AUSTIN ENT CLINIC - Key Persons
Dr. Ashley Dao is a board-certified otolaryngologist who is thrilled to bring her talent for compassionate, highly-skilled, patient-centered care to Austin ENT Clinic.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University, she earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where she graduated first in her class. She then completed a rigorous otolaryngology residency at Emory University School of Medicine, where she trained under renowned experts in every subspecialty of her field.
Following the completion of her medical training, Dr. Dao joined a busy private practice in Los Angeles where she quickly gained the trust and admiration of patients and colleagues alike, thanks to her high-quality care and her ability to genuinely connect with others. It wasn't long, though, before her home state of Texas called - and she is very excited to be back in Austin with her lifelong friends.
Dr. Dao has expertise in treating a wide range of ENT conditions, with a special focus on innovative sleep apnea surgery, procedures to alleviate nasal congestion and sinus issues without painful packing, and the treatment of head and neck cancer.
In her spare time, Dr. Dao loves to be outdoors. Whether it's camping, biking, taking care of her many plants, or enjoying her newest hobby, quad skating, she always finds a way to enjoy the sunshine. She also loves dogs and can't wait to adopt one of her own soon!
Job Titles:
- President of the Austin Ear
An Austin native, Dr. Bradford Winegar attended Northwestern University in Chicago before returning to Texas to earn his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 1980. Dr. Winegar completed his surgical internship at the Medical University of South Carolina and his specialty training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Duke University Medical Center in 1985. He has special interests in surgery for chronic sinus disease, allergy, hearing loss and ear disease.
Dr. Winegar is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. He is a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Travis County Medical Society, and Downtown Rotary Club of Austin.
Dr. Winegar has served as president of the Austin Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, one of the largest ENT clinics in the nation. He has also served as Chief of Otolaryngology at Seton Medical Center and the associated Seton Hospitals in Central Texas. He has served on numerous hospital committees, including the Medical Executive Committee.
Dr. Winegar has participated in multiple mission trips to Lima, Peru and Managua, Nicaragua, where he has focused on fitting hearing aids and providing much needed surgical procedures. He has had the honor of being named by his peers for the Texas Monthly Super Doctors since 2004. He has been named to the Super Doctors Hall of Fame, selected for every issue of Super Doctors.
Dr. Winegar enjoys spending his time off with his wife and three sons. He has coached their basketball, baseball, football, and soccer teams. His family also enjoys boating, water skiing, golf and travel.
Dr. Brian Schwab is originally from Portland, Oregon, but got to Texas as soon as he could. After graduating cum laude from Rice University in Houston with a degree in bioengineering, he went on to volunteer with the United Nations in Chile.
After returning to the US, Dr. Schwab received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. While in medical school, he was elected student body president and honored with the prestigious Dean's Recognition Award. He completed a general surgery internship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City and finished his specialty training in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
During his residency, Dr. Schwab earned numerous awards, including the Metropolitan New York Research Award, Hugh Biller Research Award, J. Swift Hanley Resident Award, and Academic Chief Resident Award.
Dr. Schwab enjoys treating all aspects of otolaryngology in both children and adults. His interests include the medical and surgical management of many head and neck disorders, including sinus disease, allergy, hearing loss, ear disorders, vertigo, thyroid cancer, parathyroid disorders, sleep apnea, voice disorders, and others.
Dr. Schwab sees patients at the South Austin and Kyle locations and is fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Chad Whited is a board-certified Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck surgeon with specialized fellowship training in voice, swallowing, and airway disorders. Dr. Whited is currently the only fellowship-trained laryngologist in Austin and is equipped with a state-of-the-art voice lab for comprehensive video evaluations. Dr. Whited's goals of providing world-class voice care to the Live Music Capital of the World has been recognized by his peers and Texas Monthly as Super Doctors Rising Star.
Using the most up-to-date equipment, Dr. Whited is able to perform numerous procedures such as vocal fold injections, biopsies, and airway evaluations safely and comfortably in the office, saving patients from having to go to the operating room. Dr. Whited also has specialized training in the management of laryngeal cancers using microscopes and lasers to remove cancerous tissues while preserving normal vocal fold tissue, optimizing patient outcomes.
A native Texan, Dr. Whited graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston where he served as class president. He then completed his residency in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at Duke University Medical Center, where he earned the Appleseed award for teaching. Dr. Whited then pursued advanced fellowship training in voice, swallowing, and airway disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Whited believes that it is important for an otolaryngologist, speech-language pathologist, and the patient to work together to develop a comprehensive plan for evaluating and treating voice and swallowing disorders. He is an active educator with his patients, has instructed at national meetings, and has authored numerous scientific publications and book chapters.
Outside of the office, you can find Dr. Whited spending time with his family, running around Lady Bird Lake, enjoying Austin's live music, playing golf, or exploring the Hill Country.
Dr. Christopher Dehan has been with Austin ENT Clinic since 1990. He grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas and is an honors graduate of Midwestern State University. He also has an MA in theology from the University of Dallas.
Dr. Dehan earned his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed his specialty training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston from 1984-1990. After finishing his residency, he served in the US Army as a reservist during the Gulf War.
As a board-certified ENT specialist, Dr. Dehan practices all aspects of otolaryngology including head and neck surgery, thyroid surgery, allergy, sinus surgery, sleep apnea and snoring, surgical management of head and neck tumors, hearing and balance disorders, and vocal cord problems. He treats both pediatric and adult patients.
Dr. Dehan is a member of many professional societies including the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery and the Christian Medical & Dental Society. He has hospital privileges at Seton, Seton Northwest, Brackenridge, St. David's, Bailey Square, and HealthSouth Surgical Hospital. He is the former chief of the ENT section at Seton Medical Center.
Dr. Dehan and his wife, Linda, enjoy raising their four children in Austin. His hobbies include golf, skiing, and gardening.
Dr. Chris Dehan has retired effective December 2021.
Dr. David Nolen is double board-certified in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Nolen is a native Texan and graduated from Texas A&M University. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston where he served as class president. He then completed his residency in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Nolen then pursued advanced fellowship training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of California-Davis under the directorship of Dr. Jonathan Sykes, one of the premier facial plastic surgeons in the country.
Dr. Nolen elected to spend the first 7 years of his career at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. There, he helped develop an otolaryngology department, a multidisciplinary cleft team, and his free flap reconstruction capabilities. While at the mission hospital, he helped train resident physicians and oversaw the expansion of services they were able to provide.
From his time in Kenya, Dr. Nolen gained tremendous experience in treating patients with complex facial reconstructive needs, patients with complex head and neck tumors, sinus and ear disorders, and patients with congenital facial anomalies like cleft lip/palate and microtia.
Dr. Nolen believes that it is important to tailor each treatment to the individual needs of the patient, and he looks forward to meeting your needs as a patient.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Dr. David Tobey completed his internship in Boston and residency in general surgery and otolaryngology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Dr. Tobey served the US military in the US Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps, in Seattle and at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Houston. He was also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at UTMB in Galveston for 18 years and has been in practice in Austin since 1981.
Dr. Tobey is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, the American College of Surgery (FACS), and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. He is also a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and Travis County Medical Society.
Dr. James Eskew attended the University of Texas School of Medicine in San Antonio and completed his first years of residency in general surgery at Methodist Central Hospital in Dallas. He continued his residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Dr. Eskew is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery (FAAO-HNS), as well as a member of the Austin Otolaryngology Society, Travis County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association, and American Medical Association.
Dr. Eskew has held many positions, including chief of surgery, chief of staff, and vice chairman of the Board of Trustees at South Austin Hospital, and he is a past member of the executive board of the Travis County Medical Society and president of the Society in 2003. Dr. Eskew is a preceptor in otolaryngology for the Central Texas Medical Foundation.
As a board-certified head and neck surgeon, Dr. James Kemper subspecializes in neurotology. He joined Austin ENT Clinic in April 2011 after more than 10 years of solo practice.
As a college undergraduate, Dr. Kemper attended Davidson College in North Carolina for one year. Homesick for Texas, he returned to Austin and graduated in 1985 with honors from the University of Texas with a degree in biology. He earned his medical degree and completed his Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.
After practicing general otolaryngology for two years, Dr. Kemper's interest in ear surgery led him to pursue a fellowship in neurotology at The Neurotology Group in Nashville, Tennessee under the guidance of renowned neurotologist Michael E. Glasscock, III, MD and Wes Kreuger, MD.
Since 1998, Dr. Kemper has concentrated exclusively on diseases of the ear and skull base, in patients from infancy through adulthood. His broad experience in managing hearing and balance disorders includes chronic ear disease and infection, management of vertigo and Meniere's syndrome, tumors of the ear and brainstem, cochlear implants, and other hearing implants.
Dr. Kemper and his experienced audiologists allow patients to optimize their hearing through multiple modalities, including the implantation and programming of 50-60 cochlear implants per year. Dr. Kemper and his staff take the time with patients to fully understand and optimally treat the most complicated of hearing and balance disorders.
Dr. Kemper and his wife have four children. Their active family enjoys playing sports, the outdoors, and mission trips.
Job Titles:
- Member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn graduated magna cum laude from Duke University. He attended medical school at the University of California at San Francisco where he graduated with thesis honors. He received his residency training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He also served as a research fellow at Harvard University, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.
Dr. Kahn has published several papers and has presented his research at national meetings. He was honored with multiple research awards during his residency training.
Dr. Kahn strives to apply the latest research and techniques available to provide safe, appropriate, and effective care for his patients. He emphasizes patient and family education and strongly encourages active patient involvement in all medical decisions.
Dr. Kahn is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Texas Medical Association, Travis County Medical Society, American Medical Association, and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Dr. Kahn loves living in Austin with his wife and children, taking opportunities to enjoy the multitude of outdoor and cultural offerings of Central Texas.
Dr. Jonathan Choi is a double board-certified neurotologist and otolaryngologist - head and neck surgeon, with specialized training in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery. He specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of ear and skull base disorders in both adults and children.
Dr. Choi graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. He completed residency training in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
During residency, he published numerous scientific articles and was awarded the J. Dickson Research Award for Outstanding Clinical Research. Following residency, he completed a two-year fellowship in Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery at the Michigan Ear Institute.
His clinical interests include chronic ear disease, hearing loss, facial nerve disorders, Meniere's disease, cochlear implantation, acoustic neuromas, and skull base surgery. He is a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as well as the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Texas Medical Association, and American Neurotology Society.
Dr. Choi sees patients at the Austin - Otology / Neurotology location. Away from the office, he enjoys spending time with his family, working out, and playing golf.
Job Titles:
- Robert Butler, MD, FACS, FAAOA
Dr. Ryan Boerner is an Austin native and attended the University of Texas at Austin. He completed his medical school training at the University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School where he graduated in the top of his class and was nominated to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He spent additional time during medical school at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and authored numerous research publications.
Following medical school, Dr. Boerner completed his Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery training at the Medical University of South Carolina, which is one of the top-ranked ENT training programs in the country. During his residency, he was awarded the Magnolia Resident Research Award and the Perry V. Halushka Research Award for his research on hearing loss. Dr. Boerner also received the F. Johnson Putney Resident of the Year award while at MUSC.
Dr. Boerner joined Austin ENT Clinic in 2019. He has been peer-selected for Austin Monthly's Top Doctors for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He has also been recognized annually as a Rising Star for Texas Super Doctors by Texas Monthly. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, serves on the board for the Austin Society of Otolaryngology, serves as a consultant for both the University of Texas Athletics Department as well as Austin FC, and is an affiliate faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School.
Dr. Boerner has a special interest in treating all adult and pediatric ENT issues including sinus and allergy, thyroid/parathyroid disorders, salivary gland diseases, ear/otologic diseases, vocal cord/airway disorders, surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea (Inspire®), and head and neck cancers. He has additional training in the newer technologies of hypoglossal nerve stimulator implant for obstructive sleep apnea, salivary endoscopy (non-invasive approach to treat salivary duct stones or strictures), and balloon sinuplasty.
As a member of the Excellence Program for the Inspire® implant device, Dr. Boerner provides a great alternative treatment for patients suffering from sleep apnea and for those who are not able to use CPAP. While not everyone qualifies, we can usually make that determination after examining you and reviewing your sleep test results.
Dr. Boerner sees patients at the North Austin location. Away from the office, he is an outdoors enthusiast and enjoys spending time with his family, kayaking, fishing, and golfing.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha
Board-certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery since 2013, Dr. Taylor Shepard combines the latest medical information with a patient-centered approach. He believes in educating and advising his patients regarding their medical condition, ensuring that treatment aligns with their values. He has privileges at most Austin hospitals.
Dr. Shepard treats a wide variety of conditions in both children and adults, with a special interest in diseases of the sinus. He performs both conventional sinus surgery and balloon sinuplasty. His office is equipped to comfortably perform balloon sinuplasty, as well as turbinate reduction and other nasal procedures under local anesthesia.
For the treatment of sleep apnea, Dr. Shepard does offer the Inspire® implant. This is a great alternative for patients who are not able to use CPAP. While not everyone qualifies, we can usually make that determination after examining you and reviewing your sleep test results.
Dr. Shepard also enjoys caring for diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid and is capable of performing ultrasound and evaluation of nodules in a single visit. His office is fully equipped for evaluation of allergies, including testing and institution of shots or sublingual allergy drops.
Dr. Shepard treats nasal obstruction, deviated septum, and enlarged turbinates as well as a wide variety of problems with the ear, including hearing complaints. He performs septoplasty and turbinate reduction, which increases nasal airflow and helps improve quality of life and sleep quality for most patients, including benefits for sleep apnea. He evaluates and treats voice and swallowing disorders, including minimally invasive treatment for Zenker diverticulum.
Having three children of his own, Dr. Shepard knows how important it is to have a physician who understands kids. He works hard to make kids comfortable during their exams, and he enjoys teaching them about their health. He treats pediatric allergies, sinus complaints, ear infections, hearing loss, tonsillitis, snoring, enlarged tonsils, and a variety of other pediatric ear, nose, and throat illnesses. He utilizes some of the latest tools, such as the Coblator, to help with pain and recovery.
Dr. Shepard is a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as well as the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Texas Medical Association, and Travis County Medical Society.
Despite being an Austin native with Longhorn parents, Dr. Shepard attended Texas A&M University where he earned a degree in biomedical science, graduating summa cum laude. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. Following medical school, he completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. He returned home following training to start his practice.
In his free time, Dr. Shepard spends time with his wife and children. He is a member of Providence Church. He enjoys lake activities, cooking, being outdoors, college football, and travel.