About Us
Meet your hearing team in Grass Valley, Rocklin, Sacramento, Lodi, El Dorado Hills, Redding, Antioch.
Our Story
Gold Country Hearing& Balance has had the privilege of helping thousands of Northern California residents rediscover the joy of sound for more than fifteen years. Founded by Dr. Kimberly Bonney, Au.D., with a vision to bring exceptional audiology care to the Gold Country region, our practice has grown to seven thriving centers across Northern California.
Superior Knowledge, Superior Care
We believe better hearing leads to a better life. Our Doctors of Audiology combine advanced diagnostic technology with compassionate, personalized care to support each patient on their unique journey to better hearing.
Our methodical approach to hearing care, a comprehensive process of best practices that ensures exceptional outcomes for our patients, sets us apart from others. This proven methodology guides everything we do, from your initial consultation through ongoing care.
Our Approach
At Gold Country Hearing & Balance, our mission is to maximize the hearing health and quality of life of our patients and their families and provide the highest level of patient satisfaction through exceptional patient care, cutting-edge technology, expertise, integrity, and genuine concern.
When you visit any Gold Country Hearing & Balance location, you can expect:
- Comprehensive evaluation using state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment
- Personalized solutions tailored to your specific hearing needs, lifestyle, and preferences
- Expert guidance from experienced Doctors of Audiology and Hearing Care Specialists
- Ongoing support to ensure your continued satisfaction and success
- Convenient care with multiple locations and flexible scheduling options
Our Communities
We take pride in serving diverse communities throughout Northern California. With convenient locations in Grass Valley, Rocklin, Sacramento, Lodi, El Dorado Hills, Redding, and Antioch each staffed by Doctors of Audiology and Hearing Care Specialists, we bring exceptional hearing healthcare closer to home for residents across the region.
Each of our offices maintains the same high standards of care while reflecting the unique character of its community. No matter which location you choose, you’ll experience the Gold Country Hearing & Balance difference, where expertise meets compassion.
Our Promise
We understand that seeking help for hearing loss can be a significant step. Our promise to you is simple: we’ll listen carefully, recommend solutions honestly, and support you completely. Your journey to better hearing is our priority, and we’re committed to being your trusted partner every step of the way.
Visit any of our seven locations today to begin your journey to better hearing. We look forward to welcoming you to the Gold Country Hearing & Balance family!
Meet Our Team
Kimberly Bonney, Au.D. | License: AU2155
Owner, Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Kimberly Bonney, Au.D., is dedicated to providing the highest standards of personalized service and care for each of the patients at Gold Country Hearing. Her desire to bring unparalleled service to the hearing industry aligns with her deep sense of compassion for those who struggle with hearing loss. Dr. Bonney knew she wanted to change industry perceptions while helping her patients so she utilized her background as an educational audiologist and went to work for a hearing aid manufacturer so she could learn the inner workings of private audiology practices.
After she graduated from Salus University with her Doctor of Audiology degree, she bought the very first Gold Country Hearing location, determined to bring the very best audiology and hearing aid services to the greater Sacramento area. Through her hard work, genuine compassion, and awareness for those who struggle with hearing loss, the practice has grown into four locations, each of them staffed by doctors of audiology.
Dubbed the “Audiology Angel” by her patients, she makes a sincere effort to connect with patients. She knows that hearing loss can be isolating, so she endeavors to help them stay connected with their friends and family, knowing that a sense of connection is vital for her patient’s well-being.
Diana Vercellino, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA (Go Steelers!), Diana is based in Phoenix, AZ. When she isn’t improving processes, managing communication, and helping inspire growth, Diana can be found by the pool with her husband, their son and golden retriever.
Diana fell in love with the hearing healthcare field almost instantly. She has been lucky enough to work with and learn from some of the most respected professionals in the industry and is committed to the growth and expansion of Gold Country Hearing & Balance to continue to serve the community.
Marissa Gilger, AuD., CCC-A, F-AAA | License: AU3451
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Marissa Gilger, Au.D., knows how vital staying connected to the world is for her patients and that hearing well is the first step to that connection. As someone who has struggled with hearing loss since childhood, Dr. Gilger brings her unique perspective and first-hand experience to her patients. Inspired to become an audiologist after visiting her own audiologists for treatment as a child, she is excited to use her knowledge as both a patient and a provider to serve her community.
After completing her undergraduate degree at California State University, Sacramento, Dr. Gilger attended the University of the Pacific, where she graduated with her doctoral degree in Audiology. She then gained valuable experience working at Kaiser Permanente before transitioning into private practice at Gold Country Hearing, where we are lucky to count her as part of our team. In her spare time, she loves hiking, being outdoors with her husband Jake and their two Great Danes, Rosie and Ruth, as well as reading interesting books, traveling, and learning new things.
Meet the Professional
Kortney Mathiesen, Au.D. | License: AU3820
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Kortney Mathiesen, Au.D., is devoted to helping people reconnect with their friends and family through better hearing. She knows that untreated hearing loss contributes to social isolation, and she is grateful for the ability to give others a chance to enjoy the things they’ve been missing. Her first introduction to audiology and the serious, but often overlooked implications of untreated hearing loss was on a study abroad trip to Belize. There, she led a government-based language camp while performing community-based rehab and hearing screenings. She fell in love with learning about the complexities of the ear and dedicated her career to helping those with hearing loss lead richer, more connected lives.
Dr. Mathiesen obtained her Doctor of Audiology degree from Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. She never gets tired of the thrill of witnessing the instant gratification of helping people improve their hearing in as little as one appointment, and as a Nevada County native, she finds it rewarding to now be able to do this while serving the community she grew up in.
When she’s not working, Dr. Mathiesen loves spending time with her friends and family, and her Australian shepherd, Mayzie. She loves to ski and enjoys the many wonderful outdoor activities that Nevada County has to offer. An avid traveler, she’s explored Thailand and Europe, including London, Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Greece, and Italy, and is excited to travel to more places, with Spain and Portugal at the top of her list.
Kristin Hallstrom, Au.D. | License: AU2376
Doctor of Audiology
With nearly two decades of experience, Dr. Kristin Hallstrom, Au.D., still marvels at the perfect mix of art and science, blended together to help patients improve their quality of life through improved communication and social interactions. To her, audiology is an extremely rewarding profession. She brings diverse experience in clinical and rehabilitative audiology, specializing in diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, and vestibular assessments for those patients with dizziness/imbalance issues. She takes a team-like approach with her patients to develop an individualized treatment plan to best suit their needs, thus allowing her to establish a personal connection, something that is important to her.
Dr. Halstrom received her master’s (M.A.) degree from Ohio State University in 2002 and went on to receive her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree in 2008 from Salus University. She completed an audiology fellowship at the California Ear Institute in Palo Alto, CA, before accepting a position at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center. Clinical teaching and precepting audiology students had always been a passion of hers, so she left UCSF to join the clinical faculty team at the University of the Pacific (UOP). She then served as the Director of Clinical Audiology at UOP for two years prior to working at Kaiser Permanente. Now, Gold Country Hearing and Balance is lucky to count her as part of their team.
Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, skiing, golfing, hiking, mountain biking, paddleboarding, and of course, following Ohio State football (GO BUCKS!).
Dr. Mary Kate Donegan, AuD., CCC-A | License: AU3915
Doctor of Audiology
Originally from Chicago’s southwest suburbs, Mary Kate Donegan, Au.D., settled in Northern California after earning her bachelor’s degree and Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!). When she entered college, she liked to say that audiology found her.
Growing up in a family where many struggled to hear, Dr. Donegan became aware at an early age of the impact and isolation of untreated hearing loss. With an inherent desire to help others, she relishes the opportunity to treat the unique needs of her patients. Whether she teaches her patients why they might have trouble hearing in background noise, understanding the cause of their dizziness, or providing hearing aid assistance, she loves that each day brings something new. Dr. Donegan is always striving to help improve the quality of her patient’s lives.
When she isn’t working, she loves hanging out with her cat, Sylvie, exploring new places, reading, or watching movies and television. She also loves to travel, and each year tries to explore at least one new place in the United States.
Dr. Donegan can often be heard encouraging her patients with her motto, “All we can do is give it our best shot.”
Meet the Professional
Jasmeen Sahota, Au.D. | License: AU4038
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Jasmeen Sahota, Au.D., brings a fresh perspective and diverse clinical experience to her role as an Audiologist. With training across hospitals, ENT clinics, private practices, and university health centers, Dr. Sahota has developed a comprehensive approach to hearing care. Her sincere passion for audiology and patient education is evident in her practice.
She enjoys educating patients about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of their hearing health and providing solutions that enable them to fully participate in daily communication. She approaches each case with the understanding that improved hearing can profoundly impact an individual’s quality of life.
During her professional training, Dr. Sahota gained expertise in comprehensive auditory diagnostics, tinnitus assessments, cochlear implantation, and aural rehabilitation. She continues to expand on her special interests and education in diagnostic audiology, tinnitus assessments, and hearing aid dispensing.
Dr. Sahota’s journey to audiology began at Chico State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree and discovered her professional calling. Following this revelation, she pursued her Doctorate of Audiology, embracing a profession she finds uniquely rewarding.
Outside the clinic, she cherishes time with family and friends. She maintains an active lifestyle and enjoys exploring new coffee shops in her free time. Her combination of technical expertise, genuine enthusiasm for patient education, and excitement about professional growth makes her a valuable addition to our team.
Camille Smith, BC-HIS | License: HA8487
Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences
Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist, Camille Smith, is dedicated to finding solutions to help people hear their very best. Her deep sense of compassion for the hearing-impaired in her community has inspired her to learn and seek out the latest in hearing aid technology and ways to best to serve her patients. Following her passion for helping others lead healthy and connected lives, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education from Utah State University. Camille loves that she has the opportunity educate her patients about their hearing loss and its impact on them and their loved ones. She is determined to help end the stigma around hearing aids and is always excited to demonstrate how hearing instruments can help restore hearing loss and enrich lives.
Meet the Professional
Kylie DeLaney, Au.D. | License: AU4011
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Kylie DeLaney, Au.D., brings extensive experience and a heartfelt passion for helping people reconnect with the world around them to the team at Gold Country Hearing & Balance. She earned her Doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and Disorders from California State University, Sacramento. Dr. DeLaney is certified with the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Throughout her career, Dr. DeLaney has provided comprehensive audiological care across diverse clinical settings, including private practices, ENT clinics, and hospitals, serving patients across all age groups. Her clinical expertise encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders. What she loves most about her work is the ability to walk alongside her patients on their journey, identifying the root cause of their challenges to create tailored treatment plans and providing ongoing support throughout their path to better hearing and balance.
Dr. DeLaney’s path to audiology was inspired by family members working in hearing healthcare. While exploring college majors, she discovered Communication Sciences and Disorders and began shadowing her relatives in their clinical settings. Seeing firsthand the joy and connection that improved hearing brought to patients’ lives, she knew she had found her calling.
When not in the clinic, Dr. DeLaney enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, and reading. She loves spending quality time with family and friends and can often be found cuddling or playing with her beloved cat and dog.
Samantha Poulos | License: HA8381
Hearing Instrument Specialist
Samantha Poulos is a dedicated and experienced Hearing Instrument Specialist who is passionate about improving lives through better hearing. She believes that hearing health not only transforms her patients’ lives but also strengthens their connections with loved ones. For Samantha, helping others regain their ability to hear clearly is both a privilege and a source of deep professional fulfillment.
A Southern California native, she earned her degree in audiology and speech-language pathology from California State University, Sacramento, where she also pursued a minor in deaf studies. This comprehensive educational background gives her unique insight into the full spectrum of hearing challenges and communication needs her patients face.
Throughout her career, Samantha has developed expertise in hearing aid fitting, adjustment, and ongoing patient care. She takes pride in working closely with each individual to find solutions that fit their lifestyle and hearing goals, ensuring they feel confident and comfortable with their hearing instruments.
When she’s not helping patients, Samantha enjoys spending quality time with her family. She and her husband are settling into life as homeowners in Sacramento, where they live with their adorable son, James, and their beloved dog, Friday. This personal experience of family life helps Samantha understand how important clear communication is in building strong relationships with the people we love most.
Meet the Professional
Teresa Kasiarz | License: HA4118
Hearing Instrument Specialist
To Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist, Teresa Kasiarz, improving the quality of someone’s life is incredibly rewarding. She works to develop long-lasting relationships with her patients and is dedicated to helping them strengthen communication with loved ones through better hearing. She draws upon her background as a nursing assistant and her training as a Hearing Aid Dispenser to give patients the gold standard in care. An avid traveler, she returns as often as she can to her favorite places in the world-Costa Rica and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Fluent in English and Polish, she also speaks some Russian, helping to expand Gold Country Hearing and Balance’s service. She adores her two cats, Rysiek and Mishia, and lives by a personal motto she borrowed from Bob Marley, “Love the life you live, live the life you love.”
Meet the Professional
Susan Honaker | License: HA7565
Hearing Instrument Specialist
With over fifteen years of experience, Hearing Instrument Specialist Susan Honaker brings a wealth of knowledge and a personal touch to her work. Susan began her career working alongside her family, often crediting her father, a hearing aid manufacturer, as her most influential teacher. This foundation gave her not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of the personal impact that improved hearing can have on an individual’s quality of life.
What Susan finds most rewarding in her practice is the moment when patients experience improved hearing and see their faces light up as they reconnect with sounds and conversations they’ve been missing. She values the relationships she builds with patients and their families, approaching each case with empathy and dedication.
A highlight of Susan’s career was being selected to travel to Haiti, where she fitted profoundly hearing-impaired children with hearing aids. This life-changing humanitarian experience allowed her to witness children hearing sounds for the first time, a truly indescribable moment that continues to inspire her work today.
Outside of her professional life, Susan cherishes time with her four grandchildren and has developed a passion for cruise travel, aiming to embark on at least one cruise annually. Her favorite destinations are Caribbean islands, where she finds joy in the tranquil turquoise waters. At home, Susan’s French Bulldog, her self-described “little princess diva,” is often found contentedly snoring in her lap.
Susan’s combination of technical expertise, compassionate care, and genuine enthusiasm for improving quality of life through better hearing makes her an invaluable member of our team.
Christa Atwood, BC-HIS | License: HA8503
Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences
If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Christa, you know she is enthusiastic about helping the hard of hearing. She consistently goes out of her way to help each individual. Christa performs comprehensive hearing aid evaluations, takes care to listen to each individual’s desires, lifestyle and budget, and provides her extensive knowledge in choosing the right hearing devices. She fits, adjusts and instructs patients on maintenance care for hearing devices as well as offers a unique experience for each patient.
Meet the Professional
Kevin Garnett | License: HA8011
Hearing Aid Dispenser
Kevin Garnett brings a distinctive blend of expertise and genuine care to his role as a Hearing Aid Dispenser at Gold Country Hearing & Balance. A longtime Antioch resident since 1994, Kevin has deep roots in the community he serves. After graduating from Deer Valley High School, he earned his degree in Computer Information Systems from Humboldt State University. He is also a certified Hearing Instrument Specialist, giving him a well-rounded perspective on advanced hearing technology and personalized patient care.
Since beginning his journey in hearing healthcare in 2014, Kevin has dedicated himself to improving his patients’ quality of life through better hearing. He understands that choosing the right hearing technology is a deeply personal decision, and he takes pride in helping his patients find solutions that perfectly match their lifestyle and hearing needs. His approach combines technical precision with a genuine understanding of how hearing challenges affect daily life and relationships.
What drives Kevin is witnessing the transformative power of improved hearing. He finds great satisfaction in guiding patients through the process of selecting and adapting to new hearing technology, ensuring they feel confident and supported every step of the way.
Kevin maintains active memberships with the California Hearing Healthcare Providers and the International Hearing Society, staying current with the latest advances in hearing technology. When not helping patients reconnect with the sounds they love, Kevin enjoys SCUBA diving and virtual reality experiences.
Shayna Pastori | License: HA10879
Hearing Aid Dispenser Trainee
Audiology Assistant Shayna Pastori is currently training to become a Hearing Instrument Specialist to better serve the patients at Gold Country Hearing & Balance. She brings a unique educational background to the audiology field, holding an undergraduate degree in English Education and a master’s degree in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Her professional experience includes serving as an English professor in the Bay Area and assisting medical school and residency applicants with their written materials.
Shayna’s path to audiology began unexpectedly through a family connection, but she quickly discovered her passion for helping others in her local community. Drawing from her teaching background, she found natural parallels between education and hearing health as both fields focus on communication, patience, and empowering others to reach their full potential.
When she’s not working, Shayna stays active in the beautiful Nevada County area, exploring local hiking trails with her dog, Moxie, camping in the mountains, and discovering hidden gems throughout the region. She’s an avid reader and enjoys the thrill of the hunt while thrifting for unique finds.
What Shayna finds most rewarding about her work is the opportunity to build genuine connections with patients through one-on-one interactions. She particularly enjoys getting to know her patients as individuals and especially loves talking to her patients about their beloved cars. She feels there’s nothing quite like witnessing the transformation that occurs when someone can hear clearly again; those moments of joy and renewed connection that make every day meaningful.