Welcome.
The Auditory Connection is an audiologist-owned specialty practice dedicated exclusively to the identification and management of auditory processing disorders (APD) in children. Welcome! We look forward to connecting with you and your children!
Meet Dr. Donna
Founder, Pediatric Audiologist, Auditory Processing Specialist
"Committed to providing you and your family comprehensive care with compassion."
Dr. Donna Turetgen, Au.D. was called to dedicate her career to auditory processing disorders (APD) in 2011 when she first met her mentor and friend, Jack Katz, Ph.D. Dr. Katz developed the Buffalo Model Approach to APD while at the University of Buffalo in New York, and has traveled the globe teaching others and sharing his research. You can meet Dr. Katz here. The Buffalo Model includes the most widely used auditory processing test among audiologists, the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test. Dr. Donna uses the Buffalo Model Approach in her practice and continues to study with Dr. Katz for ongoing professional development. One of the most important lessons she learned from Jack is, "If people come to us with auditory complaints, it is our job to help them." This is not always an easy task. Auditory processing disorders may stand alone or co-exist with other developmental delays, learning difficulties, attention problems, and cognitive disorders. A highly trained audiologist evaluates and treats auditory processing disorders alongside a team of people involved in the child's care, such as speech-language pathologists, psychologists, educators, and parents. It is important that everyone works together to understand the child's specific needs and to develop a comprehensive plan for interventions. Dr. Donna was a founding member in what eventually became the International Guild of Auditory Processing Specialists (IGAPS). IGAPS is a non-profit that was founded to continue the Buffalo Model teachings and to bring auditory processing specialists together cooperatively to best serve our clients. Dr. Donna now serves as an officer on the IGAPS Board of Directors and works with a team of IGAPS leaders teaching other professionals about the Buffalo Model Approach to APD testing and treatment. Dr. Donna is committed to providing you and your family comprehensive care with compassion.
An audiologist since 1996, Dr. Donna received her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science, and her master’s degree in audiology, from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She received her doctorate in audiology degree from Salus University. Dr. Donna began her career at a large university medical center in Chicago, where she worked full time as an audiologist, providing extensive hearing and balance care to individuals of all ages, while maintaining a focus in pediatrics. She developed a specialty in craniofacial disorders as a member of the medical center's interdisciplinary team of professionals caring for children with cleft lip/palate and other genetic syndromes. As faculty, she served in clinical supervisor and academic adviser roles with graduate students. While at the medical center, Dr. Donna was also a clinical researcher, working with a manufacturing company on their development of a newborn hearing screening device.
In 2002, Dr. Donna transitioned to working with pediatric ENT physicians in a large otolaryngology medical practice in the suburbs of Chicago. Next, she accepted a position as an educational audiologist with a regional, non-for-profit, special education agency that partnered with school districts across 10 Illinois counties. As an educational audiologist, Dr. Donna provided hearing care for children from birth through 23 years of age and collaborated with school teams regarding special educational services for students with hearing loss and auditory processing disorders. Dr. Donna resigned from educational audiology in 2016 to work full time at her practice, The Auditory Connection. She is currently licensed to practice audiology in Texas, Illinois, and Iowa. She provides services to families primarily in and around the San Antonio areas. The Auditory Connection expanded and welcomed Dr. Christy Washkowiak, Au.D. to the practice in 2021. Dr. Christy serves families in and around the Chicago areas and suburbs. Meet Dr. Christy on the OUR TEAM page.
Donna and her husband, Levent, are native to Chicago and currently reside near San Antonio. They have been married for 27 years and have two adult daughters, Neyla and Melisa. Neyla works in Illinois and Melisa is a student at Texas A&M University, studying nutrition and dietetics. Levent, Neyla and Melisa each contribute to the success of The Auditory Connection. It takes a TEAM!
An audiologist since 1996, Dr. Donna received her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science, and her master’s degree in audiology, from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She received her doctorate in audiology degree from Salus University. Dr. Donna began her career at a large university medical center in Chicago, where she worked full time as an audiologist, providing extensive hearing and balance care to individuals of all ages, while maintaining a focus in pediatrics. She developed a specialty in craniofacial disorders as a member of the medical center's interdisciplinary team of professionals caring for children with cleft lip/palate and other genetic syndromes. As faculty, she served in clinical supervisor and academic adviser roles with graduate students. While at the medical center, Dr. Donna was also a clinical researcher, working with a manufacturing company on their development of a newborn hearing screening device.
In 2002, Dr. Donna transitioned to working with pediatric ENT physicians in a large otolaryngology medical practice in the suburbs of Chicago. Next, she accepted a position as an educational audiologist with a regional, non-for-profit, special education agency that partnered with school districts across 10 Illinois counties. As an educational audiologist, Dr. Donna provided hearing care for children from birth through 23 years of age and collaborated with school teams regarding special educational services for students with hearing loss and auditory processing disorders. Dr. Donna resigned from educational audiology in 2016 to work full time at her practice, The Auditory Connection. She is currently licensed to practice audiology in Texas, Illinois, and Iowa. She provides services to families primarily in and around the San Antonio areas. The Auditory Connection expanded and welcomed Dr. Christy Washkowiak, Au.D. to the practice in 2021. Dr. Christy serves families in and around the Chicago areas and suburbs. Meet Dr. Christy on the OUR TEAM page.
Donna and her husband, Levent, are native to Chicago and currently reside near San Antonio. They have been married for 27 years and have two adult daughters, Neyla and Melisa. Neyla works in Illinois and Melisa is a student at Texas A&M University, studying nutrition and dietetics. Levent, Neyla and Melisa each contribute to the success of The Auditory Connection. It takes a TEAM!