HASA’s leader and first speech pathologist leaves nonprofit thriving in its 90th year

After 30 years with The Hearing and Speech Agency (HASA), including 22 as its Executive Director, Susan Glasgow has announced her retirement from HASA at the end of 2016. 

During Susan’s leadership, HASA has grown to serve more than 4,000 individuals and families with hearing and speech services annually. She has overseen the establishment or growth of HASA’s listening and spoken language program, speech-language therapy services, Gateway School programming, and sign language interpreting services.

“We will certainly miss [Susan’s] passionate, kind, diligent leadership,” said HASA Board President Aaron Marshall. “HASA is well-positioned to continue its success thanks to Susan, her management team and staff…who help HASA provide services and products that enable effective communication for individuals and families in our region.”   

Some of Susan’s career highlights: 

• Susan established the first Listening and Spoken Language Program in the Baltimore metro area in 2004.

• She was instrumental in getting Maryland Newborn Infant Hearing Screening legislation passed in 1999 to ensure the testing of every newborn before leaving the hospital.

• Raised the capital and coordinated the design and build of a brand new campus in Seton Business Park in 2003.

• Susan was central in securing one of five prestigious Google grants providing $25,000 and a pair of Google Glass glasses to support students at HASA’s Gateway School with a variety of communication disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders, developmental delay, hearing loss or speech-language challenges for the 2014-15 school year.

• Grew staff and programming from 35 employees and $2.3 million in revenues in 1994 to 80 employees and nearly $9 million in 2016.

• During her tenure, she celebrated milestone anniversaries for CIRS Interpreting (founded 1986), Hilgenberg Childhood Speech & Language Center (founded 1987), Gateway School (founded 1960) and The Hearing and Speech Agency (founded 1926).

• Under Susan’s leadership, HASA implemented VIBE, a biennial gala to raise funds for children and adults with communication challenges.  VIBE fundraising events have raised nearly $400,000.

Additionally, Susan worked tirelessly to lobby for health insurance to provide hearing aids for children in Maryland and advocated for Medicaid to allow children to see community pediatric providers for audiology and speech pathology services.

In a letter to the community, Susan commented: “I am ready to turn over the position to the next fortunate person who gets what I think is a dream job with an amazing Board and staff, serving a fantastic organization and community.” 

Susan is leaving HASA in a position of financial stability, having just paid off the mortgage on the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg facility, and securing nearly $9 million in total revenues. 

An Executive Director search committee led by HASA Board President Aaron Marshall has convened, and a final selection for HASA’s new Executive Director will include input from many HASA constituencies including Susan, management, staff including faculty and clinicians, and client families. Susan will remain a resource to HASA and its community during the transition.

The new Executive Director is expected to join HASA by first-quarter of 2017.  

About HASA

The Hearing and Speech Agency (HASA) is a private, non-profit organization that provides hearing and speech services, offers an information resource center, and advocates for people of all ages with communication challenges. Services include hearing tests, hearing aid fitting, hearing aid repair, speech-language evaluations and therapy, listening and spoken language services, pre- and post-cochlear implant services, occupational and physical therapy, special education, sign language interpreting, sign language classes, Deaf awareness seminars, social work, and parent support groups. For more information, please visit http://hasa.org.