Who Are We?
Our mission: Our mission is to empower children with hearing loss to listen, speak, and thrive. Through family-centered support, professional training, and access to life-changing technology, we help children build a future filled with sound, language, and connection.
We envision a world where every child with hearing loss — regardless of financial circumstance — has the opportunity to learn to listen and speak, and to access the same opportunities as their hearing peers.
In 2009, we pioneered our flagship program, Listen to Me!®, through work initially developed in collaboration with Stanford University in California. Driven by the belief that every community deserves access to transformative resources, we expanded our program's impact nationally in 2022 and globally in 2024. Guided by the success of our model, we now serve communities in Hawaii, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, working to inspire resilience, empower local leaders, and create sustainable change in hearing healthcare worldwide. Our commitment is to build inclusive and thriving communities through strategic, scalable programs that adapt to diverse cultural needs and contribute to a more equitable future for children with hearing loss.
Our Goals:
- To educate families about the medical, audiological and educational options available to their child
- To help families understand their child's potential for listening and language development and to teach them the strategies needed to develop these skills
- To empower parents to be advocates for their child and help them to navigate the medical and educational systems they will encounter
- To support families on the often challenging journey of raising a child with hearing loss
The Baker Institute’s work helps children with hearing loss access the tools, support, and opportunities they need to thrive in spoken language environments. This opens doors to meaningful social connections, education, and career paths. As children grow into adults who are confident in their communication and contributions, the benefits extend beyond the individual to families, communities, and society as a whole.
Our Collaborators: The Baker Institute has historically collaborated with clinicians and researchers affiliated with the Otolaryngology Department at Stanford University through work that helped inform and develop several of its programs. Today, the Institute operates independently and continues to collaborate with a range of programs, organizations, and individuals that address similar needs and share aligned missions.
Our Programs
Listen to Me!®
Listen to Me! is a research-based training on how to maximize listening and spoken language (LSL) outcomes for children with hearing loss.
We currently offer four training programs:
- LTM! Conference for New Families: a hands-on training program for the entire family, offered in person for California families, in Oahu for Hawaii families, and in Kenya for families in Kenya. 18 families are accepted per year for each location. Children participate in a LSL class setting and receive daily LSL therapy sessions. Parents participate in educational presentations, therapy and class observations, skill-building activities, and parent support groups. Siblings participate in a fun and engaging experience designed just for them, including crafts, games, and outdoor activities.
- LTM! Reunion: a weekend experience for families who have previously completed the new families LTM Conference, designed to continue educating and supporting parents as they continue on their journey of having a child with hearing loss.
- LTM! Professional Conference: a three day training for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, teachers of the deaf and other related service providers. Content focuses on addressing the unique needs of children with hearing loss, understanding the technology, and learning strategies to facilitate strong listening and spoken language outcomes.
- LTM! International: Supported by the Hear the World Foundation, hearing healthcare professionals who reside in developing countries can deepen their LSL intervention skills to support children with hearing loss through our zoom workshop series.
Our curriculum was created by leaders in the field, including surgeons, audiologists, certified LSL specialists, and deaf and hard of hearing teachers—many of whom previously contributed through work developed at Stanford University.
Baker Scholars
The Baker Scholars Program supports families with limited access to listening and spoken language intervention services. The program provides parent coaching and direct therapy to ensure that children with hearing loss can develop listening and spoken language skills, regardless of geographic barriers to care.
We provide Baker Scholars services for up to three years, which include the following:
- Weekly listening and spoken language therapy (delivered virtually through tele-intervention)
- Parent education to optimize listening and language opportunities in the child's natural environment
- Spanish-speaking therapists provided when needed
Our Team
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- Julie Cooper
- Executive Director
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- Eryn McHan
- Professional Learning & Mentorship Lead
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- Caroline Montgomery
- Senior Development Strategist
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- Kayla Kolhede
- Parent Learning & Mentorship Lead