Ishara Ramkissoon

Dr. Ramkissoon earned her MA in Audiology (1994) and Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science (2005) at the University of Illinois. Her academic teaching and scholarly experiences are extensive; she currently teaches in the graduate AuD and PhD programs at Gallaudet University. Dr. Ramkissoon holds a joint faculty appointment as Honorary Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. At Gallaudet, she directs the Multicultural Research Lab focused on multicultural concerns, environmental issues, aging, auditory assessment, and audiology curricular review. Dr. Ramkissoon collaborates on projects addressing cultural responsiveness in the profession and ethics of international engagement. Her clinical experiences in audiology and speech therapy were attained in community health, hospital, and university clinic setting. Dr. Ramkissoon serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups.

Dr. Ramkissoon's Positionality Statement:

“The life I lead, including the work I do is inevitably influenced by my identity. This identity was shaped by my upbringing in apartheid (segregation) South Africa where it was law to divide people physically by race. I was labeled “non-White” and further designated “Indian” which limited the public services available to me including recreation and education, particularly limited higher education opportunities. However, I grew up hearing about how my parents did not have the opportunity to attend high school and never had the chance for professional careers. This spurred me to study very hard in high school, refuse marriage
proposals at age 16-18 years, and choose instead to compete for coveted spots in the health science departments at the only university that accepted non-Whites. I am deeply committed to supporting students in higher education, particularly women and minorities because of this background. My personality is reflected in my identity of being a woman of color. This means I am driven, resourceful, committed, and strong. My communication is very direct, and my speaking tone reflects a history of colonial English which is sometimes misperceived. My husband and two daughters make my life valuable. In particular, I strive to set a positive example for my daughters as I do for my students. I am fortunate that my identity is multi-ethnic reflecting African, Indian, and American values; I use this awareness to develop understanding of others in my personal and work spaces.”