About Us

This website is the brainchild of audiologist Juliëtte Sterkens & LeRoy “Max” Maxfield. We live in Oshkosh, WI. We started doing hearing loop installations in 2009 to make the Fox Valley more accessible with the use of hearing loops. At this time, we no longer do hearing loop installations as our focus is now on hearing loop advocacy and public speaking in the state/around the country. This takes up a lot of our time. We are happy, however, to answer any questions you may have about hearing loops. 

Dr. Juliëtte Sterkens, who moved here from the Netherlands in 1981 after her marriage, practiced as an audiologist in the Fox Valley for nearly 30 years. She is a licensed Dutch speech therapist, holds a Master’s degree from UW-Oshkosh in Audiology and obtained her Doctorate in Audiology (AuD Degree) from AT Still University.
For a copy of an up-to-date CV click CV-Vita  

She retired from Fox Valley Hearing Center in 2013 and she left the practice in the caring and competent hands of audiologist Dr. Candy McGinnis.  

Thanks to a grant from the David and Carol Family Foundation, Dr. Sterkens was named the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Hearing Loop Advocate. She now travels around the country to increase awareness about hearing loss, and the need for an increase in the use of hearing loops to improve hearing accessibility.

For her efforts she has received several awards: 

•  University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association
    Distinguished Alumni Award 2015

•  Arizona School of Health Sciences – Humanitarian of the Year Award 2013 

•  Academy of Doctors of Audiology – Leo Doerfler Award 2013

•  Wisconsin Speech, Language and Audiology Association
    Audiologist of the Year 2011

•  Larry Mauldin Award 2011

•  American Academy of Audiology – Presidential Award 2011

•  Hearing Loss Association of America – Technology Access Award 2011

“We are ardent advocates for affordable installation of hearing loops in every church & public meeting place in the Fox Valley, Wisconsin and beyond to allow persons who use hearing aids and cochlear implants to hear clearly.”

LeRoy “Max” Maxfield obtained a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point (USMA) in 1969. After serving in the US Army Signal Corps he returned to civilian life and earned a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He is retired from Oshkosh Corporation after 27 years in Test & Development. Max has received great personal satisfaction from designing and installing hearing loops and hearing the positive responses from those who were helped.  At this time he no longer installs hearing loops as his focus is helping his wife Juliette advocate for hearing loops around the country.



They have made Oshkosh, WI their home since 1981 and have two children Joëlle and Lars.

Our Vision

That the Fox Valley becomes a model community where hearing aid users can take maximum advantage of assistive listening systems such as hearing loops.


The great news? Hearing Loops are happening in Wisconsin.
Several facilities are making the “hearing loop plunge” every week. 

For a list of hearing loops in WI see this list