The Hearing Clinic – Plantation Road, Blacksburg

Dr. Richard Harrell, founder of The Hearing Clinic and coauthor of the original protocol for universal infant hearing screening in Virginia, is deeply passionate about audiology. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s from Radford University, with an internship at North Carolina Baptist Hospital, and holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. With experience as an audiology professor in New York and academic research interests including vestibular evaluations and hearing aid technology, Dr. Harrell is a sought-after speaker and a contributing author to the Handbook of Clinical Audiology’s fifth edition. He takes great pride in helping others through exceptional hearing care.

An audiologist for more than 30 years, South Carolina native Dr. Kelly Long brings extensive experience to The Hearing Clinic. She holds an audiology doctorate from the Arizona School of Health Sciences, a master’s in audiology from the University of South Carolina, and a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders from Columbia College. Dr. Long served as president of the South Carolina Academy of Audiology and was appointed to the state’s Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, serving on the speech pathology/audiology board. She has worked in ENT and private-practice clinics and at McEntire Air Force Base. She loves collaborating with patients to improve their quality of life.

Dr. Megan Avey, a dedicated audiologist at The Hearing Clinic, earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa and her Doctor of Audiology from Purdue University. She completed her externship at the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. Before joining our expert team, she practiced in private ENT and otology clinics in Indiana, Massachusetts, and Texas. Her professional interests include vestibular evaluation, pediatric diagnostics, and hearing aid dispensing. An Iowa native, Dr. Avey and her husband enjoy cheering the Hawkeyes with their beloved beagle, Buckley.

Dedicated provider Jeff Akers earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Radford University. His first audiology position was in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he worked with both otolaryngologists and rehabilitation centers. In 2000, he joined The Hearing Clinic as director of audiology for the office at Lewis-Gale Clinic in Salem. His interests include performing vestibular evaluation for patients with dizziness and vertigo, as well as providing advanced hearing aid technology to those with hearing loss. A native of Floyd County, Jeff has enjoyed his return to the mountains of southwest Virginia. He loves golfing and horseback riding, and he’s an accomplished third-generation stone mason.