John Demma
President
John Demma, President of HearingLife, is a servant leader dedicated to supporting our providers and office teams, in partnership with our Senior Leadership Team, fostering an environment where growth and excellence thrive.
John has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in consumer healthcare, multi-unit management and greenfield expansions. Prior to joining HearingLife, he served as the Chief Operating Officer at Lightwave Dental, the largest dental leadership organization in the Mid-Atlantic, where he supported all operations, including field operations, insurance and revenue cycle management, marketing, talent acquisition, and events. Prior to Lightwave Dental, John held various senior leadership roles at National Veterinary Associates, Mattress Firm, and Sleepy’s.
During his professional tenure, John has spearheaded major growth initiatives while nurturing a culture of collaboration, transparency, and excellence. As President of HearingLife, John continues to focus on enhancing our company’s strong culture of teamwork and delivering best-in-class experiences for our Team Members and Patients. As a servant leader, John is committed to cultivating an atmosphere where every HearingLife Team Member feels empowered and inspired to contribute to shaping our Vision to help more people hear better.
Leslie Soiles
Chief Audiologist
Dr. Leslie Soiles earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from A.T. Still University Arizona School of Health Sciences in 2006; her Master of Science degree in Audiology from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1985; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Worcester State University in 1982.
She founded HearingLife's Shrewsbury office (formerly New England Hearing Instruments) in 2006. In 2012, Dr. Soiles became the Lead Audiologist of HearingLife Shrewsbury. As a Doctor of Audiology, she previously worked with various ear, nose and throat (ENT) physicians for the first 20 years of her career.
In 2018, Leslie received the distinguished honor of being appointed to the role of Chief Audiologist for both HearingLife and the National Campaign for Better Hearing program in the U.S. As Chief Audiologist, she trains and mentors hearing care providers, staff and people with hearing loss across the United States. She has also spoken extensively on hearing loss to various media outlets.
Dr. Soiles has won numerous awards for her professional achievements, including:
- Recipient of HearingLife's President's Club award (2018 and 2019)
- The American Academy of Audiology Scholar Award (2014)
- An Award for Continuing Education from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2014)
- The President's Award from the American Hearing Aid Associates (2012)
- Center of Excellence Award from the American Hearing Aid Associates (2009)
Leslie was born with hearing loss and utilizes amplification. Her Patients find her unique insights regarding life with hearing aids to be a valuable resource. This personal experience with hearing loss, coupled with her professional experience, inspired her to create a different kind of hearing services practice. Dr. Soiles believes that an informed decision makes for a stronger decision. That's why she provides Patients with detailed information and education relating to hearing loss, as well as their treatment options.
Outside the office, Leslie loves cooking and sharing her wonderfully prepared meals with friends and family.
Steve Strong
Chief Sales Officer
Steve Strong, Chief Sales Officer, heads the Field Leadership Team to deliver a consistent Patient experience and superior hearing healthcare across all clinic locations. In partnership with the Senior Leadership Team, Steve provides strategic direction that helps achieve HearingLife’s vision of helping more people hear better. Steve is proud to be a servant leader to those providing care for HearingLife’s Customers.
Before joining HearingLife, Steve was Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations at Visionworks. In this role, Steve led the development of the national brand from a collection of regional chain stores through organic growth. While at T-Mobile, Steve served as the Regional Vice President and led the change management effort to convert from an operational model to a Customer services/sales-focused culture for the company. Prior to this, Steve was Senior Vice President of Stores for Zales Jewelers, one of the country’s largest jewelers.
Steve enjoys traveling with his family, endurance cycling and all things sports related.
Christina Atkinson-Gunn
Chief Marketing Officer
Christina Atkinson-Gunn is Chief Marketing Officer for HearingLife, leading the company’s nationwide marketing efforts. She joined HearingLife in 2025 after working at HearingLife Canada as Vice President, Marketing & Strategic Partnerships. She has been with the Demant Group since 2009.
Christina is a member of the Audika Global Marketing Board and Strategic Marketing Group, where she collaborates with other marketing leaders to drive global strategy.
In her role as Chief Marketing Officer, she works to harmonize HearingLife’s marketing strategies with global efforts, while driving improved results in the unique United States market.
"At HearingLife, I am privileged to pursue my passion by leading and nurturing dynamic teams, forging robust cross-functional partnerships, and collaborating closely with global counterparts. This role allows me to make a meaningful impact by helping more people experience the gift of better hearing. It is both profoundly fulfilling and immensely rewarding," says Christina.
Christina is passionate about improving results and fostering a great team environment and she looks forward to HearingLife’s future growth. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling, eating spicy food and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Sam Khan
Chief Growth Officer
As Chief Growth Officer at HearingLife, Sam Khan leads the company’s national expansion strategy, overseeing clinic development, business acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. His team is focused on identifying growth opportunities that help bring life-changing hearing care to more people across the country.
With over 15 years of experience in growing businesses across the telecom, retail, and healthcare industries, Sam has successfully opened and acquired hundreds of locations throughout his career. Of all these sectors, he finds hearing healthcare to be the most rewarding.
“I’ve had a lot of fun building stores and buying businesses, but I truly believe in HearingLife’s mission of helping more people hear better,” says Sam. “I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing impact that better hearing can have.”
A people-first leader, Sam is passionate about creating high-performing teams and fostering a culture of engagement and purpose. At HearingLife, he is focused on initiatives that enhance employee experience and strengthen the legacy of the providers the company partners within local communities.
Sam believes that a positive attitude and the mindset that “anything is possible” are key to personal and professional success. Outside of work, he enjoys discovering new foods, listening to music, and spending quality time with his family.
Victor Kiplev Nilsson
Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations
Victor Kiplev Nilsson was promoted to Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations, as of December 2024. Victor further serves as HearingLife’s Chief Compliance Officer. Victor's dedication, expertise and deep understanding of our mission make him the perfect fit for this expanded role. Victor oversees and supports finance, compliance and loss prevention, analytics, business process support and IT.
Victor has been with HearingLife since 2019 and the Demant Group since 2015, most recently as VP of IT for HearingLife; and also previously led business development around innovation and digital business models for Audika Group, as well as spending time with Audika Sweden.
Victor is passionate about leading people, complexity and broad collaboration of diverse teams and skill sets and ensuring that the foundation for the company is solidly in place, so the company can achieve its business goals. In his expanded role, he will build on this foundation to help maintain momentum and enhance collaboration across the senior leadership team and global organization.
In his free time, Victor enjoys culinary experiences with his wife, family and friends. He also enjoys being active and watching soccer.
