Elaine S. Parisier,

Founder
The Children's Hearing Institute

Elaine S. Parisier co-founded CHI with her husband Simon in 1983 and served as the Institute’s first Executive Director. She continues to inspire CHI with her enthusiasm and vision. “Our goal in 1983 was to establish an institute to support the clinical investigation of the cochlear implant as safe and efficacious in restoring hearing to profoundly deaf children. It is so gratifying to realize we were on the frontlines of the cochlear revolution that has dramatically changed so many lives. Our mission remains relevant, however, as hearing loss is America’s leading birth defect, awareness of cochlear implants is relatively low among those who need to know.”