Event Speakers/Presenters

Dr. Strand completed his undergraduate studies in 2005 at the University of Minnesota with a degree in Nutrition Science. He spent the following four years coaching wrestling, working in the food industry in research and product development, and teaching. In 2009 he returned to the University of Minnesota and completed a Masters degree in Nutrition Science and Biostatistics. During that time he spent his research focused on the weight-loss behaviors of NCAA wrestlers. In 2013 he graduated from medical school at Des Moines University with an excellence award in the field of ophthalmology. He completed his intern year and ophthalmology residency at Ohio University-Doctors Hospital in 2017, followed by a 2 year surgical retina fellowship at the Retina Institute of California in Los Angeles. Dr. Strand has been published in The Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology and the International Journal on Orbital Disorders for ocular traumatology and new techniques in treatment of orbital compartment syndrome. During his fellowship, Dr. Strand was a clinical investigator for research trials in diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusion, and wet age-related macular degeneration. As a practicing physician, he's served as a sight principal investigator for four phase III clinical trials. He’s given presentations at the American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology annual meeting and a poster presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Strand is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He specializes in the management of diabetic eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, vascular occlusive disease and ocular inflammation. His surgical interest include repair of retinal detachments, epimacular membranes, macular holes, and visually significant floaters.

Zurriat Syed is a medical student at Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in molecular cell biology and a master’s in science.

Dr. Teixido is a Neurotologist in Wilmington, Delaware. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology at Loyola University in 1990. He completed a Neurotology fellowship under Richard Wiet, Horst Conrad and Raul Hinojosa at Northwestern University, Southern Illinois University and University of Chicago. Since 1991 he has been in Neurotologic practice with clinical appointments at Thomas Jefferson University, the University of Pennsylvania and at Drexel College of Medicine. He founded the Delaware Otologic Medicine and Surgery Fellowship in 2006. He is active in adult and pediatric cochlear implantation. He is a member of numerous professional societies related to otology and neurotology, and holds numerous editorial board positions. Dr. Teixido has been active in overseas medicine, has developed numerous surgical instruments and has developed a significant body of teaching materials available to physicians and patients on his websites(YouTube: Michael Teixido MD, BPPVViewer.com, and on his practice website ENTAD.org). He has a special interest manifestations of migraine in otolaryngology, in balance disorders, in BPPV simulation and in 3D imaging of anatomy for teaching and visualization. He is co-founder of the Association of Migraine Disorders(migrainedisorders.org) and works to promote the introduction of migraine management into the general ENT curriculum.

Namrata Varma is a fellowship-trained Pediatric Otolaryngologist. After graduating from Touro University – College of Osteopathic Medicine, she went on to complete her residency training in Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery at Michigan State University - Mclaren Macomb Hospital. She was then accepted into the Pediatric Otolaryngology fellowship program at McGill University. She is a partner at her practice, Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat and currently works at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach, California where she started the Dysphagia program and the Aerodigestive clinic. Every year Dr Varma travels to Guatemala with the organization Mending Kids, where she leads a team of Surgeons, Anesthesiologist, Nurses, and Scrub Techs to provide surgical care to children from all over the country. She loves to travel, read, and spend time with her family.

Joshua D. Waltonen, MD, FACS is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His practice consists of all aspects of head and neck surgery, including mucosal and cutaneous malignancies, thyroid/parathyroid surgery, salivary gland disorders, and reconstruction with free tissue transfer. He has a special interest in minimally invasive surgery, including transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and laryngeal conservation surgery. His research focuses on oncologic and functional outcomes following surgery for head and neck cancers.

Dr. Waters is a Facial Plastic Surgeon and Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, NC. She is double-board certified by the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Her areas of expertise include Mohs reconstruction, oculoplastic surgery, facial rejuvenation, and rhinoplasty.

Carissa Wentland, DO is a pediatric otolaryngologist at Children's Hospital of Michigan. She has an appointment of Assistant Professor at Wayne State University and Michigan State University. She completed her residency through Michigan State University at Genesys Regional Medical Center. She then completed a Pediatric Otolaryngology fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. After 3 years of practice at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, she then completed an Advanced Otology fellowship at the University of Missouri. Her current practice focuses on all aspects of pediatric otolaryngology. Special interests include childhood hearing loss, cochlear implantation, chronic ear disease and endoscopic ear surgery.

Dr. Victoria Williams grew up in the metro Detroit area. She received her Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University in 2006. She then graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. She finished her internship at Oakwood Southshore Medical Center and completed her residency in Ophthalmology through Beaumont Health-Oakwood Division from 2012 to 2016. Dr. Williams then attended a fellowship program in the field of neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, and orbital surgery in Warren, Michigan from 2016 to 2017 with Michigan Neuro-Ophthalmology & Oculoplastics, PLC. She currently practices in private practice and has staff privileges and is teaching faculty to the ophthalmology program at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital and Ascension St. John Hospital. She is board certified through the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. Dr. Williams’s practice includes cosmetic and functional eyelid procedures, thyroid eye disease treatment, cosmetic and functional neurotoxin injection, cosmetic filler, and more.