MUSC Health ENT at East Cooper Medical Pavilion

**Ashli O'Rourke, M.D. MS,** joined the MUSC Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing in September 2012. Dr. O'Rourke began her professional career as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), 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. Dr. O'Rourke treats adult patients with problems in the larynx (voice box), airway (windpipe), or esophagus (food pipe). This includes hoarseness or voice disturbances, dysphagia, or breathing difficulties due to airway narrowing or scar. She is particularly interested in the diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Her research interests include innovative technologies for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of swallowing disorders. Dr. O'Rourke is board-certified through the American Board of Otolaryngology and serves as a Senior Examiner for the Board. She is a Councilor on the Board of Directors for the Dysphagia Research Society and holds the Mark \& Evelyn Trammell Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology.

Alexandra D. D'Oto, MD completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami before moving to Memphis, TN, for her medical education, at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She then completed her residency training at University of Texas Southwestern before heading to University of California San Francisco for fellowship training in Laryngology. During fellowship, she advanced and refined her clinical management and treatment of airway, voice, and swallowing disorders. She is excited to bring her expertise to Medical University of South Carolina. She treats the full gamut of laryngological disorders, including professional voice, voice disorders (such as adductor type laryngeal dystonia/spasmodic dysphonia), subglottic stenosis, and swallowing dysfunction. Her clinical interests include implementing a dedicated integrated voice clinic with voice-specialized speech-language pathologists to provide exemplary multidisciplinary care while minimizing patient visits. Her research focuses on voice disorders, such as adductor type laryngeal dystonia/spasmodic dysphonia as well as subglottic/tracheal stenosis. Dr. D'Oto is married to her husband Dr. Michael Hook, who is a physician at Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital. They enjoy exploring Charleston's culinary scene and yoga. She enjoys reading fiction novels, birdwatching, and throwing pottery. She and her husband are thrilled to be a part of MUSC and closer to family.

Melissa Walser, PA-C, is a dedicated and board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in Otolaryngology-Head \& Neck Surgery within the esteemed Department of Otolaryngology at the Medical University of South Carolina. A proud South Carolinian, Melissa, alongside her husband and three beloved dogs, proudly calls Charleston home. Melissa's academic journey began at The University of South Carolina, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Biology, representing her alma mater with pride as a Gamecock alumna. She further pursued her passion for healthcare by achieving her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at South University in West Palm Beach, Florida, graduating with highest honors and receiving the prestigious Capstone Senior Project first-place award. Returning to her roots in Charleston, Melissa embarked on her professional career in Otolaryngology, where her commitment to patient care and clinical excellence shines through. She is deeply dedicated to forging trustworthy and dependable relationships with her patients, ensuring they receive the highest quality of care tailored to their unique needs. Melissa thrives in the team-based atmosphere fostered within the Otolaryngology department, where collaboration and compassionate care are paramount. With her expertise and passion for serving her community, Melissa is excited to provide comprehensive and patient-centered care to individuals in the Lowcountry and surrounding areas, contributing to the continued excellence of healthcare delivery at MUSC.

Dr. Kirsten Meenan is a fellowship-trained laryngologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of voice, swallowing, and airway disorders. Her expertise lies in the management of airway and breathing disorders, such as tracheal, subglottic, and posterior glottic scarring or narrowing. Dr. Meenan is also highly trained in the management of voice conditions, such as vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold polyps and cysts, early voice box cancers, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, and spasmodic dysphonia. She performs laryngeal reinnervation surgery when indicated for vocal fold paralysis and selective laryngeal adductor denervation-reinnervation (SLED-R) surgery for spasmodic dysphonia, the latter pioneered by her mentor at UCLA. Dr. Meenan also treats swallowing disorders such as Zenker's diverticulum and is trained in transnasal esophagoscopy. Dr. Meenan received her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Maryland. Her laryngology fellowship was completed at University of California, Los Angeles. She is a board-certified otolaryngologist and member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.