A: My name is Dustin Giannelli, and I am the CEO and founder of HearsDustin LLC, based in Boston, Mass. At the age of five, I started wearing hearing aids after the school nurse identified my profound hearing loss. Growing up, I didn't let my hearing loss define me — I was an active athlete who played basketball, football, baseball, and soccer and a great student in the classroom.
My passion for communication and accessibility stems from my personal experiences. I have a background in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship with a degree from the University of New Hampshire, which eventually led me to launch my personal brand, HearsDustin, in January 2023.
As a public speaker, consultant and disability advocate, I share my stories, experiences and resources to help organizations understand the importance of communication, accessibility, disability inclusion and mental health in the workplace. I've had the honor of speaking at renowned companies and institutions like Converse, Ralph Lauren, HubSpot, NBCUniversal, Princeton University, the University of Michigan and many more.
A: Today, my mission is to shine a light on the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and to help organizations create inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. I'm passionate about using my experiences to inspire and educate others, fostering a world where communication barriers are broken down and everyone has the opportunity to succeed with a positive mental attitude!
A: Growing up with profound bilateral hearing loss presented several key challenges, each shaping my perspective and resilience. One of the primary challenges was communication. Despite wearing hearing aids since childhood, I often struggled to keep up with conversations, especially in noisy environments like classrooms and sports fields. This sometimes led to feelings of isolation and even depression.
Academically, I needed certain accommodations that helped me succeed. But even with the support of hearing aids and other accommodations, following along in class and participating fully in discussions required immense concentration and effort. I had to develop strong self-advocacy skills early on, ensuring that teachers understood my needs and that I had access to the necessary resources. Although this was fatiguing at times, it was vital.
When it came to sports, whether it was communicating with teammates on the basketball court or following instructions on the soccer field, I had to find creative ways to stay engaged and effective. This often meant relying on visual cues, lip-reading, and building strong, clear communication channels with coaches and teammates.
Despite these challenges, they taught me valuable lessons in perseverance, adaptability, and the importance of effective communication. These experiences have driven my passion for advocating for accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that others facing similar challenges can find support and understanding in their communities and workplaces.
A: My journey to becoming a motivational speaker was deeply influenced by my personal experiences and the people I've encountered along the way. One pivotal moment was the unexpected passing of my father just after my freshman year of college. My dad was one of my best friends and greatest supporters, and losing him was incredibly challenging. However, this profound loss also fueled my determination to make a meaningful impact on the world and talk about it. I was also inspired by my late grandfather, who was a double amputee that wore a right hook and a left wooden leg. Not only did he introduce me to “disability”, he taught me how to advocate for myself and others and not to take “no” for an answer.
Overcoming these obstacles taught me resilience and the importance of advocating for myself and others in similar situations. Ultimately, my inspiration comes from a desire to make a difference and to ensure that others do not face the same barriers I did. By sharing my story and advocating for change, I hope to empower individuals and organizations to embrace inclusivity and create a world where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
A: After speaking at Converse’s headquarters in Boston, I received a standing ovation from the crowd. Shortly after, Converse employees approached me to say thank you and relate to my story. One woman came up to me visibly emotional. She said, “I stopped wearing hearing aids in the fifth grade and have been doing everything in my power to just get by. Your speech finally helped me be seen and heard, and I’m more motivated now than ever to be a better self advocate.”
After keeping in touch, this employee ended up making an appointment with an audiologist to get hearing aids again after more than 15 years.
A: HearsDustin promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace by sharing personal stories, new technology and practical strategies through engaging talks and engaging workshops. We collaborate with organizations to create tailored solutions that enhance communication and accessibility, fostering inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. Our mission is to raise awareness, inspire action and drive meaningful change in workplaces and communities.
A: If they haven’t started their accessibility journey, my advice would be to get started. If they have started, my advice would be to keep going. Accessibility is a journey with no finish line. We all need to understand that the key to success in life is communication and the key to communication is access.
It is important to start with empathy and active listening. Understand the unique needs of people with disabilities by engaging in open conversations and seeking their input. Invest in accessible technologies and tools that can help bridge communication gaps. Provide training for your team to ensure everyone is aware of and committed to best practices in accessibility and inclusion. And finally, continuously evaluate and adopt new strategies and solutions.
InnoCaption provides real-time captioning technology making phone calls easy and accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Offered at no cost to individuals with hearing loss because we are certified by the FCC. InnoCaption is the only mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through live stenographers and automated speech recognition software. The choice is yours.
InnoCaption proporciona tecnología de subtitulado en tiempo real que hace que las llamadas telefónicas sean fáciles y accesibles para la comunidad de personas sordas y con problemas de audición. Se ofrece sin coste alguno para las personas con pérdida auditiva porque estamos certificados por la FCC. InnoCaption es la única aplicación móvil que ofrece subtitulación en tiempo real de llamadas telefónicas mediante taquígrafos en directo y software de reconocimiento automático del habla. Usted elige.
