<p>Dr. Fink is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He serves as the section chief of Laryngology. His clinical practice includes the treatment of voice, swallowing, and airway disorders. His research interests include management of airway stenosis, management of chronic cough, and voice outcomes in the management of laryngeal dysplasia and malignancy. Dr. Fink has lectured on topics related to airway, cough, and laryngeal cancer at multiple national meetings and has published widely on all of the above topics.</p>

<p>Dr. Merati is an internationally recognized leader in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Following medical school at the University of Washington under Charlie Cummings, he completed his Otolaryngology training at the University of California at San Diego, including one year of NIH research training. From there, Dr. Merati went to Vanderbilt to study Laryngology with Robert Ossoff at the premier training institution for academic laryngologists. This time at Vanderbilt included work with Jim Netterville on laryngeal framework surgery. Following very productive years at Kansas University and at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Merati returned to his native Seattle in 2007 to head up the Laryngology program at the University of Washington, now widely recognized among the leaders in clinical care, scholarship, and training in the nation. He has over 135 peer reviewed publications and also is the lead editor for the Textbook of Laryngology. He co-founded the Laryngology Education Foundation, the force behind the growth of the Fall Voice Conference, the largest conference of its kind in the world. Dr. Merati’s career focus in Laryngology was to demystify the field and work with others to advance candor, reflection, and communication. Dr. Merati has served as Senior Examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and as a Vice President of the Triological Society. Dr. Merati has earned two Distinguished Service awards from the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery and is Past-President of the AAO-HNS as well as of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, one of only a few who have held both posts. After serving as Service Chief for Otolaryngology-HNS at UW Medical Center for 5 years, Dr. Merati is now the Associate Medical Director for Perioperative Quality and Safety for the UW Medical Centers. In 2023 Dr Merati was selected to join the AAOHNS Hall of Distinction as a “Living Legend” for his contributions to the field of Otolaryngology – HNS in general.</p>

<p>Dr. McWhorter is a Professor in the LSUHSC Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in New Orleans Louisiana and is the Director of the Our Lady of the Lake-LSU Voice Center in Baton Rouge. He completed his residency at Johns Hopkins and his Laryngollogy Fellowship at Vanderbilt. His practiec encompasses the breadth of laryngology with a focus in conservation laryngeal surgery. His research is conducted with Dr. Melda Kunduk and the LSU Voice Laboratory in high speed digital imaging and acoustic analysis.</p>