Tani Austin, Co-Chair of The Rocket Fund and Board Member, sat down with the Foundation to discuss her lifelong passion for philanthropy, why the Foundation’s mission has been such a meaningful part of her life for more than two decades, and why The Rocket Fund’s work is more urgent than ever. Her words are a call to action for all of us: to give what we can, follow our hearts, and stand with communities to create a healthier future.
You’ve been a champion of the Foundation for more than two decades - what first inspired you and Bill to get involved?
Bill and I are committed to purpose-driven lives and philanthropy that makes a meaningful impact. We are committed to helping those who need it most, just like Elton. Elton and David are such an inspiration to us.
Elton spreads love and kindness wherever he goes, which is an important trait that brings hope to us all. The Foundation is a key part of his legacy, and working to leave the world better than we found it is something we share with Elton and David, and in our philanthropic work around the world.
The Foundation has always been a powerful force – being part of the Elton John AIDS Foundation community allows you to truly make a difference.
As you know, our mission remains urgent - why should others consider stepping up and supporting The Rocket Fund now?
Elton and David have worked for decades – this is their lives' work, and we can all come together to support them and The Rocket Fund, driving real change when we need it most. It is inspirational the way the Foundation is paving the way for brighter futures for the next generation of leaders – they are investing in young people across the globe to ensure they have the tools and support to thrive. Young people are the future—they are our future!
The Foundation allocates 89% of all funds raised to their lifesaving programming—highly effective, and remarkable in what the Foundation achieves. I know that our support of The Rocket Fund is truly reaching those who need it most.
What would you say to those who are passionate about helping others, though unsure how best to get involved?
Your passion is the first step in igniting change and making a difference—and there are so many ways to get involved. You can be a philanthropist at any giving level! Follow your heart and be open to listening, learning, and leading by example.
I would recommend everyone find an organization whose work inspires you and speaks to you on a deep, meaningful level. Find an organization that feels like a family to you. I am inspired everyday by the lives touched through the work of the Starkey Hearing Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, being involved with a worthy mission fills my heart with joy!
Expand to learn more about Tani
Tani Austin, Vice Chair at Starkey, has served the hearing healthcare industry for more than 35 years. She maintained her own hearing aid practice for 10 years and served as the Illinois Department of Public Health Practicum Examiner for licensure of hearing aid dispensers. She was also Secretary of the Illinois Hearing Society and on the National Board of Certification in Hearing Sciences.
She has a deep-rooted passion for helping those in need, and for her, that starts with giving everyone education and access to hearing healthcare. Named Female Philanthropist of the Year and honored at the First Ladies Summit at the UN General Assembly in 2015, Tani has volunteered much of her time over the years to Starkey Hearing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity. The Foundation is the world’s largest hearing healthcare charity and has touched the lives of individuals in more than 100 countries around the world.
Tani and her husband, Bill Austin, Owner and Chairman of Starkey, have traveled with the Foundation on countless hearing mission trips. Their relentless efforts have helped it become a global force in empowering local communities to develop simple, scalable, and sustainable community-based hearing healthcare systems in more than 70 countries to date.
The Foundation opened Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia to help meet the growing need for more hearing healthcare professionals in Africa. The Institute provides year-long, accredited, professional ear and hearing health education, including hands-on training in direct care delivery.
With the 2021 launch of Starkey’s corporate social responsibility program, Starkey Cares, Tani continues her commitment to helping communities in need receive invaluable hearing health resources. Through a partnership with Special Olympics International, Starkey Cares is assisting thousands of athletes with disabilities around the world receive hearing health resources they may not have access to otherwise.
Tani serves as co-chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Rocket Fund, an advisory board member for the PACER Center, and a trustee for the Kenya-based Beth Mugo Cancer
Foundation. In recognition of her impressive work, Tani Austin was named a 2023 Women in Business honoree by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal.
