Team News

Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan is a pediatric otolaryngologist specializing in the care of children with complex airway, voice, and swallowing disorders. An expert in pediatric airway reconstruction and head and neck vascular anomalies, he is also deeply committed to improving surgical quality, healthcare equity, and medical education. After graduating from Harvard University and completing his MD at Johns Hopkins University with an HHMI research fellowship, he trained at the University of Washington and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, specializing in complex larynx and trachea reconstruction. As Susan B. Ford Surgeon-in-Chief at Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Dr. Balakrishnan has published extensively, led national collaborative efforts, and worked internationally to enhance otolaryngology education.

Dr. Matthew Fitzgerald is the Chief of Audiology at Stanford, where he oversees the Audiology departments of both Stanford Hospital and the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital. His training includes an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Wichita State University, a M.S. in Audiology and Hearing Sciences from Vanderbilt University, a clinical fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI a Ph.D. in Communication Disorders from Northwestern University , and a post-doctoral fellowship at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Fitzgerald’s research focuses on developing innovative technologies for audiometric data analysis and clinical decision support.

Dr. Kristen K. Steenerson is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in vestibular neurology. She graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College and received her MD from the University of Utah. She then completed neurology residency at Mayo Clinic Arizona and a fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute. She directs the Vestibular Balance Disorders Program of the Stanford Balance Center. She has joint appointments in the departments of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery and Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford. Her clinical interests include vestibular migraine, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Ménière's disease, and international neurology.

Dr. Jennifer Alyono completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry as well as her master’s degree in Bioengineering at Stanford University. After receiving her MD at the University of California, San Diego, she returned to Stanford where she completed both her residency in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and her fellowship in Otology and Neurotology – Skull Base surgery. Clinically, Dr. Alyono specializes in adult and pediatric surgery for disorders of the middle ear, inner ear, ear canal, facial nerve, and skull base. This includes care for hearing loss, tympanic membrane perforations, cholesteatoma, glomus tumors, and vestibular schwannomas, among others. Her research interests are hearing in population health, quality of care, and technology in medicine.

Dr. Lindsay Scott Moore is a board-certified physician-scientist specializing in Otology and Neurotology – Skull Base Surgery who provides care at the Stanford Health Care Ear Institute. She received her MD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed a residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, followed by fellowship in Neurotology at Stanford. Dr. Moore’s research interests include the development of novel optical and fluorescence molecular imaging and intraoperative surgical navigation techniques to guide safe and effective resection of tumors. Clinically, her interests include treating and managing vestibular schwannoma, cholesteatoma, and other neoplasms of the ear and lateral skull base. Dr. Moore was the recipient of Dr. Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health and an Alavi–Mandell Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Dr. Tristan Tham completed his residency training in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Hofstra/Northwell Health in New York. Dr. Tham received his medical degree from Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. His clinical interest is in comprehensive otolaryngology, which involves caring for patients with diverse problems that occur in the head and neck region. Dr. Tham is also an accomplished outcomes and health services researcher. Prior to pursuing residency training, he served as the Director of Patient Oriented Research at New York Head & Neck Institute, Northwell Health. His research interests include health disparities and epidemiology. Beyond his work in the clinic, he has participated in multiple medical missions abroad. When he is not at work, Dr. Tham enjoys reading, weightlifting, and exploring the beautiful nature of Norther California with his wife and son.

Dr. Harish Dharmarajan is an affiliated clinical instructor at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, a tertiary teaching hospital focused on serving San Jose’s medically underserved population. He completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and fellowship in Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University. He enjoys treating patients across a wide range of otolaryngological conditions with a special emphasis on medical and surgical management of sinonasal and skull base disorders. His research interests include mechanisms of chronic rhinosinusitis, olfaction, and treatment of sinonasal and skull base tumors.