{"id":34647,"date":"2024-04-30T10:46:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T14:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/?page_id=34647"},"modified":"2026-04-16T09:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T13:37:07","slug":"difference-matters-aha","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/difference-matters-aha\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference Matters AHA"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<h2>Alliance Health Ambassadors<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CjVfdc CJIdie\"><span class=\"C9DxTc \">Difference Matters is an event that provides a platform for individuals to share their stories and engage in meaningful discussions highlighting the distinct journeys within healthcare.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<h3><h2 class=\"section-som\"><span>Spring 2025 Speakers<\/span><\/h2><\/h3>\n<div role=\"tablist\" class=\"panel-group yourcustomclass oscitas-bootstrap-container\" id=\"unc-accordion-0\">\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n    <div id=\"panel-heading-details-0-0\" class=\"panel-heading oscitas-bootstrap-container\" role=\"tab\">\n\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n            <button class=\"accordion-toggle oscitas-bootstrap-container collapsed\" \n                id = \"button-details-0-0\"\n                data-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                data-parent=\"#unc-accordion-0\"    \n                aria-controls=\"#details-0-0\"  \n                aria-expanded=\"false\" \n                href=\"#details-0-0\">\n                Patrica Johnson            <\/button>\n\n        <\/h3>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div id=\"details-0-0\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse  oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-body oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><b data-ogsc=\"\">Patricia Johnson<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/sphs\/hcc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/520\/2022\/10\/ELP_5240-scaled.jpg\" width=\"249\" height=\"166\" \/>Dr. Johnson is an associate professor in the UNC School of Medicine. She practices as a clinical audiologist at the UNC Hearing and Communication Center (UNC-HCC), a faculty clinic in Chapel Hill. She can also be found leading clinical services at the UNC-HCC satellite office in the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough. She provides adult diagnostic, tinnitus and aural rehabilitative services, with specialization in hearing and assistive technology. With the UNC-HCC serving as the formative training site for UNC\u2019s doctoral students, Dr. Johnson provides daily clinical education via one-on-one student supervision. Using her expertise in hearing technology. Dr. Johnson teaches the Au.D. hearing aid courses for first and second year students and a third year course on Occupational Audiology. With a commitment to community service, Dr. Johnson can often be found providing hearing presentations and screenings around the Triangle, with a special focus on the aging population.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg  oscitas-bootstrap-container\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1Fsjsp4NjbQpmqr1hFLAw-tUMgt82wlMM\/view?usp=drive_link\">Watch Dr. Johnson's Video<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n        \n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n    <div id=\"panel-heading-details-0-1\" class=\"panel-heading oscitas-bootstrap-container\" role=\"tab\">\n\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n            <button class=\"accordion-toggle oscitas-bootstrap-container collapsed\" \n                id = \"button-details-0-1\"\n                data-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                data-parent=\"#unc-accordion-0\"    \n                aria-controls=\"#details-0-1\"  \n                aria-expanded=\"false\" \n                href=\"#details-0-1\">\n                Hannah Spitzer &amp; Jessica Steinbrenner            <\/button>\n\n        <\/h3>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div id=\"details-0-1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse  oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-body oscitas-bootstrap-container\">\n<div>\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><b data-ogsc=\"\" data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Hannah Spitzer<\/b><\/h4>\n<div><span data-ogsc=\"black\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-35262\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Picture_H.Spitzer-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hannah Spitzer - woman with long brown hair and glasses wearing a purple shirt and a black jacket.\" width=\"218\" height=\"145\" \/>Hannah Spitzer is a research assistant at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG). She was diagnosed with autism at the age of 14 and became interested in the field of autism. Hannah began working with\u00a0<\/span><span data-ogsc=\"rgb(70, 120, 134)\"><u data-ogsc=\"\"><a id=\"OWAcebf4128-04fa-e62b-2f7c-2e5b05f27f6e\" title=\"https:\/\/fpg.unc.edu\/projects\/project-express-examining-interventions-promote-executive-function-and-social-skills\" href=\"https:\/\/fpg.unc.edu\/projects\/project-express-examining-interventions-promote-executive-function-and-social-skills\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"1\" data-ogsc=\"rgb(70, 120, 134)\">Project EXPRESS<\/a><\/u><\/span><span data-ogsc=\"black\">\u00a0during an internship as part of her Human Development and Family Studies program at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has continued as a research assistant at FPG after graduating, collaborating with the Project EXPRESS team.<\/span><\/div>\n<h3 data-ogsc=\"black\"><hr class=\" rule-thick osc-rule\" \/><\/h3>\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-ogsc=\"black\"><b data-ogsc=\"\">Jessica Steinbrenner<\/b><\/h4>\n<div><span data-ogsc=\"black\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35263 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Jessica Steinbrenner a woman with long brown hair wearing a red shirt and a black jacket.\" width=\"155\" height=\"233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-117x175.jpg 117w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-1367x2048.jpg 1367w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-600x899.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/628\/2025\/04\/Steinbrenner_Jessica_05-scaled.jpg 1709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 155px) 100vw, 155px\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><span data-ogsc=\"black\">Jessica Steinbrenner is an Associate Professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, a faculty fellow at FPG, and a certified speech-language pathologist. She has worked with autistic individuals for over two decades and has been part of school- and community-based autism research for 16 years, first as a graduate student and now as a faculty member. This includes her work on\u00a0<\/span><span data-ogsc=\"rgb(70, 120, 134)\"><u data-ogsc=\"\"><a id=\"OWAe8831849-4531-2d37-4f08-55c42448b15f\" title=\"https:\/\/fpg.unc.edu\/projects\/project-express-examining-interventions-promote-executive-function-and-social-skills\" href=\"https:\/\/fpg.unc.edu\/projects\/project-express-examining-interventions-promote-executive-function-and-social-skills\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"2\" data-ogsc=\"rgb(70, 120, 134)\">Project EXPRESS<\/a><\/u><\/span><span data-ogsc=\"black\"> with Hannah. \u00a0Jessica is passionate about bridging the gap between research and practice by supporting implementation of evidence-based practices with all of the complexities in real-world settings<\/span>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg  oscitas-bootstrap-container\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/uncch.hosted.panopto.com\/Panopto\/Pages\/Viewer.aspx?id=76d0f5ec-ec4f-4ef8-a49e-b2c9012e6228\">Watch Steinbrenner's and Spitzer's Video<\/a><\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n        \n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3><h2 class=\"section-som\"><span>Let&#8217;s Discuss<\/span><\/h2><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Click on the speakers names and watch their videos. Afterwards, give us your input with the survey below!<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"CjVfdc\">\n<p><span class=\"C9DxTc \">Difference Matters is aimed to open up dialogue between students, staff and faculty regarding experiences and challenges such as people with disabilities face, the challenges healthcare providers face, and more. <\/span><span class=\"C9DxTc \">This event is critical to our club as it allows students to learn more about what their future patients are going through and learn how to be better providers in accordance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"zfr3Q CDt4Ke \" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"gBYvFf C9DxTc \">We would love to hear your input about the event. Make comments on the document below! Tell us what stuck with you, what was surprising, or what information you will take to use with your patients in the future? If you just want to tell the speaker that they were great please make a comment. We want this to be an open space. Please use the attached Google doc to write your thoughts under each speaker&#8217;s name or give a general response<\/span><span class=\"gBYvFf C9DxTc \">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg  oscitas-bootstrap-container\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSdBFsvZYLgU6gsgl3vq0udiUrQa77oROC1Ci3R6XqX_wYbxUQ\/viewform\">Discussion Survey<\/a>\n<div class=\"CjVfdc\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alliance Health Ambassadors Difference Matters is an event that provides a platform for individuals to share their stories and engage in meaningful discussions highlighting the distinct journeys within healthcare. &nbsp; Click on the speakers names and watch their videos. Afterwards, give us your input with the survey below! Difference Matters is aimed to open up &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/difference-matters-aha\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Difference Matters AHA\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114447,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"template-home":[],"class_list":["post-34647","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Difference Matters AHA | Department of Health Sciences<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/difference-matters-aha\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Difference Matters AHA | Department of Health Sciences\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Alliance Health Ambassadors Difference Matters is an event that provides a platform for individuals to share their stories and engage in meaningful discussions highlighting the distinct journeys within healthcare. &nbsp; Click on the speakers names and watch their videos. 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