I joined the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota in 1988. He focused on laryngology. I was an early advocate of a multidisciplinary voice clinic format incorporating trained speech language pathologists with a special interest in the special needs of professional voice users. Along with Deirdre Michael, SLP, I co-founded the Lions Voice Clinic in 1999 and served as medical director of the Clinic until 2013. In addition to my duties at the Lions Voice Clinic, I continued to serve as physician and medical director of the Siegel Laryngeal Physiology Laboratory at Hennepin County Medical Center, and Staff Physician, Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, both in Minneapolis.
I introduced the use of botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of laryngeal dystonia in Minnesota in 1991, and continued to be a leader in innovative treatments for voice and upper airway disorders. My research interests included laryngeal dystonia, laryngeal reflexes, and electrical stimulation of cranial nerves in the treatment of multiple medical conditions. These efforts afforded collaboration with physicians and researchers nationally and internationally.
I was awarded a full Professorship in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota in 2013. Additionally, I served as a Senior examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and a member of multiple societies dedicated to the treatment of patients with head and neck disorders. I have been involved with resident and medical student training for my entire career of 37 years at the University of Minnesota. In my retirement from clinical activities in July of 2025, I continue to assist in research investigating electrical stimulation of the head and neck to treat medical disorders.
Expertise
- Laryngology: upper airway disorders and care of the professional voice
Education
- Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
- Residency: University of Washington
