The story
The ATA was created as resource for the underserved tinnitus community. Sometimes tinnitus patients are disregarded by physicians who do not have the information needed to proficiently treat and diagnose tinnitus patients.
Jack Vernon, Ph.D. joined Doctor Charles Unice to form the ATA in 1971. The two met while Vernon was conducting clinical research at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, and began treating Unice for his tinnitus condition. With aim to raise money for tinnitus funding, the ATA was born. Portland still serves as base for the organization.
The ATA started in a studio sized office and was staffed by Portland area volunteers. Since then the ATA has become the largest group of individual contributors that awards grant money for research relating to tinnitus. Until his death in 2010, Vernon was involved with the organization as an honorary board member, patient advocate, and general adviser.
On December 1, 2017, the ATA moved its headquarters from Portland, Oregon, to Vienna, Virginia (Washington, DC Metro Area).
From Wikipedia’s article on American Tinnitus Association, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4