Albuquerque Hearing & Balance - Eastside

Carol Clifford is the founder of Albuquerque Hearing & Balance and dedicated to excellent patient care. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, her Master’s degree from Northwestern University and her Doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University. Dr. Clifford's experience began working with over 100 physicians in the Chicago suburbs where she specialized in medical diagnosis and non-medical treatment of hearing loss and balance for people from young to old. She returned to Albuquerque in 1995 to work at the University of New Mexico as the Audiology Clinic Director and opened Albuquerque Hearing & Balance in 1998.

Tammy Sawyer has been with  Albuquerque Hearing & Balance since 2011. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Adrian College in Sociology and Psychology and her Master’s in Audiology from Minot State University. She was a counselor at Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf in West Trenton and as a Hearing Aid Dispenser for the Canadian Hearing Society. Tammy has been developing diagnostic programs for testing infants and children as well as patients in hospital settings. She also has served as a Pediatric Audiologist at both Sebastian County Health Clinic in Ft. Smith, Arkansas & at Welsely Medical Center in Wichita Kansas. Before joining Albuquerque Hearing Associates, Tammy’s expertise in diagnostics combined with her warm mannered nature allows her to successfully help Albuquerque Hearing Associates reach more people with hearing loss!

Tara joined Albuquerque Hearing & Balance in June 2015. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and her Doctorate of Audiology degree from Louisiana Tech University. Born and raised in New Mexico, Watching family member struggle with hearing gave Tara the passion to help change people’s lives.

Maria joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in September 2017 following three years of clinical practice with Albuquerque Speech Language Hearing Center. She moved to Albuquerque in May 2014 after decades in the humid mid-Atlantic. Maria received her Bachelors in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland in College Park, earned her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and completed a one-year fellowship at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Her clinical interests include rehabilitation with hearing instruments in both pediatric and adult populations, cochlear implants in adults, vestibular balance assessments in adults, and custom hearing protection for industrial and recreational settings. She works with patients across the lifespan and with all levels of hearing acuity.

Caitlynne Gentry joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in July 2018. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Speech Language and Hearing Science from the University of Arizona and her Doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University in 2018. Caitlynne completed her externship year at a large ENT practice in North Carolina where she performed diagnostic hearing and balance testing for patients of all ages, as well as fitting hearing devices. She enjoys solving problems and helping patients achieve a better quality of life. When not at work, Caitlynne can be found cooking, quilting, and playing board games.

Leah Fry joined Albuquerque Hearing & Balance in Summer of 2018. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders in 2010 and her Doctoral degree in 2015 from the University of Utah. Leah is also certified in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, and Vestibular Assessment & Management.  Leah moved to New Mexico from Utah in 2017. Clinically she enjoys working with hearing instruments, cochlear implants, bone anchored implants, vestibular issues, tinnitus, and patient education. Working with patients of all ages helps to continue expanding her clinical expertise.  She is passionate about assisting patients on their individual paths to better hearing, and ear health as well as teaching new generations of audiologists.

Morgan Fry joined Albuquerque hearing and balance in September 2018. Not originally from New Mexico he grew up in Utah getting his Bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science in 2010 from the University of Utah, then attending the University of the Pacific to attain his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. Morgan served his last clinical internship in Malawi, Africa which helped solidify his passion and responsibility in helping people through the rehabilitation process. During his career he has worked in a variety of setting from outpatient orthopedic, acute rehabilitation and acute care including working in the ICU. His journey into the niche of vestibular and balance rehabilitation began recently where he developed and started a vestibular rehab clinic in Santa Fe. He is excited to be at a clinic that is so focused on quality patient care and patient outcomes because this is why he became a therapist. This specialty has been immensely rewarding as he gets to see people get back to their lives that they thought was lost in the dizziness.

Keerthana Velappan joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in June 2021. She earned her Bachelor's of Science in Children's Hearing Studies from East Carolina University's Honors College and her Doctorate in Audiology from Vanderbilt University in 2021. Keerthana completed her externship year at a university clinic and ENT practice in North Carolina, where she grew up. During externship, she performed diagnostic hearing testing and fitting of hearing devices primarily for adults. As an audiologist with childhood hearing loss and bimodal (hearing aid and cochlear implant) user herself, she is excited to get back to working with both kids and adults, in both hearing and balance capacities.

Renee Landon-Lane joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in July, 2021. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from California State University, Fullerton in 2017, and her Doctorate in Audiology from Vanderbilt University in 2021. She completed her externship year at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her clinical interests include hearing instruments and cochlear implants for adult populations, and vestibular balance assessment for pediatric and adult populations. Originally from New Zealand, Renee has lived in the U.S. for 20 years.

Christina “Tina” Villareal joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in June 2022. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from New Mexico State University and her doctorate in Audiology from A.T Still University in 2022. She completed her externship with Albuquerque Hearing and Balance. Her clinical interests include diagnostics, implantable hearing devices, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring, and vestibular assessment. Tina was born and raised in Albuquerque. She enjoys spending time with the ones she loves, eating good food, and watching baseball.

Colleen joined Albuquerque Balance and Hearing in January 2023 after moving to New Mexico from Rhode Island. Colleen received her Bachelors in Biological Sciences & Secondary Education in May 2009 from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI. She later changed careers & received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Connecticut, graduating in May 2016. She then spent 16 months completing a neurologic physical therapy residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA. It was during her residency that Colleen became very interested in vestibular rehabilitation. Colleen is most passionate about central vestibular disorders, particularly non-athletic concussion & vestibular migraine, though she does treat all types of vestibular dysfunction. Outside of work she enjoys music, reading, & arts/crafts.

Joslyn joined Albuquerque Hearing and Balance in July 2023. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2019 and her Doctorate in Audiology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2023. Joslyn completed her externship year at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, Washington where she provided hearing and vestibular services to the Veteran population. As an audiologist with childhood hearing loss herself, she wears hearing aids and enjoys working with her patients to find a hearing solution that will provide them with the most benefit. Her clinical interests also include vestibular testing and tinnitus management. In her free time, you can find her reading, taking care of her plants, going for walks, and going to concerts.