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Tani Austin, Starkey’s vice chair and co-founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation, has been named a 2026 Herizon Award honoree by the Business Intelligence Group. The recognition cites her humanitarian leadership in expanding hearing care, including programs that train local professionals in underserved regions.
Tani Austin, vice chair of Starkey and co-founder of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, has been named a 2026 Herizon Award honoree by the Business Intelligence Group. The award recognizes her leadership in expanding access to hearing healthcare and supporting communities through humanitarian work, according to Starkey and The Hearing Review.
Austin’s work spans more than three decades of global volunteer activity. The source report says she has helped more than one million people address hearing loss, while supporting an approach that pairs access to hearing technology with education, professional training and community-based care. The figure and description are reported by the publication; the source does not provide a separate methodology for counting people reached.
A key part of that work is developing local hearing-care capacity. Austin and Starkey founder and chairman Bill Austin have helped establish training programs through Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia, the Philippines and El Salvador. The programs aim to prepare professionals to provide care in their own communities, including areas where access to services is limited.
Since the institute opened in Lusaka, Zambia, in 2016, its programs have graduated more than 200 students from more than 17 countries, according to The Hearing Review. The report says graduates are working to address shortages of hearing healthcare professionals and build local capacity. Austin’s wider philanthropic work includes collaborations with Special Olympics and UNICEF, as well as service on the boards of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Rocket Fund, with work relating to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.
Training Local Hearing-Care Teams
The recognition draws attention not only to hearing devices, but also to the people and systems needed to deliver care. Training professionals within underserved regions can help communities develop expertise locally rather than rely solely on outside providers. The institute’s reported graduates and its presence in several countries offer a measure of the program’s reach, although the source does not quantify its impact on access or health outcomes.
For readers, the award also highlights how hearing healthcare intersects with workforce development and community service. Austin’s work, as described in the report, combines technology, training and partnerships. The award is an honor recognizing leadership; it is not itself evidence of a new program, funding commitment or change in Starkey services.
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How the Institute Developed
The Herizon Awards are presented by the Business Intelligence Group to recognize women whose leadership and innovation are affecting organizations, industries and communities, according to the source report. The announcement places Austin’s award within a broader record of philanthropic and hearing-care work rather than describing a new operational initiative.
The Lusaka institute opened in 2016, and Starkey’s training activity is also reported in the Philippines and El Salvador. Starkey president and CEO Brandon Sawalich said the organization views Austin’s work as part of its purpose. The report also notes other recent recognition for Starkey leadership and the company: 2026 BIG Innovation Awards for Sawalich and Starkey, and a 2026 Excellence in Customer Service Award.
““True impact is measured not only by the lives we touch today, but by what we make possible for generations to come.””
— Brandon Sawalich, Starkey president and CEO
Award Details Still Pending
The source report does not specify when or where the award will be presented, whether the 2026 honorees will attend a ceremony, or how many people or organizations are being recognized in the award cycle. It also does not include a direct comment from Austin or provide independent evaluation of the reported reach of her work.
The reported figures—more than one million people helped and more than 200 institute graduates—are attributed to the source account. The article does not explain how those totals were calculated, identify a measurement period for the one-million figure, or provide outcome data showing how graduates’ work has changed access to care.
Watch for Ceremony Information
The immediate next development is any further announcement from the Business Intelligence Group or Starkey about the award presentation and the full 2026 honoree list. The source material does not give a ceremony date or describe a next program milestone tied to the recognition.
Readers seeking details on the institute’s continuing work can watch for updates from Starkey about training cohorts, graduate numbers and program locations. Further reporting would be needed to establish what services graduates provide and how the programs affect hearing-care access over time.
Key Questions
Who is Tani Austin?
Austin is vice chair of Starkey and co-founder of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. The source report describes more than three decades of humanitarian work focused in part on hearing healthcare.
Why did Austin receive the 2026 Herizon Award?
The Business Intelligence Group recognized her for leadership in global hearing healthcare and humanitarian work supporting communities, according to the announcement reported by The Hearing Review.
What does the Starkey Hearing Institute do?
Its programs train hearing healthcare professionals in Zambia, the Philippines and El Salvador. The report says the Lusaka institute opened in 2016 and that programs have graduated more than 200 students from more than 17 countries.
When will the award be presented?
The source material does not provide a ceremony date or location. Further details may come from the Business Intelligence Group or Starkey.
Source: hearingreview.com
