The NHCA Narrative: Theresa Schulz

By John M Johnson NHCA member 

This edition of the Narrative highlights the story of NHCA stalwart LtCol. Theresa Y. Schulz, Senior Audiologist at the Department of Defense (DoD) Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE), CAOHC CPS/A, and three-time NHCA President. Theresa stated, “Working at the HCE is my dream job. I feel like my whole career has led me to the HCE where I work with and can save the hearing of the most meaningful people of my career, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Guardians”.

Theresa received a two-year music degree before attending the University of Texas at Austin, receiving her Master of Arts in Audiology, and later earning her PhD at Ohio State University. Explaining, “I was a music major in college when I realized I was not talented or dedicated enough to succeed in music. I looked around and I thought, I cannot compete with these people, they eat, sleep, and breathe music and they are way better than I am. I can’t do this!”

At this time, Theresa’s sister was teaching at a school for the deaf and also teaching Theresa sign language, “So, I took a class on general communications disorders, and they talked about deaf education, speech pathology, and when they got to audiology, I didn’t know what audiology was, so when somebody explained it to me, that’s what got me interested in audiology”, she warmheartedly reminisced.

Soon afterwards, Theresa discovered the Air Force audiology works of Don Gasaway that inspired her to specialize in hearing conservation, rather than other areas of audiology like amplification and diagnostics. Theresa explains, “I stumbled into audiology and once I read Don Gasaway’s work, I decided that is what I wanted to dedicate my life to”. Wishing to follow in Don’s path, Theresa pursued joining the Air Force, but they weren’t accepting any audiologist at the time, so she joined the Army in 1984. Theresa says, “The Army provided a really good foundation of being an officer and leader.” 

When the opportunity arose in 1986, Theresa took an inter-service transfer to the Air Force and “they sent me for my PhD, and what a great deal that was”, Theresa fondly recalled. She won the first of two Air Force “Audiologist of the Year” awards in 1989, and her second in 1997. Theresa also was presented with the Elizabeth Guild award in 1996 and the military’s Outstanding Volunteer Medal in 2004, just to mention a few awards and recognitions. 

As destiny would provide, Theresa found her Air Force office was Don Gasaway’s old office. “I had his office at Brooks Air Force Base just like Don, so I really feel like I walked in his shoes. I was blessed to follow in Don’s steps in hearing conservation, learning so much from him and other military and civilian DoD colleagues”.

Incidentally, the NHCA Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 1999 to recognize Don’s work in hearing loss prevention and his dedicated service to the NHCA. Don was the award’s first recipient.

Theresa shares what she is most proud of during her time as HCE Chief of Prevention was the inclusion of hearing protection fit testing in the DoD Instruction on Hearing Conservation, (DoD 6055.12). “The Air Force, the HCE, and my colleagues throughout the military led the way to pass the regulation, back in November 2023, to require hearing protection fit testing in the military”. Available at https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/605512p.pdf.

Additionally, Theresa points to the 2022 article, “Personal Attenuation Ratings versus derated Noise Reduction Ratings for hearing protection devices” written by Theresa with William ‘Bill’ Murphy, Wei Gong, Stephanie Karch, and Jeremy Federman, which she considers a seminal publication in hearing conservation. Available at (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12070270/). Theresa is also proud of the series of proceedings papers from the 2023 International Hearing Protector Fit-Testing Symposium. Available at: https://pubs.aip.org/asa/poma/issue/53/1.

Having retired earlier this year, Theresa spent her summer helping her sister care for their 89-year-old mother, affectionately acknowledging, “Mom is where I get my pollyannaish demeanor”. Theresa’s summer fun also included volunteering with her local American Legion Post and staying in shape with water aerobics.

Theresa soon found herself back to duty at HCE part-time to continue her mission of hearing protection fit testing. For Theresa, it’s been a perfect transition and the best of both worlds.

Semi-retirement hasn’t slowed Theresa down a single bit, as she is currently editing the CAOHC training manual with Theresa Smalls, CAOHC CPS, President of Associates in Audiology, and, much to her delight, was recruited by Kelly Reavis PhD, MPH, MS, CCC-A, to serve on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR), “They’ve asked me to be on their Board, which I’m very excited about”.

Frequently involved with NHCA activities, Theresa is once again participating with their Program Task Force, undertaking a project to celebrate the NHCA’s 50th anniversary, called the NHCA Well Wishers. “We are interviewing, for posterity, the old-timers to help us wish the NHCA a happy 50th Anniversary and to pick their brains about what their favorite NHCA memories are, 50 years of NHCA accomplishments, and what direction they think the NHCA should take in the future”, proudly reveals Theresa. “NHCAers are my family.” Audio and video will be available at the 2026 NHCA Annual Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, February 5th- 7th, and available on the NHCA website.

True to the spirit of the Military’s Outstanding Volunteer Award, Theresa is intent on mentoring those coming up behind her, “Now that I’m in the sunset part of my career. I want the things that I’ve worked on and felt passionate about to keep going through the people and colleagues that I have mentored. My passion right now is to excite the next generations to keep things going in occupational hearing conservation”.

Following in Don Gasaway’s legendary footsteps provided the impetus for Theresa’s career dedication, and her colleagues can attest to her endearing passion for preventing hearing loss. The profession of hearing conservation will be in great hands if future generations follow in the sure-footed steps of LtCol. Theresa Y Schulz and join the ranks of experts committed to preserving the ability to hear for a lifetime!