Event Speakers/Presenters

Dr. Adam Master, MS, MD, is a board-certified neurotologist and Senior Physician at Ochsner Medical Center with extensive expertise in otology, neurotology, and lateral skull base surgery. After earning his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine – Shreveport, he completed a distinguished fellowship in Neurotology, Otology, and Skull Base Surgery at the House Ear Clinic, University of California Los Angeles. Currently, Dr. Master serves as Section Head for Otology, Neurotology, and Lateral Skull Base Surgery at Ochsner Medical Center, co-directs the Temporal Bone Lab at Tulane University, and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Queensland, Ochsner School of Medicine.

Edward McCoul, MD, MPH, is Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he also serves as Research Medical Director for Surgical Specialties. He is a graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine where he also earned master’s degrees in epidemiology and pharmacology. He completed fellowship training in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College—New York Presbyterian Hospital. He serves as associate editor or on the editorial board of several major journals. He is a fellow of the American Rhinologic Society, the American College of Surgeons and the Triological Society. His professional interests include diagnostic endoscopy, pharmacotherapy, patient-centered outcomes, decision making theory, and applications of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Claire Melancon is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon practicing in New Orleans, Louisiana. She owns Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery, her solo practice. Though her practice is nearly entirely focused on the breadth of aesthetic facial plastic surgery, she has a specific niche in revision rhinoplasty and septal perforation repair. She did medical school at LSU in New Orleans, ENT residency at Wake Forest in NC, and facial plastics fellowship in Houston, TX. She is a mom to 3 year old twins, and loves living in the beautiful, cultural city of New Orleans.

Dr Katie Melder is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans. She completed her Otolaryngology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh, PA. She then completed a fellowship in Rhinology & Skull Base Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, OR.

Dr. Matt Migneron, MD, M.S is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate work at Vanderbilt University, prior to obtaining his Master's of Science in Physiology at Georgetown University. From here, he completed his medical education at the Louisiana Statue University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and his residency in Head and Neck Surgery at Tulane University. He recently completed a one year Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship with Dr. Brian Wong at the University of California, Irvine.

Ashli O’Rourke, M.S., M.D., is a Professor and Director of Laryngology at the Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Dr. O’Rourke began her professional career as a speech-language pathologist, earning her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Florida State University. After more than seven years of clinical speech therapy practice at Emory University Hospital, she attended medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and her fellowship in Laryngology – Voice and Swallowing disorders at the Medical College of Georgia. In her clinical practice, Dr. O’Rourke manages adult patients presenting with pathologies of the larynx, airway, and esophagus, including dysphonia, dysphagia, and airway stenosis. She has a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of swallowing disorders and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Dr. O’Rourke has made significant contributions to the scientific literature, including pioneering studies on the application of High-Resolution Pharyngeal Manometry (HRPM) in the diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia. Renowned for her expertise, she is a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences, where she shares insights on HRPM and advances in dysphagia management. Dr. O'Rourke is board certified through the American Board of Otolaryngology and serves on the Board’s Exam Council. She is Treasurer and on the Executive Council of the Board of Directors for the Dysphagia Research Society and holds the Mark & Evelyn Trammell Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology.  

Pediatric otolaryngologist and medical director of the cochlear implant center at Valley Childrens Hospital in Madera California.

Dr. Hal R. Schwartzstein, DO specializes in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus for Northwell Health and Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. He is Director of Retinopathy of Prematurity for North Shore University Hospital and Cohen Children's Medical Center. He is also Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Schwartzstein received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and attended A.T. Still University's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency at St. John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore. He also completed a Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus fellowship at Northwestern University's Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. He is board certified in ophthalmology.

John D. Siddens, D.O. graduated from the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine (now Nova Southeastern) in North Miami Beach, Florida, and then finished an ophthalmology residency at Botsford Hospital in Detroit. He completed a fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the Kresge Eye Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit. This prestigious fellowship was completed under the direction of Frank A. Nesi, MD, and Geoffrey J. Gladstone, MD, and covered all areas of periocular, eyelid and orbital disease and surgery. After being in private practice for 20 years in Greenville, Dr. Siddens joined the Greenville Health System’s (GHS) Department of Plastic Surgery. When GHS opened the GHS Eye Institute in 2014, he became one of its’ founding physicians, and the Director of the GHS Eye Institute’s Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery service. GHS transformed into Prisma Health in 2017, becoming South Carolina’s largest not-for-profit health care provider. In 2019, Dr. Siddens was promoted to Division Chief of Ophthalmology for Prisma Health Ophthalmology Upstate and held that position until 2023. Dr. Siddens has now returned to full time practice in ophthalmic plastic surgery with Prisma Health. With more than 34 years of work in his field, Dr. Siddens offers the experience performing close to 25,000 surgeries and utilizes the latest diagnostic and surgical equipment to provide state of the art care for patients with needs in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Skorin completed his DO at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He did his osteopathic rotating internship in Tulsa, OK and his ophthalmology residency at Michigan State University/Metropolitan Hospital. He did a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary. Dr. Skorin is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. Dr. Skorin completed the Mayo Clinic Leadership Development Program in 2010 and a Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership through the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011. He completed the American Osteopathic Association Health Policy Fellowship in 2012. He has lectured internationally, published numerous articles, textbook chapters and is one of the cover editors of six textbooks. His most recent book, The Ophthalmic Office Procedures Handbook was released as hard copy with accompanying eBook in February 2024 by the international medical and science publisher, Wolters Kluwer. A Spanish language version of this book will be released later in 2024. Dr. Skorin serves as the Ophthalmology Education Director for the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. He has done multiple medical and surgical mission trips to Ukraine since 1992.

Dr Thammasitboon earned his medical degree at Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. Then he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He completed his fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Tulane University Health Sciences Center and continued his subspecialty training in Sleep Medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He also obtained a degree in Master of Science in Clinical Research from Tulane University during his junior faculty's years. Dr Thammasitboon is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine. He is a member of American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a Director at Large for Louisiana Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Thammasitboon is currently the Medical Director of Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) Comprehensive Sleep Center. His clinical interest involves a wide range of sleep disorders including sleep-related breathing disorders, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, shift work sleep disorder, insomnia, etc. Dr. Thammasitboon launched Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (INSPIRE), in collaboration with Dr. Rizwan Aslam (ENT) , at SLVHCS, New Orleans, Louisiana. The INSPIRE Program at SLVHCS has successfully provided alternative therapy for veterans with obstructive sleep apnea since 2020.

Dr. Irina Volosko, is a Board-certified Ophthalmologist, she was born in Riga, Latvia, and later moved to San Francisco, where she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies. She then pursued her medical degree at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, followed by a residency at Larkin Community Hospital in Miami and a Glaucoma fellowship at Cornell University in New York City, where she served as a clinic professor. As the founder of SIA EYE CARE in Austin, Texas, Dr. Volosko is dedicated to delivering personalized eye care using the latest, safest, and most advanced technology. She specializes in glaucoma management, general ophthalmology, and cataract surgery, providing high-quality, patient-focused care to the greater Austin community. In addition to her clinical work, she volunteers her time going on mission trips, some of the places include Mongolia, Mexico, and Guatemala, just to mention a few! Dr. Volosko currently serves as the President of the Austin Ophthalmology Society. Outside of her practice, she enjoys exploring the outdoors and Austin’s vibrant music scene.