Laryngologist Simon Best specializes in voice and airway disorders, including the comprehensive care of professional voice-users and performers. He treats patients diagnosed with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), vocal cord paralysis, laryngeal cancer, precancerous vocal cord dysplasia, benign laryngeal lesions (polyps, cysts, nodules), and laryngeal and tracheal stenosis. He has expertise in the operative management of vocal cord disorders, including Blue Light laser surgery and office-based management of vocal cord papilloma, dysplasia and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Best earned a medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine and completed residency training in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He undertook fellowship training in laryngology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Best has a particular clinical and research interest in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and sees patients from across the country for specialized care for this disorder. He offers operative and office-based laser for papilloma, utilizing the Blue Light laser, which allows for precise excision of papilloma while preserving underlying vocal function. Dr. Best is also a pioneer in the adjuvant use of bevacizumab for RRP, helping many patients break the cycle of repeated surgeries. The Best Laboratory studies RRP and the development of novel immunotherapies to target the underlying viral infection. This research is conducted in collaboration with the head and neck cancer and cervical cancer research groups at Johns Hopkins, which also study human papillomavirus-related diseases. In addition, Johns Hopkins is a site for ongoing clinical trials in DNA immunotherapy, the goal of which is to eliminate the causative viral infection that leads to RRP. Dr. Best is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Thomas Winkler is an Otolaryngologist and an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Dr. Winkler is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are DFNB1, Jones Syndrome, Nonallergic Rhinopathy, and Palatal Myoclonus.

Kyle Hatten is an Otolaryngologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Hatten is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Tongue Cancer, Salivary Gland Tumors, Laryngeal Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy. Dr. Hatten is currently accepting new patients.

Maie John is an Otolaryngologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. John is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Tongue Cancer, Melanoma, Glossectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.

Wayne Koch is a national and international leader in head and neck oncologic surgery, caring for patients with cancers of the oral cavity, salivary gland, larynx, hypopharynx, oropharynx and thyroid. Among Dr. Koch's landmark publications are studies demonstrating how key molecular events such as p53 mutation and human papillomavirus (HPV) contribute to the development of head and neck cancer. His peer-reviewed publications include six articles in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Koch is also involved in humanitarian outreach focused on training surgeons in several African nations. He has served as president of the American Head and Neck Society, the national organization of head and neck cancer surgeons in the USA. Dr. Koch is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Tongue Cancer, Human Papillomavirus Infection, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Nyall London has a unique clinical practice focused on the care of patients with sinonasal and skull base cancers. As one of the few surgeons trained in both head and neck cancer surgery, as well as rhinology and skull base surgery, he offers patients comprehensive sinonasal tumor surgical care, including open and endoscopic approaches as well as neck dissection surgery. Dr. London has developed notable patient education events about the multidisciplinary and long-term care of patients with sinonasal malignancies. Additionally, he is an innovator of clinical trials for these rare tumors, with open clinical trial options available and multiple others in development. Internationally recognized for his expertise in the care of patients with sinonasal and skull base cancers, Dr. London was an associate editor for the first international consensus statement on sinonasal tumors, and was appointed president of the International Network for Sinonasal Cancer Research (2024–26). He directs a research laboratory at the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health focused on therapeutic advances and mechanisms of sinonasal tumorigenesis. Dr. London has published more than 130 peer-reviewed research articles, reviews and book chapters, including co-first author publications in Nature, Nature Medicine, Science Translational Medicine and Nature Cell Biology. He earned his medical and doctoral degrees from the University of Utah, and completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins. He also accomplished a fellowship in open and endoscopic head and neck and skull base surgery at The Ohio State University, under the direction of Dr. Ricardo Carrau. Dr. London is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Olfactory Neuroblastoma, Sinus Cancer, Teratocarcinosarcoma, Endoscopy, and Craniectomy.

Dr. Lee is a graduate of the accelerated. Dr. Lee is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Laryngitis, Otitis, Sinusitis, and Ruptured Eardrum.

Christine Gourin, M.D. M.P.H., is a head and neck surgical oncologist and palliative medicine specialist who treats patients with head and neck tumors, including tumors of the skin, melanoma, oral cavity, larynx, oropharynx, neck, salivary glands, sinuses, and skull base. Dr. Gourin received her medical degree from the State University of New York-Health Science Center at Brooklyn/Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Gourin trained in General Surgery and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Vermont, followed by a fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 24 book chapters and two books: Medical and Surgical Management of Thyroid and Parathyroid Diseases and The Johns Hopkins Patient Guide to Head and Neck Cancer. She is on the Editorial Board of The Laryngoscope and is a reviewer for numerous other head and neck surgery journals. Dr. Gourin is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in quality of care and outcomes with a lifelong interest in improved symptom management, communication, access to high-quality affordable care, and palliative medicine in head and neck cancer. She has an active head and neck surgical oncology practice and has been named to America’s Top Physicians and Best Doctors in America annually since 2005. She is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Cancer Supportive Care Clinic. Dr. Gourin is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Cancer, Throat Cancer, Tongue Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Mark Schneyer is an Otolaryngologist in Owings Mills, Maryland. Dr. Schneyer is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Nasal Septal Hematoma, Low Nasal Bridge, Perichondritis, and Hearing Loss.

Alexander Hillel specializes in the medical and surgical management of patients who have scar tissue blocking their larynx and/or trachea, a condition called laryngotracheal stenosis. This condition occurs in patients who have had prolonged intubation, an autoimmune disease or a rare disease called idiopathic subglottic stenosis. He also treats patients with voice and throat problems, including spasmodic dysphonia and swallowing difficulty. After he earned his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Hillel completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a fellowship in laryngology and airway surgery at the Emory Voice Center. Dr. Hillel directs a laboratory that seeks to better understand why scar forms in the larynx and trachea. In an effort to improve treatment, he and his team investigate the relationship between the immune system, bacteria and other antigens and scar formation in the airway. He has led a number of clinical trials to improve treatment for subglottic stenosis, including the first interventional study for idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Researchers in Dr. Hillel’s lab are also testing drugs that may halt the progression of, or reverse, scar formation, and they have engineered a drug-eluting stent that is being tested to translate to patients with subglottic stenosis. He holds sponsored grants to conduct his research from the National Institutes of Health, surgical foundations and the medical device industry. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Hillel has a leadership role within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, serving as the vice director of education. Dr. Hillel is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Subglottic Stenosis, Perichondritis, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.

Leila J. Mady is a head and neck surgical oncologist and reconstructive surgeon whose practice focuses on the care of patients with benign and malignant head and neck tumors, including thyroid/parathyroid disease, HPV-associated cancers, skin cancer (including melanoma) and parotid masses. With extensive experience in head and neck surgery, including sentinel lymph node biopsy, transoral robotic surgery, and complex regional and free flap reconstruction, her surgical skill set is complemented by in-office diagnostic capabilities such as ultrasound and needle biopsy. Dr. Mady is the director of head and neck surgery for the Baltimore region, and she is actively expanding coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment pathways for patients with head and neck and thyroid cancers across Johns Hopkins. Dr. Mady is a funded population and health services researcher who has led multidisciplinary and international teams with research interests in the side effects related to the cost of medical care, frailty, smell and taste changes related to cancer treatment, and patient-reported and oncologic outcomes in head and neck cancer. As a mentor for a wide range of academic training levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate, Dr. Mady has made a commitment to mentor women and underrepresented groups. She has received national recognition for these efforts by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Mady completed her medical degree, a doctorate in biomedical health sciences, and a master’s degree in public health at Rutgers University, and served as an associate fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mady is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Throat Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, Glossectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Dr. Kofi Derek Owusu Boahene is a professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is the Director of the Division of Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery and the director for the facial plastics fellowship training program. His practice encompasses the entire spectrum of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery including cosmetic and reconstructive aspects. Dr. Boahene is a leading expert in facial paralysis surgery and facial nerve injuries and has pioneered innovative treatment protocols and surgical techniques in facial reanimation. He is the director of the Johns Hopkins Facial Nerve center dedicated to restoring facial balance, symmetry and animation to those who have suffered from facial paralysis and facial nerve disorders. As an expert microsurgeon, Dr. Boahene routinely performs some of the most complex facial reconstruction procedures on the face including rebuilding of an entire nose, lip, jaw and facial defects resulting from cancer treatment, traumatic injuries or as a result of birth defects. He uses cutting edge 3-D technology, image-guided technology and tissue transplanted from other parts of the body to restore or replace missing tissues. He is a key member of the Johns Hopkins facial transplant program. His cosmetic experience is broad and draws from patients across the globe. He routinely performs rhinoplasties, eyelid surgery, face lifts and other facial enhancing procedures. As a skull base surgeon, Dr. Boahene has pioneered minimally invasive techniques for removal of skull base and brain tumors, repairing CSF leaks and has authored a major textbook on this subject. Dr. Boahene received his undergraduate degree from the University of Central Arkansas. He graduated summa cum laude from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, completed a five-year surgical residency training program in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and received fellowship training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Minnesota. As the recipient of the prestigious Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award, Dr. Boahene was awarded additional craniofacial surgery training in Adelaide, Australia. He also received the Jack R. Anderson Prize for Scholastic Excellence for attaining the highest score nationally on the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery certification exam. Dr. Boahene serves as on the Board of Governors or the American Academy Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. In 1993, Dr. Kofi Boahene received the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical. Dr. Boahene is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Facial Paralysis, Bell's Palsy, Recurrent Peripheral Facial Palsy, Septoplasty, and Gastrostomy.

Christina Navin is a Nurse Practitioner in Towson, Maryland. Ms. Navin is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Cleft Tongue, Infant Hearing Loss, Jones Syndrome, and DFNB1.

Dr. Carole Fakhry is a head and neck surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins and treats the breadth of patients with head and neck cancers, including cancers of the tonsils, base of tongue, mouth, larynx, thyroid, salivary gland (parotid, submandibular gland) and skin cancers among others. She is the Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery and Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center. She also serves as director of the head and neck group in the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the head and neck surgical oncology fellowship. She is the associate editor for Oral Oncology and serves on several editorial boards. After an undergraduate degree at Stanford University, she completed medical school, residency in otolaryngology head and neck surgery, and a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at Johns Hopkins. She has also received a master’s in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is presently a professor in the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oncology, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology. Her research interest focuses on the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck squamous cell cancer. She has demonstrated that the presence of HPV confers a prognostic advantage to individuals with oropharyngeal cancer and that HPV is associated with unique clinical characteristics. In addition to the clinical implications of HPV in head and neck cancer, she is co-principal investigator of a large study to understand screening individuals at “high risk” of malignancy and evaluating imaging modalities to improve diagnostics and early detection of HPV- related head and neck cancer. Dr. Fakhry is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Human Papillomavirus Infection, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Tongue Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

"Pediatric otolaryngologist Jonathan Walsh specializes in head and neck masses, thyroid disorders, vascular malformations, tracheostomy, tracheal stenosis, aerodigestive disorders, chronic ear disease (ear infections), sinus disease (sinusitis), hearing loss, ankyloglossia (tongue-tie), sleep apnea and laryngeal cleft, as well as the full spectrum of pediatric head and neck disorders. He offers minimally invasive endoscopic ear surgery and minimally invasive surgeries of the airway, ear and sinus. Dr. Walsh earned a medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and completed residency training in otolaryngology at University of Rochester Medical Center. He served two years of active-duty service as a major in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon in Georgia, after which he completed fellowship training in pediatric otolaryngology at the University of North Carolina. His research interests are in novel imaging technology applications for head and neck disorders; outcomes and health care disparities; ankyloglossia and lip tie; head and neck masses; and airway imaging and modeling. Dr. Walsh is director of the Johns Hopkins pediatric aerodigestive team and surgical director of the pediatric thyroid team. Additionally, he is an active participant in the vascular anomalies team, fetal therapy multidisciplinary team and pediatric sarcoma tumor board. Dr. Walsh is also the residency program director for the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Videos Meet Our Expert - Dr. Jonathan Walsh Recent News Articles and Media Coverage More babies getting their tongues clipped to help breastfeed. But is it necessary? Today Show (7/11/2019) To Improve Breastfeeding, Babies Get Their Tongues Clipped, Is it Necessary? Podast WYPR (3/19/2019) Snipping an infant's ""tongue tie"" can improve breastfeeding. But is surgery being overused? The Inquirer (3/12/2019) Why so Many Babies are Getting Their Tongues Clipped Atlantic, (3/12/2019) The Tongue Tie Conundrum, Slate (2/6/2018) An Incisionless Approach to Ear Drum Repair, Johns Hopkins Medicine (10/2/2018)". Dr. Walsh is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Tongue Tie, Infant Hearing Loss, Laryngomalacia, Adenoidectomy, and Endoscopy.

Brian Driscoll is an Otolaryngologist in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Driscoll is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Infant Hearing Loss, DFNB1, Tinnitus, Jones Syndrome, and Myringotomy.

Anuradha Arun is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Arun is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are Sitosterolemia, Vitamin D Deficiency, High Cholesterol, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism.

Pryor Brenner is an Otolaryngologist in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Dr. Brenner is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. His top areas of expertise are Jones Syndrome, DFNB1, Infant Hearing Loss, and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Dr. Leslie F. Hao is an otolaryngologist affiliated with Sibley Memorial Hospital. She practices out of Chevy Chase ENT Associates in Chevy Chase, Md. Dr. Hao earned her medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she served as the William Randolph Heart Research Fellow of the Deafness Research Foundation. She earned the Alfred Steiner Research Prize and the Harold Lamport Award for her medical student research. Dr. Hao completed a residency in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where she was awarded the VA Gold Pin for outstanding patient care. Dr. Hao is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Dr. Hao was named a Top Doctor in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Washington-Baltimore areas by Castle Connolly in 2012. She has also been named a Top Doctor by U.S. News & World Report, as well as Consumers’ Checkbook magazine. Dr. Hao is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Palatopharyngeal Incompetence. Her top areas of expertise are TMJ Disorders, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, Jones Syndrome, and Trachoma.