Linnaea Mallette has been featured in UCLA Today, UCLA Spotlight, and honored with a nomination for the Chancellor’s True Bruin award for her service to the UCLA research community. She was a District Governor for Toastmasters International in 2003-04 and received awards for her leadership successes. Linnaea is a professional speaker and author and is the recipient of the Oticon Focus on People Award given to twelve individuals nationwide who defy stereotypes about being hearing impaired. Linnaea demonstrates that no disability or adversity defeats those who are determined to accomplish and achieve.

Linnaea’s brother, Steve, shares about his sister:

It was natural to worry when a childhood illness robbed my little sister of a significant portion of her hearing. Would she be able to cope with what seemed to be a crushing disability? What would her life be like?

Just fine, as it has turned out!

Linnaea’s ever-growing list of personal and professional accomplishments has led me to question the relevance of a “disability” with respect to a meaningful, successful, happy life.

I have watched with awe and admiration as Linnaea has achieved success upon success in her professional life as a leader in developing distance-learning materials and programs at UCLA; has risen to the highest levels of public speaking in the Toastmasters organization; has written and delivered sermons that touch congregations at the deepest levels; help people celebrate and commemorate the lives of family and friends at services marking moments of transition.

I believe Linnaea’s early “disability” has led to a life filled with compassionate understanding and empathy for others along with a burning desire to achieve whatever goals she sets her sights on.

There was no need to worry.

Meet Linnaea in her words:

I joined the largest minority population (individuals with a disability) when I was just four years old. I was on the overstuffed living room sofa. My older brother was continuously pulling the blankets I kept kicking away back over me. My mom was kneeling beside me, one hand on my head, the other holding the thermometer trying to read what my temperature was. Suddenly, I felt her hand tremble and heard the alarm in her voice, “Your sister has a fever of 106 degrees!” A subsequent visit to the Children’s Hospital confirmed my mother’s worst fear; the 106 degrees fever had sheared nearly two thirds of my hearing.

The loss is in the high frequencies. I cannot hear the last octave of a piano. I don’t hear crickets. I don’t hear birds (well, I do hear crows, parrots and cranky sea gulls); I do not hear the beeps and rings of modern day phones and alarm clocks. I respond better to fog horns and cow bells. I used to have a “sonic boom” alarm clock that would send my cats and husband fleeing the bed like speeding bullets.

Because I don’t hear “s”, “sh,” “ch,” and “t” – I hear speech as chunks of sound. I carve meaning out of those chunks by the content of a conversation. It’s sort of like when you meet someone with a very strong accent. You work hard to understand what they are saying, but once you realize they are talking to you about Disneyland, you are magically able to understand. That is how I comprehend language.

I am often asked how I am able to function so well despite having such a severe hearing disability. Many of the tools and strategies that were most beneficial to me are captured in my book, Read My Lips Tips for Success.

Probably the most significant step I took was to join the worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to effective speaking and leading, Toastmasters International. Conquering the fear of public speaking not only gave me confidence and increased my self esteem; it made it possible for me to share my experience with others. I believe I have a message that can help others deal with adversity, embrace successes every day, and create a life they love to live….beginning NOW.

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