Our Leadership Team

Ross Cushing, Au.D. is the Chief Executive Officer at Live Better Hearing + Balance. His primary responsibility is to keep the practice focused on what’s important: a positive and effective patient experience. This means ensuring that the administrative and clinical team members have access to the tools they need to provide the best patient outcomes – it also means that the team members have a supportive environment in which to work, and educational opportunities to stay on the cutting-edge.

With over 15 years of experience as an audiologist and as a manger and officer of the company, Dr. Cushing believes that it is only through a combination of kindness and competency that we can achieve success with our practice and our patients.

In his spare time, Dr. Cushing enjoys spending time with his family, honing his novice chess skills, listening to classical music, watching comedy, and exercising.

Education/Training

• B.A in Classical Languages and Communication Disorders and Sciences from the University of New Hampshire
• M.A. in Communication Sciences
• Au.D. in Audiology from the University at Buffalo
• Licenses & Certifications
• Maryland Audiology License

Specialty Areas

• Practice management
• Adult diagnostics
• Hearing aid evaluations and fittings

Quote

“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

Matthew Higgins serves as Live Better Hearing’s Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and general management of the company, including oversight of the patient experience and business operations. As one of the architects of the company’s guiding principles, Mr. Higgins seeks to ensure that Live Better Hearing continues to maintain its core purpose of enhancing the lives of its patients, employees, and the communities in which it does business. In short, he ensures the company remains focused on helping people live better lives.

Prior to joining Live Better Hearing, Mr. Higgins had over 15 years’ progressive leadership experience including sales, marketing, operations, and financial management.

Mr. Higgins graduated Summa Cum Laude and earned degrees in Organizational Leadership and Business Administration from Southern NH University, and his MBA from William & Mary.

In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking, playing tennis, and building forts in his living room with his two children.

Education/Training

• MBA at William & Mary
• B.S. in Business Administration & Organizational Leadership at Southern NH University
• Licenses & Certifications
• American College of Healthcare Executives
• Society for Human Resource Management
• Medical Group Management Association

Quote

“Do not be fooled by commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what’s outside, but what’s inside that counts.” – Aladdin

Greg Maffett is the Senior Patient Care Manager at Live Better Hearing. He was born in San Bernadino, California, but has lived in Maryland since 1993. His background in healthcare customer service, in both radiology and audiology, provides him with the skills he uses when managing patient care across all LBH clinics.

Greg is highly team-oriented; he enjoys collaborating with others to effectively provide exceptional care to all patients. His driving motivation is “seeing our vision come to fruition and helping our patients improve their quality of life.”

When he’s not at the office, Greg is a licensed minister and a proud husband and father. He loves cooking and trying out new recipes and tools in the kitchen. He is also passionate about art; he loves writing songs and poems and showing off his musical skills in his free time.

Provider At

• Fredericksburg, VA

Quote

“We can’t change the world unless change ourselves”

Lauren Bradshaw is the Practice Administrator for Live Better Hearing. She is from Silver Spring, Maryland and she earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland in College Park.

Lauren skillfully handles administrative tasks for many different facets within Live Better Hearing, such as provider credentialing, employee payroll, and insurance billing. Experience in so many different roles has made Lauren an expert in business procedures and protocols, which makes her a valuable resource for providers and staff. She greatly values teamwork and collaboration, and is always eager to help wherever she can.

Lauren’s love of working with a team doesn’t stop after she leaves the office, as she enjoys playing softball and volleyball for local clubs. She also finds time to relax at home by crafting, and particularly enjoys making wreaths.

Sarah Jackson is the Patient Experience Coach at Live Better Hearing, where she has been employed since July 2014. Sarah’s primary focus is consistent, effective training and development of employees in support of providing a world-class patient experience. She oversees all training and on-boarding of new staff, as well as coaching current administrative employees.

Her experience, education, and passion for language and communication have equipped her with the skills that she enjoys applying in the pursuit of providing excellent service to patients. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Frostburg State University and is currently in the process of attaining her Master of Arts degree in Publishing at George Washington University.

In her free time, Sarah finds relaxation in reading, writing, and painting. She also likes to stay active by hiking and playing with her dog, Pippin.

Provider At

• Frederick, MD

Brenda Harper is the Insurance manager at Live Better Hearing + Balance. She has been with our company since February 2007. Brenda has a fantastic work ethic and prides herself on getting insurance claims processed quickly and effectively. Outside of work, Brenda enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and the rest of her family. Brenda always has a funny story to tell or a good new song she’s discovered.

Edna Bradshaw is the bookkeeper for Live Better Hearing. She was born and raised in Washington, DC, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, which she earned at the University of Maryland in College Park. Before working for Live Better Hearing, she was a part-time bookkeeper at a nursing agency.

Edna is a detail-oriented perfectionist, which makes her a perfect fit for her role. A dedicated, analytical, behind-the-scenes clerk, her favorite part of her job is being able to diagnose and correct errors.

Edna has four successful, intelligent children of whom she is very proud. When she isn’t bookkeeping for LBH, she can be found enjoying crafts such as sewing, knitting, and crocheting, as well as scoring the winning point in pickleball.

Michelle Hazel is the Billing and Credentialing Analyst for Live Better Hearing. She is originally from Long Branch, New Jersey on the Jersey Shore. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey), and has worked in the billing department for an audiology clinic for more than fifteen years.

Michelle’s goal at work is to assist patients in utilizing their insurance benefits to improve their hearing health. For her, seeing how happy people are after receiving exceptional care at her office is the most rewarding part of her job.

Michelle spends her free time gardening perennials and herbs, cooking healthy meals for her family, and not so secretly, indulging in reality television shows. She feels immense pride in her daughters, who are amazing, hardworking teachers.