Nu Hearing Center

Our team at Nu Hearing Center is committed to one common goal, helping residents of our area achieve higher quality of living through better hearing. We focus on your needs and priorities rather than simply trying to “sell” you a hearing aid. We utilize a comprehensive approach toward hearing healthcare, offering a wide range of technologies at the most competitive fees coupled with award-winning service.

Our comprehensive approach includes brain training, a proprietary special system of rehabilitation used to achieve up to 40% increased ability to recognize and process speech over the use of hearing aids alone.

When you need experienced and compassionate treatment, Nu Hearing sets the benchmark for the standard of care. With almost 30 years of experience, you’ll see and hear the difference.

In Business for over 25 Years

We have been helping friends and neighbors in the Tri-Cities area for over 20 years!

Our Goal is to Change Lives

Our goal has always been to enrich the quality of the lives of our patients.

100% Customer Satisfaction

Your 100% satisfaction is our priority. To make sure that you are 100% satisfied with our product and service, you do not pay until you have been fitted with your customized hearing aid, tried it for at least one month and are completely satisfied with our service and your hearing aid!

Qualifications

· Member of the International Hearing Aid Society

· Member of the Tennessee Hearing Aid Society

· Appointed by Governor Bredeson to the Tennessee Counsel of hearing Licensure

· Voted #1 hearing aid center 38 times in the Tri-Cities!

MEET THE TEAM

Craig Haltom, BC HIS President

Craig Haltom founded Nu Hearing Centers in 1993 with offices in Kingsport, Bristol, Johnson City and Greeneville. It has since become recognized as the center for hearing excellence in our area. Craig is Nationally Board Certified, a

veteran of the hearing aid industry with over 25 years of experience, fitting thousands of patients. Craig has a passion for improving the lives of those with hearing loss. Having been appointed by Governor Bredison, he served on the Tennessee Counsel for Licensure for Hearing Instrument Specialists as it’s Chairman. A member of the International Hearing Society and Tennessee Hearing Society and has served as President. He has participated in hundreds of hours of continuing education both domestically and abroad. Craig Haltom founded and serves as a trustee to the Maranantha Foundation who provides hearing aids to the underprivileged.

Julia H. Looney, HIS VP of Operations

Ms. Looney is a licensed specialist and a member of both the International Hearing Society and Tennessee Hearing Society. She is a 28 year veteran of the medical industry with more than 12 years experience in the hearing industry. She brings her extensive experience with disease state management and medication side effects to effectively monitor ototoxicity and hearing decline. Her experience also includes over six years of geriatric and hospice care giving her unique experience with quality-of-life issues and social isolation associated with hearing loss. Her continuing education includes state, national and international accredited hours. Julia Looney is a native of Kingsport where she resides with her two children.

Dr. Heather Kistner, AuD Director of Audiology

Dr. Heather Kistner AuD earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from East Tennessee State University. She completed her Doctoral of Audiology degree at A.T. Still University in August 2006. Dr. Kistner is clinically certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed by the state of Tennessee. She is currently the Director of Audiology for NuHearing Centers. In addition to hearing evaluations and hearing aid fittings, she also specializes in BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). Dr. Kistner has utilized her services as an audiologist to serve as part of a medical missions

team with Body and Soul ministries in Belize. Locally Heather works with Crossroads Medical Missions where she currently serves as a board member. Dr. Kistner lives in Kingsport with her husband, Eric, and son, Cash.

Scott Aitken Hearing Instrument Specialist – HIS

Licensed by the state of Tennessee as a Hearing Instrument Specialist, Scott Aitken has a passion for treating hearing loss. He achieved his education in hearing health care from the International Hearing Society and is a graduate from Full Sail University with a degree in audio engineering. Scott has a passion for improving the quality of life that comes with better hearing and utilizes his 14 years experience as an audio engineer to help patients receive their best hearing potential. His focus is to educate clients about hearing loss and how hearing instruments can assist to restore that loss. When Scott is not busy seeing patients, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 children.

Lindsey Crager HIS Hearing Instrument Specialist

Lindsey is a Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist in the state of Tennessee and a member of the International Hearing Society. She attended Virginia Highlands Community College where she earned a degree in Applied Science and Information Technology, specializing in Medical Office Technology. Lindsey’s passion for helping people is evident in the time and attention to detail she gives. Her goal is understanding each person’s needs and reconnecting them to the sounds they have been missing, ultimately improving their quality of life. She is a proud native of the Bristol area and enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her son Maston.

Lauri Hale Hearing Instruments Specialist

Lauri Hale earned her B.S. in Accounting from Tennessee Technological University and an MBA from East Tennessee State University. She spent six years as CPA and 24.5 years in Pharmaceutical Sales. She recently completed training and became licensed as a Hearing Instrument Specialist. She loves to travel and calls Johnson City home base where she resides with her husband. The couple have two grown sons.

Sandra Blackburn Office & Practice Manager

Sandra is a native of Bristol Tennessee. She has 30 years of experience in the medical industry holding various positions, with the majority of those years being in practice management. She is currently the Office Manager and Practice Manager at Nu Hearing Centers where she has managed for 11 years. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, sports, and spending time with her family.

Carri Front Office/Receptionist

Carri lives in Bristol Tennessee with her husband Lynn, and son Caleb. Carri graduated from Virginia High School in 1996 and earned her Bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Intermont College in 2000. Carri has been a receptionist at Nu Hearing Centers since January 2017. Carri has over 20 years of customer service experience. She has experience as a Supervisor, a Quality Analyst, and in Workforce Management. Carri is an active member of Friendship Freewill Baptist Church and Water’n Hope Youth Ministries. She loves to read, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. Carri is passionate about helping others and is proud to be a part of the Nu Hearing team.

Erica

Erica is a Greeneville native and has over 15 years of customer service experience with 6 years being in the medical field. She is currently enrolled at

Tusculum University where she is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. In her spare time, she enjoys watching football, crafting, swimming, and spending time with her husband and two daughters. Erica is very passionate about helping others and she is very proud to be a part of the Nu Hearing team.

April

April lives in Bluff City Tennessee with her husband Brandon and daughter Emma. She graduated from Sullivan East high school in 2011 and earned a degree in early childhood and special education from Northeast State community college. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, sports, and spending time with her daughter Emma and husband Brandon. April enjoys helping others and is proud to be part of the Nu Hearing Team.

Karen

Karen lives in Johnson City Tennessee with her husband. She has over 18 years experience in the medical field ranging from office manager to financial coordinator. Working with patients and helping them get the care he needed is one of the many aspects of her job she loves. In her free time she enjoys traveling to new places and spending quality time with her family.