Department of Otolaryngology Faculty & Providers

Our Mission

To care for patients and educate the Otolaryngologists of tomorrow using the most advanced evidenced based medicine available. To lead the field of Otolaryngology with innovative basic, translational, and clinical research.

Our Faculty & Providers

Faculty & Providers

Claire Bock, PA-C

Physician Assistant
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
General Otolaryngology

Undergraduate
Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon, BS Biology, 2017

Masters
UTMB Health, Galveston, Texas, MPAS, 2019

Deborah Carlson, PhD

Associate Professor
Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Director – Center for Audiology and Speech Pathology
Department of Otolaryngology

Dr. Carlson is an Audiologist and has worked for the Center for Audiology & Speech Pathology since October 1989. Dr. Carlson obtained her Ph.D. degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in August 1986. She holds a dual Master's of Science Degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences and in Rehabilitation Administration and Services and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Pathology from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL granted in May 1980.

Dr. Carlson received Fellows Honors from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2007 and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Audiology. She has participated on a variety of Boards and Committees for AAA and ASHA, served on the Texas State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, is a past President and Founding Member of the Texas Academy of Audiology, and is a Past President of the American Academy of Audiology.

Reasons for Referral
Amplification
Assistive Listening Devices
Central Auditory Processing Disorders
Electrophysiology
Otoacoustic Emissions

Speech Pathology:
Augustana College, BA, 1980
Communications Disorders & Sciences (Audiology)
Rehabilitation Administration:
Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, MS 1982
Communications Disorders & Sciences (Audiology):
Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, PhD, 1986
Certification
Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A)
Board Certified in Audiology

Orly M. Coblens, MD, FACS

Assistant Professor
Residency Program Director
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
Endocrine
Head and Neck Surgery
Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery
Saliendoscopy
Sentinel Lymph Node
Skin Cancer
Skull Base Surgery
Transoral Robotic Surgery

Medical/Professional School:
Tel Aviv University - Sackler School of Medicine, MD, 2011
Internship:
Intern in General Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Health Systems, 2012
Residency:
Resident in Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Health Systems, 2016
Fellowship:
Fellow in Head and Neck & Microvascular Surgery
University of California, Davis Health Systems
Certification:
Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology

Shiva Daram, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Otolaryngology
Pediatric Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
Airway Evaluations
Foreign Body Removal
Recurrent Ear Infections
Tonsil and Adenoid Problems

Medical/Professional School:
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, MD, 2013
Residency:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, 2018
Fellowship:
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Pediatric Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Fellow 2019

Robert Darling, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Dr. Darling attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison and graduated with a BS in chemistry. He attended the Chicago Medical School where he was invited to join the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Societies before receiving his MD in 2012. He completed his Residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2017 and immediately joined the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology at UTMB Health.

Reasons for Referral
General Otolaryngology

Medical/Professional School:
Chicago Medical School, MD, 2012
Residency:
Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 2017

Reagan Davis, PA-C

Physician Assistant
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
General Otolaryngology

Undergraduate
Bachelor of Arts in Medical Humanities, Cum Laude
Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 2014
Masters
Master of Physician Assistant Studies
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 2018
Certification
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, PA-C, 2018

Kelly Drago, PA-C

Physician Assistant
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
General Otolaryngology

Catherine Drescher, AuD, CCC-AUD

Assistant Director of Audiology

Reasons for Referral

Amplification
Tinnitus
Dizziness
Cochlear implants
Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Undergraduate

BA English, University of Alabama, 1993
BA Communication Disorders, Auburn University, Montgomery 1999

Doctorate

University of Louisville, 2004

Certification

Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-A)
Board Certified in Audiology

Susanna Green, PA-C

Physician Assistant
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
General Otolaryngology

Katherine Hicks, MD

Assistant Professor
Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery

Reasons for Referral:

Nasal deformity or concern with appearance
Nasal obstruction/congestion
Skin cancer reconstruction
Facial scars
Facial injuries & trauma
Aging face, eyes, and neck
Other cosmetic concerns of face, eyes, and neck
Cleft lip/palate
Microtia (ear absence or deformity)

Medical/Professional School: MD, Medical University of South Carolina – Charleston, SC (2013)

Residency: Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Chicago, IL (2018)

Fellowship: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Chicago, IL (2019)

Fellowship: Pediatric Otolaryngology, Cleft & Craniofacial Surgery, University of California Davis – Sacramento, CA (2020)

Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (2019)

Dr. Katherine Hicks grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and graduated from Clemson University Honors College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering. She was a four-year member of Clemson’s Varsity Swimming & Diving team and earned the ACC Athletic Director’s Academic Excellence Award. She also earned a Master’s degree in Bioengineering from Clemson University prior to attending medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She then pursued a fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology, Cleft & Craniofacial Surgery at University of California – Davis. Dr. Hicks specializes in functional and cosmetic nasal surgery (rhinoplasty or “nose job”), cosmetic facial surgery (facelift, eyelid surgery), skin cancer reconstruction, scar revision, facial trauma, and pediatric cleft & craniofacial procedures. When she’s not working, she is a full-time Clemson Tigers fanatic and enjoys watching football, running, reading, painting, and spending time with her family, friends, and beloved four-legged companion.

Rohan Joshi, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
Head & Neck Surgery
Reconstructive Surgery

Medical School:
John Hopkins School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Internship:
Cornell and Columbia, Presbyterian Hospital
New York, New York
Residency:
Cornell and Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York
Fellowship:
University Hospitals
Case Western Reserve
Cleveland, Ohio

Kate Kerr, MS, CCC-SLP

Assistant Director of Audiology and Speech Pathology

Reasons for Referral
Adult Neurogenics
Adult and Pediatric dysphagia
Voice Disorders

Undergraduate
BS Communications Disorders
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, 1993
Masters
MS Speech and Hearing Science
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 1995
Certification
Lee Silverman Voice Therapy - LSVT
Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment of Swallowing
MBSimp Swallow Protocol

Katherine A. Lees, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral

Sinusitis
Nasal Polyps
Deviated Septum
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks
Nasal and Sinus Tumors
Sinus Surgery
Tonsillitis

Medical/Professional School:
Saint Louis University School of Medicine - Saint Louis, MO, MD 2014

Residency:
Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic - Rochester, MN, 2019

Fellowship:
Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery, University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT 2020

Dr. Katie Lees grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and graduated from St. Olaf College magna cum laude with a BA in biology. She attended medical school Saint Louis University, where she was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and received several awards including Surgery, Neurological Anatomy and Pathology Departmental Awards. She returned to Minnesota to complete her residency in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at the Mayo Clinic. She received several research accolades both regionally and nationally for her work on vestibular schwannomas and opioid use, as well as the Chief Resident Teacher of the Year award. Following residency, she pursued an additional year of training in Rhinology and Anterior Skull Base Surgery at the University of Utah. Dr. Lees specializes in problems of the nose and sinus, such as sinusitis, deviated septum, nasal congestion, and tumors of the nose, sinus and base of the skull. Outside of work, she enjoys playing volleyball, camping, hiking, and going on adventures with her chocolate lab.

Tomoko Makishima, MD, PhD, FACS

Associate Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Dr. Makishima received her Medical Degree (1992) and PhD in Philosophy (1998) from Kyushu University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan. She completed her Residency and Clinical Fellowship at the Department Otorhinolaryngology at Kyushu University Medical Hospital in 1994, as well as her Clinical Fellowship in 1998. She is Board Certified by The Otorhinolaryngological Society of Japan. She joined UTMB in 2005.

Reasons for Referral
Balance Disorders
Hearing
Otolaryngology
Otology

Medical/Professional School:
Kyushu University - Fukuoka, Japan, MD, 1992
Residency:
Otolaryngology, Kyushu University - Fukuoka, Japan, 1994
Fellowship:
Otolaryngology, Kyushu University - Fukuoka, Japan, 1998
Certification:
Otolaryngology,Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan

Click here to visit Dr. Makishima's UTMB Health page and to make an appointment.

Brian McKinnon, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS

Associate Professor and Chair ad interim
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
J.M. Robison Distinguished Professor

Reasons for Referral
Chronic Ear Infections
Hearing Loss and Deafness
Vestibular and Balance Disorders
Cochlear and Implantable Hearing Devices
Cholesteatoma
Meniere’s Disease
Facial Nerve Weakness or Paralysis
Tumors of Hearing & Balance Nerves

Medical/Professional School:
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts
Internship:
National Navel Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland
Residency:
National Navel Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland
Fellowship:
Otology/Neurotology
Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
University of Virginia
Health Sciences Center
MBA:
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
MPH:
University of Memphis Concentration in Biostatistics
Memphis, Tennessee
Certification:
Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Neurotology

Harold S. Pine, MD, FAAP, FACS

Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Dr. Pine graduated in the top 1% of his class at Rush Medical College in Chicago and completed a clinical and research fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, England, one of the top pediatric specialty hospitals in the world.

Reasons for Referral
Airway Evaluations
Foreign Body Removal
Recurrent Ear Infections
Tonsil and Adenoid Problems

Medical/Professional School:
Rush Medical College - Chicago, IL, MD, 1995
Residencies:
Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC, 2001
Fellowship:
Pediatric Otolaryngology, Great Ormond Street Hospital - London, UK, 2002 Internship:
General Surgery, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC, 1997
Certification:
Otolaryngology,American Board of Otolaryngology

Click here to visit Dr. Pine's UTMB Health Page and to make an appointment.

Vicente Resto, MD, PhD, FACS

Chief Physician Executive, ad interim
Vice President for Physician Alignment and Strategic Integration
Professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
Harry Carothers Weiss Chair in Otolaryngology

Dr. Resto graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1992 with a bachelor degree in Chemistry. He then completed the combined MD/PhD program at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2000. His doctoral degree is from the Department of Human Genetics for dissertation work in cancer genetics. He next pursued internship training in General Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by residency training in the Harvard Combined Program in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. In 2006, he completed advanced clinical fellowship training in Head and Neck Oncology, Skull Base, and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. He joined the full time faculty staff at UTMB in July, 2006.

Clinically, he focuses on facial plastics, reconstructive surgery, and skull base surgery. Scientifically, Dr. Resto directs a basic science laboratory focused on the study of the molecular mechanisms important for lymphatic metastasis and tumor tolerance.

Reasons for Referral
Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery
Minimally Invasive Surgery of the Salivary Glands, Thyroid, and Parathyroids
Skull Base Surgery

Medical/Professional School:
John Hopkins University School of Medicine - Baltimore, MD, MD, PhD, 2000
Internship:
General Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 2001
Residency:
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, 2005
Fellowship:
Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base and Reconstruction Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, 2006
Certification:
Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology

Click here to visit Dr. Resto's UTMB Health page and to make an appointment.

Farrah Siddiqui, MD, FAAOA

Associate Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Dr. Siddiqui completed her training in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery in 2006 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where she also finished her General Surgery Internship. Before joining UTMB in March 2010 as an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, she was in private practice as a general Otolaryngologist in the suburbs of Dallas. Dr. Siddiqui comes to UTMB well-trained, having completed her medical school at the Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan. She also speaks English, Urdu, Hindi, and French fluently, as well as some Thai and Arabic.

As a general Otolaryngologist, Dr. Siddiqui enjoys seeing both pediatric and adult patients with a variety of ear, nose and throat problems, such as sinusitis, ear infections, tonsillitis, snoring, sleep apnea, allergy, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and neck masses. She is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.

Reasons for Referral
Dizziness
Ear Infections
Sinusitis
Sleep Apnea
Snoring
Tinnitus
Tonsillitis

Medical/Professional School:
Aga Khan University Medical College - Karachi, Pakistan, MD, 1999 Internship:
General Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock, AR, 2002
Residency:
Otolarynology/Head & Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock, AR, 2006
Fellowship:
AAOA Allergy Fellowship, 2015
Certification:
Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology

Click here to visit Dr. Siddiqui's UTMB Health page and to make an appointment.

Dayton Young, MD

Associate Professor
Department of Otolaryngology

Reasons for Referral
Cochlear Implants
Hearing Rehabilitation
Neurotology
Otology

Medical/Professional School:
University of Colorado - Denver, CO, MD, 2000
Internship:
General Surgery, University of Nebraska - Omaha, NE, 2001
Residencies:
Otolaryngology, University of Nebraska - Omaha, NE, 2004
Otolaryngology, University of Florida - Gainesville, FL, 2006
Fellowship:
Neurotology, The Silverstein Institute - Sarasota, FL, 2008
Certification:
Otolaryngology,American Board of Otolaryngology

Click here to visit Dr. Young's UTMB Health page and to make an appointment.