Advocates for Patients with Inner Ear & Brain Balance Disorders
The Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) announces the annual VeDA Champion of Vestibular Medicine Award initiative to increase awareness of vestibular disorders that affect the inner ear and brain. 2025 Lifetime Achievement award recipients include Dr. Michael Teixido and Dr. Joseph Furman, and the Young Investigator award recipients are Dr. Kristen Janky, Dr. Amir Kheradmand, and Dr. Jeffrey Sharon.
“Champions of Vestibular Medicine are medical professionals who have had significant impact on the field of vestibular medicine,” says Dr. Habib Rizk, VeDA’s Board President. “Thanks to their leadership we have seen advancements in research leading to improvements in clinical care for patients with unexplained dizziness and vertigo.”
“This year’s recipients of the Champion of Vestibular Medicine Award represent the very finest in vestibular patient care and research in their respective fields,” says Dr. Joel Goebel, Chair of VeDA’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. “Each one of them employs their unique expertise for the good of patients with inner ear and brain diseases that cause dizziness and imbalance. Their efforts underscore the multidisciplinary nature of vestibular medicine and the need to work together.”
About Vestibular Disorders
The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If disease or injury damages these processing areas, vestibular disorders can result. Common symptoms of vestibular disorders include spinning vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, anxiety, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss, visual disturbances, and cognitive difficulties.
One large epidemiological study estimates that as many as 35 percent of adults aged 40 years or older in the United States—approximately 69 million Americans—have experienced some form of vestibular dysfunction.
Symptoms of chronic dizziness or imbalance can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to perform basic daily activities, such as walking, going to the grocery store, and socializing with friends and family. The painful economic and social impacts of dizziness are significantly underestimated.
MEET VEDA’S CHAMPIONS OF VESTIBULAR MEDICINE
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Dr. Michael Teixido, MD is a board-certified otolaryngologist and neurotologist specializing in medical and surgical conditions affecting hearing and balance. Dr. Teixido developed an early interest in ear surgery due to a hereditary hearing condition in his family. He serves as the Associate Chief at ENT & Allergy of Delaware and holds faculty appointments at Thomas Jefferson University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Rowan University. He is the founder and director of the Delaware Otologic Medicine and Surgery Fellowship and directs the Balance and Mobility Center at Christiana Care. Additionally, he co-directs the Pediatric Cochlear Implant and Auditory Rehabilitation Program at Nemours duPont Hospital for Children. Renowned for his leadership in migraine and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) education, Dr. Teixido has developed innovative 3D teaching tools and authored numerous publications to advance the understanding of vestibular disorders. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Practitioner Excellence Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 2024.
Dr. Joseph M. Furman, MD, PhD, is a board-certified neurologist renowned for his expertise in vestibular function and balance disorders. He serves as a professor in the Departments of Otolaryngology, Neurology, Bioengineering, and Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh and directs the Division of Balance Disorders at UPMC. Dr. Furman earned both his medical degree and a PhD in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a neurology residency at UCLA and fellowships in nonsurgical neurotology at UCLA and the University of Toronto. His clinical focus encompasses the diagnosis and management of dizziness and disequilibrium, while his research delves into vestibular function, sensorimotor integration in older adults, and migraine-related dizziness. Dr. Furman has contributed extensively to the field through numerous publications and collaborative research initiatives.
Young Investigator Awards
Dr. Kristen Janky, Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A, is a leading audiologist and researcher specializing in vestibular and balance disorders. She serves as the Director of the Vestibular and Balance Research Laboratory and Lead Audiologist of Clinical Vestibular Services at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Janky earned her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) and Ph.D. from Towson University and the University of Nebraska, respectively, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. Her research focuses on the clinical assessment and management of dizziness and balance disorders across all ages, with a particular emphasis on pediatric populations . She has contributed extensively to the field through numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations. Dr. Janky is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Audiology, the American Balance Society, and the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, and is a member of VeDA’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Amir Kheradmand, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He directs the Neuro-Vestibular and Ocular Motor Laboratory, where his research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying spatial orientation, eye movements, and balance. Utilizing techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and psychophysical modeling, Dr. Kheradmand investigates disorders like vestibular migraine, nystagmus, and ocular misalignment to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. His work bridges clinical neurology and computational neuroscience, contributing to advancements in understanding and treating vestibular and ocular motor dysfunctions . Additionally, Dr. Kheradmand serves on VeDA’s Board of Directors and Medical & Scientific Advisory Board, reflecting his commitment to improving patient care in this specialized field .
Dr. Jeffrey D. Sharon, MD is an Associate Professor of Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he also serves as Director of the UCSF Balance and Falls Center. He specializes in diagnosing and treating complex auditory and vestibular disorders, including vestibular migraine, Meniere’s disease, superior canal dehiscence syndrome, and skull base tumors. Dr. Sharon earned his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, completed his residency at Washington University in St. Louis, and pursued fellowship training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His research focuses on improving patient outcomes in vestibular disorders. Notably, he developed the Vestibular Migraine Patient Assessment Tool and Handicap Inventory (VM-PATHI), the first validated patient-reported outcome measure for vestibular migraine. He also led the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of galcanezumab, a CGRP-blocking monoclonal antibody, for vestibular migraine treatment. In recognition of his innovative work, Dr. Sharon received a 2022 UCSF Catalyst Award for developing a smartphone-based vestibular diagnostic tool.
