The NHCA Narrative: Kirsten McCall 

By John M Johnson NHCA member

In this narrative edition, we highlight excerpts from our conversation with NHCA member Dr. Kirsten McCall, audiologist and owner of Audiology Consulting and Training in Renton, WA.  She currently serves as a council member for the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) and is the committee chair for Occupational Hearing Conservationists (OHCs) and Course Directors (CDs).  Professionally, Kirsten is an active CD and Professional Supervisor (PS).

Kirsten’s love of ears came from her dad, an ENT physician in the Navy and private practice.  She recalls, “During high school and college breaks, I worked in my dad’s office andoften joined him on late night calls for a nosebleed or to sew up a sailor’s ear after a bar fight.  I loved shadowing my dad but did not want to become a physician and ultimately pursued audiology.”

Growing up in Seattle, Kirsten ventured off to Waco, TX to attend Baylor University.  “Sitting in class my junior year, I had a ‘burning bush’ moment with clear direction that, after graduation, I was to return to Seattle and tell Boeing to hire me as a ‘corporate audiologist.’  I thought I invented hearing conservation!”  From that moment, Kirsten’s passion for the prevention of hearing loss has never wavered.  “I have been an occupational audiologist my entire career, with zero regrets!”

Kirsten returned to Seattle and got her master’s degree in audiology and quickly realized that hearing conservation was firmly established.  When relaying her professional goal of becoming an occupational audiologist, one surprised professor asked, “Why would you want to do that? That’s the armpit of audiology!”  Kirsten reflects, “My parents were equally perplexed by my career choice.  Thankfully, I was so certain that this was God’s path for me that I was not dissuaded.”

Since being in the ‘trenches’ sounded much more appealing than a clinical setting, Kirsten gladly accepted an externship at Washington Audiology Services, working with Sandra MacLean Uberuaga, 6-time NHCA ‘Golden Lobe’ award winner, and Mary McDaniel, NHCA past president and 2024 Keynote speaker.   Kirsten reflects, “My most vivid memory of that externship was a 9-day assignment in Akutan, 

Alaska, one of the Aleutian Islands.  I tested 500 seafood processing employees, one at a time, using a MANUAL audiometer.  There was only one (pontoon plane) flight each day, so I was waiting on the shore long before it was due…no way was I going to miss that flight back to civilization!”

After three years of driving the vans and working the crazy hours, Kirsten was ready for a new challenge, leading to an amazing opportunity in North Carolina, working for her long-time mentor, George Cook, NHCA Executive Committee member 1999-2000.  “I performed noise surveys, calibrated audiometric equipment, and audited hearing conservation programs.  That was my most well-rounded position and led to my first NHCA conference and certification as a CD in 1994.”  Continuing to see George Cook at the NHCA conferences, he convinced her to pursue an Au.D. degree in 2005. 

Following company mergers, Kirsten was transferred to Los Angeles and eventually back to her roots in Seattle.  Practicing as a PS for mobile vendors, she worked with many NHCA members, including Gaye Chinn, Cindy Bloyer, Cassie Ford, and Merlyn Lubiens (NHCA president, 1998-1999).  “During this time, Kirsten states, “my parents travel to Palm Springs every April, allowing my dad to be a guest lecturer in my OHC courses in Sacramento and Ontario, CA.  He led students on a ‘camping trip’ through the ear and relayed stories of his experience as an otolaryngologist.  My dad appreciated teaching with me and gained respect for this side of audiology.” 

Kirsten reflects, “In 2015, I lost my dad after a long battle with cancer.  That was a very difficult time for me, and I did not practice audiology for 18 months.   Eventually, God guided me back into occupational audiology.  Mary McDaniel and I collaborated on OHC courses, leading to the start of my own business in 2016.   That was a scary time, but I had support from family, and my life coach told me, ‘Kir (her nickname), it will be a wonderful challenge to work for yourself.’  Of course, he was right!” 

Kirsten now focuses on teaching about 20 OHC courses a year, both calendared and private, onsite courses.  She recently taught a course at Yosemite National Park, an amazing opportunity amidst spectacular views.  Speaking as a PS for mobile, government, and manufacturing clients, Kirsten says, “It is incredible how many employers are unaware that noise measurement is required.  Often, noise surveys have never been done, or the readings are not updated.”  Two other areas of program weakness, according to Kirsten, are employee training & motivation and lack of management awareness regarding consistent and current use of HPDs.  She states, “In my experience, many small employers are simply unaware of the requirements.  Employers often do not have staff that are trained in safety and health, or management does not support efforts to enhance their practices.”

A positive change to Kirsten’s OHC courses resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.  She pioneered the ‘hybrid’ format of instruction, combining virtual learning with hands-on practicum, and shares her experience with other CDs.  This new venture led to a current partnership with OHC, Don Trawick, from Atlanta, allowing students to be proctored in various geographic locations throughout the country.   

Kirsten recently led a project to develop the CAOHC online resource, COHC Exam Prep.  “Assisted by the dedicated CAOHC staff, I collaborated with seasoned CDs, Andy Merkley, Vickie Tuten, Kathy Gates, Frank Wartinger, and Mindy Guillory, to design flashcards, matching exercises, and sample quizzes that mirror the actual exam in format.  I am excited for CDs and OHCs to take advantage of this fabulous tool to aid with instruction and help students apply what they are learning.” 

Kirsten is a logic puzzle enthusiast and enjoys golfing with her husband, Rob, especially in Palm Springs.  Reflecting on her busy schedule, Kirsten states, “I want to have fun and hopefully make a difference.  My priority for OHC students is to appreciate their own hearing and understand how hearing fosters connection.  People must understand why, when, and how to protect and preserve their own hearing, to take preventive steps towards an enhanced quality of life.”  She cites the 3-part video series, ‘Hearing is Quality of Life,’ available through NHCA and CAOHC websites, as an excellent resource of powerful testimonials on living with hearing loss and tinnitus.

Thanks, Kir, for sharing your OHC path with our readers. You may not have invented hearing conservation, but you certainly have contributed to the advancement of the field.  Keep having fun!