At our 164^th AGM, we welcomed partners, donors, clients and staff to celebrate the impressive achievements of 2024, a year when we began to write the important next chapter for NextSense.

President David Dinte told the audience that this new era would mean striving higher and reaching further in order to stay at the helm of innovation.

We will expand our horizons to make real and lasting change not just for our own clients but for all people with sensory disability.

‘To do this, we must focus on sustainability,’ he said. ‘We have already begun by making key investments in technology, systems and structures that will streamline how we work and position us for the future. We have looked ahead to consider where our services might be needed, planning a site in Sydney’s Norwest and reimagining how we can reach greater numbers of people in Victoria.

Mr Dinte acknowledged the huge role played by our clients, who motivate us to continue to adapt to deliver best-in-class services and education.

He also celebrated our dedicated staff, partners, stakeholders and donors who share our vision for the future.‘Whether their contribution is large or small, all these special people share in our purpose. They feel the same satisfaction we do when our clients can reach their potential. Their contributions really make the difference between good and great when it comes to what we are able to offer and the number of people we reach,’ he said.

Mr Dinte thanked the NextSense Board for the expertise they provide, and acknowledged the outstanding contributions of Board members Barbara Stone, who retired after 22 years of service, and Clinical Professor Catherine Birman, who served for 14 years.

He welcomed the distinguished leaders that have joined our organisation in the past 12 months—new Board member Jane Simmons PSM, and Vice Patrons the Honourable John Howard OM AC and Mr Michael Easson AM.

Mr Dinte also outlined our Strategic Horizons. This 10-year plan provides a roadmap for how we will enhance outcomes and access for more people; build innovation-led best practice; and influence the global position to advance the field of sensory disability.

NextSense Chief Executive Chris Rehn presented the 2024 NextSense annual report, ‘A new era of Next’, which celebrates the steps we took in 2024 to prepare for our next chapter.

We supported close to 11,000 clients in 2024. From Hannah—who is thriving in a mainstream education environment thanks to early intervention support for her hearing loss—to goalball champion Annabeth, who has a team cheering her on, and many more, we are so privileged to walk alongside our clients as they write their own stories.

A highlight of the evening was a panel discussion led by NextSense Institute Director Professor Greg Leigh, on the benefits of cochlear implant technology from the perspective of our staff and our clients.

Paula Berkley, NextSense Cochlear Implant Services Lead for Greater Sydney, adult cochlear implant recipient Ruth Zadoks; and 12-year-old Sienna Compton, who has bilateral cochlear implants, joined the discussion along with Sienna’smother Renee.

Paula, who has worked for NextSense for 20 years, is an audiologist who services clients of all ages. She spoke about how much has changed over her career in terms of increased access to cochlear implantation and the technology itself.

Ruth described her experience living with single-sided deafness—how she discovered her hearing loss later in life, and what she wanted to get out of her cochlear implant.

Ruth wanted to hear where sound was coming from, and to sit anywhere she chose at work without worrying about how to position herself to ensure she could hear properly. Her hearing loss had also affected her confidence in social situations so she was keen to feel more connected with the world again.

Sienna’s hearing loss was progressive. She was diagnosed as having severe to profound hearing loss at around two-and-a-half years received her cochlear implants soon after,and continues to receive services from our Broadmeadow site, in Newcastle, NSW. Sienna spoke about how her NextSense Teacher of the Deaf Yasmin has supported her in the classroom and beyond.

Sienna’s Mum Renee described how life changing cochlear implants have been for her daughter. ‘To see the difference that they have made to her life is exceptional—I can’t put into words the impact they have had in, not only in giving her access to sound and the hearing world, but to language and to be able to develop those skills to allow her to communicate,’ she said.

Each year at our AGM, we also acknowledge the outstanding achievements of students who received support for hearing or vision loss at their independent school through our School Support Service.

Jack Fresta, who recently completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) at Trinity Grammar School, took away two prizes for his outstanding IB score—the Garfield and Norma Barwick Prize, and the Clearasound Prize.

Ruby Waterlow Heuston was named the Dr Frederick Gregory-Roberts Prize winner for 2024 for a student assisted by our School Support Service (Vision) who has achieved the most outstanding performance in the High School Certificate (HSC).

Trudy Smith, NextSense Manager of Continuing Professional Education, was announced as the winner of the ClearaSound Tertiary Scholarship, which supports a student undertaking continuing education studies through NextSense Institute. Congratulations to Jack, Ruby and Trudy.