About Me

Welcome to my Web page, which I hope will serve as a good introduction to my practice and myself. I feel very fortunate to work with my fantastic members and colleagues here at Kaiser Permanente. I look forward to working with you to address your health concerns, especially if your concerns relate to the ear or to skin cancer.

Biography

I was born and raised in Berkeley. I did my undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley and my medical studies at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and at Columbia University. During my residency at UC San Diego, I decided to specialize in ear surgery (otology and neurotology) and ear research. Later, I earned my PhD for inner ear research that I performed in the Department of Pathology. Before settling down in San Diego, I did an extra year of fellowship training in ear and skull base surgery at the Otology Group in Nashville. I subsequently added to my ear and skull base training by doing a fellowship with the Gruppo Otologico in Italy under world-famous Dr. Mario Sanna. I’m married and have one son who is very active in football and basketball. My family means the world to me. My wife is an audiologist and dog lover. We have a Golden Retriever named Charger, so you know we are big San Diego Chargers fans.

About my practice

I specialize in otology and neurotology, so if you have an ear problem, I am here to help you. For example, if you have a hole in your eardrum, a chronically draining ear, or otosclerosis causing hearing loss, I can help you with surgery. If you have lost your hearing completely, I can perform cochlear implant surgery. I currently perform leading-edge research in my field, and I have published research performed here at Kaiser Permanente that has led to the development of a new treatment for people who have suddenly lost their hearing in one ear. I also treat members with Meniere's disease, vertigo, and acoustic neuromas. I also specialize in Mohs surgery in which I remove a member's facial skin cancer in conjunction with a pathologist and then perform a cosmetic reconstruction.

How I thrive

I am an inventor and have many patents. I am also a guitarist, pianist, and songwriter. I have biked solo across the United States, and I am an avid backpacker as well. I have a black belt in Taekwondo. I have been a private pilot, a scuba diver, and a rugby player. I speak some French and am a published poet. Mostly, though, I stay balanced by spending time with my family.