Meet the Committee for 2024-25
President
Sue Walters is the current President of CICADA AUSTRALIA and one of the founding members.
Sue lost her hearing and balance completely from meningococcal meningitis at the age of 22 and received the first experimental cochlear implant in Sydney in 1984 and bilateral implant in 2005.
Having benefited so much from her own experience, Sue is enthusiastic about working with others to share the joy of sound. She would love to see active CICADA peer support groups all across Australia, so that people might share their stories to build awareness of cochlear implants and help others to achieve their best. Sue was awarded OAM on Australia Day 2019 for her work in advocacy.
Sue is deeply grateful for the camaraderie and dedication of the Sydney CICADA group that provide such a warm welcome at all their social gatherings and a valuable network of advocates.
Secretary
Judy Cassell is the Secretary of CICADA Australia Inc.
Overnight Judy lost hearing in her right ear. It was the result of an ear infection on the second day into a three months long service leave holiday in Europe. Twelve months later hearing in her left ear started to deteriorate. Six months later she was completely deaf.
Following her implant operation in 1996, she joined CICADA. She found great support from its members, particularly in the important early days.
It has become like a large family to her and working on the committee gives her the opportunity to give back for the miracle of hearing.
Treasurer
Steve Pascoe joins the CICADA (Cochlear Implant and Advisory Association) Committee with extensive experience and a deep commitment to supporting those with hearing impairments. His own journey with hearing loss began in his late teens due to hereditary factors, necessitating the use of hearing aids by age 21. However, as his hearing continued to deteriorate to severe levels by his early 30s, he found traditional aids less effective, especially for understanding speech. In 1997, Steve received his first cochlear implant, a transformative experience that fuelled his passion for leveraging technology to address hearing loss. Since then, he has actively participated in numerous communication projects, demonstrating his dedication to enhancing the lives of people with hearing impairments.
With an academic background in Computer Science, Management, and Electrical Engineering, Steve has over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, primarily within the Government sector. Steve has also contributed to various committees representing the hearing-impaired community, including those for Telstra Australia, the Australian Government, and NSW Health. Currently, he manages his consulting business, Pascoeberry, focusing on project management and e-learning development for medical and allied organisations. Steve is excited to bring his skills and enthusiasm to the CICADA committee, looking forward to working with the team to provide valuable support to the community.
