2022 and is a starting member of the Cadence String Quartet sponsored by Schultz Strings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.