Event Speakers/Presenters

Ashli O’Rourke, M.S., M.D., is a Professor and Director of Laryngology at the Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Dr. O’Rourke began her professional career as a speech-language pathologist, 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. In her clinical practice, Dr. O’Rourke manages adult patients presenting with pathologies of the larynx, airway, and esophagus, including dysphonia, dysphagia, and airway stenosis. She has a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of swallowing disorders and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Dr. O’Rourke has made significant contributions to the scientific literature, including pioneering studies on the application of High-Resolution Pharyngeal Manometry (HRPM) in the diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia. Renowned for her expertise, she is a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences, where she shares insights on HRPM and advances in dysphagia management. Dr. O'Rourke is board certified through the American Board of Otolaryngology and serves on the Board’s Exam Council. She is Treasurer and on the Executive Council of the Board of Directors for the Dysphagia Research Society and holds the Mark & Evelyn Trammell Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology.  

Dr. Hal R. Schwartzstein, DO specializes in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus for Northwell Health and Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. He is Director of Retinopathy of Prematurity for North Shore University Hospital and Cohen Children's Medical Center. He is also Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Schwartzstein received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and attended A.T. Still University's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency at St. John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore. He also completed a Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus fellowship at Northwestern University's Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. He is board certified in ophthalmology.

John D. Siddens, D.O. graduated from the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine (now Nova Southeastern) in North Miami Beach, Florida, and then finished an ophthalmology residency at Botsford Hospital in Detroit. He completed a fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the Kresge Eye Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit. This prestigious fellowship was completed under the direction of Frank A. Nesi, MD, and Geoffrey J. Gladstone, MD, and covered all areas of periocular, eyelid and orbital disease and surgery. After being in private practice for 20 years in Greenville, Dr. Siddens joined the Greenville Health System’s (GHS) Department of Plastic Surgery. When GHS opened the GHS Eye Institute in 2014, he became one of its’ founding physicians, and the Director of the GHS Eye Institute’s Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery service. GHS transformed into Prisma Health in 2017, becoming South Carolina’s largest not-for-profit health care provider. In 2019, Dr. Siddens was promoted to Division Chief of Ophthalmology for Prisma Health Ophthalmology Upstate and held that position until 2023. Dr. Siddens has now returned to full time practice in ophthalmic plastic surgery with Prisma Health. With more than 34 years of work in his field, Dr. Siddens offers the experience performing close to 25,000 surgeries and utilizes the latest diagnostic and surgical equipment to provide state of the art care for patients with needs in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Skorin completed his DO at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He did his osteopathic rotating internship in Tulsa, OK and his ophthalmology residency at Michigan State University/Metropolitan Hospital. He did a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary. Dr. Skorin is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. Dr. Skorin completed the Mayo Clinic Leadership Development Program in 2010 and a Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership through the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011. He completed the American Osteopathic Association Health Policy Fellowship in 2012. He has lectured internationally, published numerous articles, textbook chapters and is one of the cover editors of six textbooks. His most recent book, The Ophthalmic Office Procedures Handbook was released as hard copy with accompanying eBook in February 2024 by the international medical and science publisher, Wolters Kluwer. A Spanish language version of this book will be released later in 2024. Dr. Skorin serves as the Ophthalmology Education Director for the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. He has done multiple medical and surgical mission trips to Ukraine since 1992.