ERIC SANDLER, SC. D.
Director of Audiological Services | Owner
Dr. Eric Sandler is Director of Audiological Services and co-owner of The Hearing Center, where he provides comprehensive hearing care for children and adults, including patients with complex hearing needs. He is a licensed audiologist in the State of New Jersey (License #722) and has been practicing audiology since 2007.
Dr. Sandler graduated from Rutgers College in 2002 and earned his Doctorate of Science in Audiology from Montclair State University in 2007. His doctoral research focused on patient satisfaction and the perceived value of hearing aids, an interest that continues to shape his patient-centered approach to hearing care. He joined The Hearing Center in 2007 and became co-owner of the practice in 2010.
With extensive experience in diagnostic audiology, hearing technology, and cochlear implants, Dr. Sandler helps patients navigate hearing challenges ranging from routine hearing concerns to more complex audiological cases. Through The Hearing Center’s Cochlear Implant Center, he works with cochlear implant patients throughout the evaluation and management process.
Dr. Sandler also has a special interest in music audiology and works with professional musicians and entertainers to help them protect and preserve their hearing while meeting the unique demands of performing and working in the music industry.
Education and mentorship are also important parts of his work. Dr. Sandler co-directs The Hearing Center’s student mentoring program, supervising doctoral-level audiology students as they develop their clinical skills. He has served as an adjunct professor in the Audiology Department at Montclair State University and currently serves as adjunct faculty at Kean University.
Professionally, Dr. Sandler is a member of the American Academy of Audiology, the New Jersey Academy of Audiology, and the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NJSHA), where he serves as Chair of the Audiology Committee. He has presented on hearing-related topics at community events as well as state, national, and international professional conferences.
Dr. Sandler has been recognized by NJ Family as a Favorite Kids’ Doc in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023.
Beyond the clinic, Dr. Sandler co-hosts the Hear Us Out podcast with Dr. Michelle Schechter. Through conversations with musicians, performers, audio professionals, scientists, physicians, audiologists, and other notable guests, they explore the many ways sound and hearing shape the human experience.
Audiology is also a family tradition for Dr. Sandler: he is proud to represent the third generation of his family to work in the field. He lives locally with his wife and three children and, when he isn't seeing patients, enjoys playing guitar and attending concerts.
ANNE MICHELLE PUGLISI, AU. D.
Clinical Audiologist
Dr. Anne Michele Puglisi received her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree in 2005 from the School of Audiology at Salus University. She also holds a Master of Science in Audiology from Gallaudet University and a Bachelor of Science in Deaf Education from The College of New Jersey.
Her clinical experience includes work in outpatient rehabilitative hospitals and independent private practices, with a strong emphasis on patient-centered care. Dr. Puglisi has a particular interest in aural rehabilitation and spent seven years leading The Hearing Society, a community support and education group for older adults with hearing loss, where she coordinated educational content, communication practice, and peer support.
In addition to maintaining clinic hours at The Hearing Center, Dr. Puglisi, she is currently an adjunct faculty member at Montclair State University, where she teaches Adult Aural Rehabilitation. Dr. Puglisi also previously served as the Director of Hearing Health Coaching at Amptify, a digital aural rehabilitation program developed by clEAR, Inc.
Dr. Puglisi holds New Jersey licenses in both Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and she is proficient in conversational sign language.
SAMANTHA GREENFIELD AU.D.
Clinical Audiologist
Dr. Samantha Greenfield earned her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from Montclair State University in 2018. She has extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders across both adult and pediatric populations.
Dr. Greenfield completed her fourth-year clinical residency at Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Audiology and Hearing Aid Associates. Earlier in her training, she completed a semester-long clinical internship at The Hearing Center.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Public Health from Muhlenberg College. In recognition of her academic excellence and leadership, she was inducted into the Honor Society for Graduate and Professional School Students in 2016.
In 2022, Dr. Greenfield was recognized as one of NJFamily.com’s Favorite Kids’ Docs for her outstanding care in pediatric audiology.
Outside of her clinical work, Dr. Greenfield enjoys hiking, reading, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Michelle Schechter AU.D.
Clinical Audiologist
Dr. Michelle Schechter earned her Doctorate in Audiology from Montclair State University in May 2022. Many patients may recognize her from her clinical internship at The Hearing Center from 2020–2021 and her fourth-year externship during the 2021–2022 academic year.
Dr. Schechter has experience working with patients across the lifespan, from pediatric to geriatric populations. Her clinical expertise includes diagnostic testing, hearing aids, and cochlear implants. She has a particular interest in Auditory Processing evaluations and completed a master course on the Buffalo Model for Auditory Processing Disorders.
Dr. Schechter has presented her work at both the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association (NJSHA) conference in 2023 and 2026 as well as the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) conference in 2024.
Prior to pursuing her doctoral degree in audiology, Dr. Schechter earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Art History from Rutgers University in 2018. While at Rutgers, she received the SAS Excellence Award and was inducted into both the Psi Chi Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa.
Outside of her clinical work, Dr. Schechter enjoys playing piano and guitar and teaching fitness classes. She is also the co-host of Hear Us Out, a podcast with Dr. Eric Sandler that explores the fascinating ways that sound and hearing shape the human experience.
ALEXIS ROONEY, AU.D.
Clinical Audiologist
We are excited to welcome Dr. Alexis Rooney, AuD, CCC-A, NJHAD, back to The Hearing Center. Dr. Rooney earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from Salus University in 2017 and previously spent nearly five years as a full-time audiologist with our practice. She later joined Montclair State University as a full-time clinical preceptor, where she supervises graduate audiology students during their on-campus clinical experiences and facilitates the Diagnostic I and Auditory Processing Lab.
Dr. Rooney returns to The Hearing Center with a primary focus on one of her specialty areas: auditory processing evaluation and management. In addition to comprehensive auditory processing evaluations, she will expand our services by providing auditory therapy specifically designed for individuals with auditory processing deficits, allowing patients and families to receive both diagnostic and ongoing management services through our practice.
Along with her work in auditory processing, Dr. Rooney provides comprehensive hearing evaluations for patients across the lifespan, from pediatrics through geriatrics, as well as hearing aid checks and follow-up care.
Dr. Rooney has also developed a strong interest in research and evidence-based clinical practice. She has contributed to three publications, including two examining speech-in-noise perception and patient outcomes and another exploring auditory processing deficits in individuals with traumatic brain injury. In 2024, she presented with colleagues at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention on challenge-based learning.
Dr. Rooney is excited to return to The Hearing Center, reconnect with patients and families, and continue advancing the practice’s services in auditory processing assessment, therapy, and individualized hearing care.
Meet Our Founders
JUDITH SANDLER, AUD
Co-Founder, The Hearing Center
Dr. Judith Sandler is the co-founder of The Hearing Center, which she established in 1986 with a commitment to providing comprehensive, patient-centered audiological care. After nearly four decades of service to patients and families, Dr. Sandler is now retired from clinical practice and is no longer actively seeing patients.
Her vision remains an important part of The Hearing Center’s approach: combining clinical expertise with compassionate, personalized care for every patient and family we serve.
MEREDITH ROTHENBERG, AUD
Co-Founder, The Hearing Center
Dr. Meredith Rothenberg is the co-founder of The Hearing Center, which she established in 1986 with a commitment to providing comprehensive, patient-centered audiological care. After nearly four decades of service to patients and families, Dr. Rothenberg is now retired from clinical practice and is no longer actively seeing patients.
Her vision remains an important part of The Hearing Center’s approach: combining clinical expertise with compassionate, personalized care for every patient and family we serve.