Hearing the world, one community at a time.

HEAR more, live more.

We envision a world where hearing care is a right, not a privilege.

Every voice deserves to be heard and acted upon.

From local to international care, and we are just getting started. HEAR International Foundation has been created to turn decades of experience in hearing restoration, patient education and international outreach into a sustainable global mission.

Our World Mission

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Hearing
Education
Access
Restoration

Together, for HEAR

There's more than one way to make someone heard. Pick the one that sounds like you.

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Fund a hearing aid, a restorative surgery, or an entire mission. Every amount counts.
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Tax-deductible giving

HEAR International Foundation is a public registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 42-3017203.
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Volunteer with us

Lend your time and skills to outreach, events, and patient support, locally or abroad.
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Partner with us

For companies, clinics, and institutions ready to scale impact with us.
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Upcoming Conference

Microtia Educational Conference in Kazakhstan

November 25, 2026

In partnership with Dr. Youssef Tahiri · TBA
Upcoming Conference

Microtia Educational Conference in Mexico City

January 30, 2027

In partnership with Dr. John Reinisch · TBA

Find out more

From my child’s first word to a grandparent’s laugh — hearing holds US all together.

Hearing loss isn't a quiet problem. It isolates, depresses, and dismantles. It pulls children out of classrooms and grandparents out of conversations.

The cruelest part? Most of it is treatable. What’s missing is the system to deliver treatment where it’s needed most, and the funding to make it possible. HEAR exists to build both, through four commitments:

Restoration — helping children and adults obtain hearing-restoration treatment they otherwise couldn’t access.
Access — removing the barriers between patients and care: travel, lodging, facility and anesthesia expenses, and access to the right specialists.
Education — guiding families through their treatment options, especially for congenital ear conditions such as microtia and atresia.
Training — training surgeons and future specialists so expertise can spread internationally.

As a registered nonprofit, we’re committed to putting every dollar to meaningful use, expanding access to hearing care and empowering those whose voices deserve to be heard.

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These doctors have made a lasting impact on our community. They restored, uplifted, and healed not only our bodies, but our spirits.

— Camila · Antigua, Guatemala

For my son, the lack of local access to specialized care resulted in long-term hearing difficulty. I am forever grateful for the foundation’s successful efforts to restore his hearing and to train the local doctors for future patients like him.

— Ayesha · Ethiopia

The numbers are loud and clear.

1.5

Billion

People globally live with some degree of hearing loss — that's roughly 1 in 5 humans alive today.

430

Million

Have disabling hearing loss right now and require rehabilitation they cannot access.

$980

Billion

Lost globally each year to unaddressed hearing loss — health costs, educational support, lost productivity.

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A word from the people behind the mission.

The HEAR board brings together clinicians, advocates, and operators who have spent their careers refusing to accept that hearing care is a privilege.

Ronen Nazarian, MD

Founder

To the world, your donation restores one person’s hearing. To that person, your contribution restores their world.
Jennifer Bossel, DMD

Board Member

Partnerships, not one-off gifts, are what turn isolated wins into lasting reach.
Siân Bennett Berger

Board Member

Siân Bennett Berger has been a cochlear implant recipient since 2010 and has been involved in hearing advocacy ever since. In South Africa, she served on the Executive Committee of Hear2Day and spoke at the 25th anniversary of the cochlear implant in South Africa. Professionally, her background is in investment oversight and she advises MVMT Ventures, a disability-focused venture foundry.

“My giants are my family, my friends, and the doctors, audiologists, speech therapists and scientists who made this possible. Because of them, hearing has never been a limit.”
Jacob Iveland

Board Member

Dr. Jacob Iveland is an audiologist whose personal experience with hearing loss inspired him to pursue a career dedicated to helping others hear and connect with the world around them.

He began his career in private practice in Southern California, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. His passion for hearing healthcare led him to specialize in cochlear implants. Today, Jacob serves as a Clinical Territory Manager for Cochlear Americas, collaborating with audiologists, surgeons, and healthcare teams to advance cochlear implant care and clinical education throughout Southern California.

As a board member of HEAR International, Jacob hopes to expand access to hearing healthcare for underserved communities around the world. He is particularly passionate about developing sustainable programs that begin with essential hearing services, such as hearing screenings, ear care, and hearing aids, with the long-term goal of helping individuals access life-changing implantable hearing technology.
Mike Terani

Board Member

Mike Terani is a Los Angeles attorney and partner at Oakwood Legal Group. Having experienced bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss firsthand, he understands its impact on everyday life and the importance of compassionate care and support for the hearing impaired. He also teaches life lessons to youth in the community through basketball, serving as an assistant varsity coach at Milken Community School and club basketball head coach with the West Coast Tigers. He brings his professional experience and personal perspective to the board to help improve the lives of people living with hearing loss.

“Living with hearing loss has given me a deep appreciation for the people who help us stay connected. I want to help others find the care, support, and hope that have meant so much to me.”
Reuben Ben-Yehuda

Board Member

Reuben Ben-Yehuda is an international marketing strategist who helped over 80 organizations grow across borders. Italian-born and multilingual, he founded Plus972, an international marketing agency, and has lived on three continents. He brings that same global view to the causes he cares about. Reuben believes good communication can open doors for people as well as businesses, and he is passionate about using his skills to help others connect with the support, knowledge, and communities they need. He is proud to support the HEAR International Foundation’s mission.

“Borders mark where countries end, not where our responsibility ends. Help one life anywhere, and you’ve helped a whole world.”