The Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery is pleased to announce the 2025/2026 recipient of the Richard D. Wyant Endowed Award in Audiology, Megan Werner!

Megan is a fourth-year Doctor of Audiology student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is currently completing her externship at UCHealth Anschutz Hearing and Balance Clinic. 

Megan first became interested in the field of audiology during her undergraduate studies at Marquette University, where coursework, hands-on research, and volunteer experiences introduced her to the impact of hearing healthcare across the lifespan.

Throughout her clinical training in Wisconsin and at UCHealth, Megan has worked with patients of all ages from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. These experiences have motivated her to focus on practical improvements within the clinical setting that reduce confusion, increase transparency, and support better outcomes for all patients.

For this initiative, Megan is collaborating with Dr. Cory Portnuff, AuD, PhD, to translate financial materials for non-English-speaking patients. She also plans to develop written hearing test instructions to support individuals with more severe hearing loss and to assist medical interpreters during appointments. Through these efforts, Megan aims to improve transparency and accessibility, promote more accurate and efficient testing, reduce patient confusion, and ensure greater consistency across providers.

On hearing the news about this award, Megan says “I’m grateful for this recognition and for the support that makes this initiative possible. I’m thankful for the mentors and colleagues who have supported my training. My experiences have shaped the way I approach patient care, and I look forward to working with Dr. Cory Portnuff to continue developing practical solutions that improve the patient experience.”

Megan's commitment to working with patients who suffer from hearing loss will have a great impact on our community and beyond. Congratulations, Megan!

The endowment was made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Richard Wyant with matching support from the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery in the School of Medicine located on the Anschutz Medical Campus.