Salus at Drexel University in Elkins Park announced today that Brian Urban, AuD ‘06 (above right), has been named the 2024 Audiology Alumni of the Year for Osborne Audiology.

Urban was honored alongside Alumni of the Year awardees from other Salus/Drexel programs at the annual recognition reception on June 2 at Pinecrest Country Club in Lansdale.

“It is a tremendous honor,” said Urban. “When I look at the list of people who have previously won this award, they are all people who I have been truly fortunate to learn from and are highly respected within our profession. I am deeply humbled to be added to this list.”

After graduating from UW-Stevens Point in 2000 with a degree in Communicative Disorders, Urban enrolled at the University of Minnesota to pursue a master’s in Audiology. Upon completing his clinical fellowship year, he enrolled in the distance learning program at Salus/Drexel while working in a hospital.

“I was in the distance program for about two years and it was a wonderful, challenging, fulfilling experience,” said Urban. “I was able to attend lectures from some of the top thought leaders in our profession in the evenings and then apply what I had learned the next morning with my patients in clinic.”

Carlton Anne Cook Walker, MEd ‘11 (above left), was named the Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) Alumna of the Year. 

Walker, who runs a solo law practice in Carlisle, is also the principal at Blindness and Education Advocacy Resources, LLC (BEAR), which provide resources, consultation services, and advocacy services to help all blind/low vision individuals achieve independence and self-fulfillment in education, employment, and life.

She is the past president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), the parent division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and also serves on the board of Professionals in Blindness Education (PIBE), another division of the NFB. Some of her clients are state Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and Local Education Agencies (LEAs), (typically a school district), but most of her clients are parents and families.

“I really pride myself on providing resources and ideas to help empower families, most of whom are treated by society as an ‘other,’” said Walker. “We sometimes push ‘other’ people away and keep them from succeeding. That’s not good.” 

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Photos: Salus