Afternoon Session

Dr. Maddalozzo is a pediatric otolaryngologist at Lurie Children’s (formerly Children's Memorial Hospital) and Professor of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. 

He received his medical degree from Loyola University – Stritch School of Medicine and completed his residency in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His fellowship training was completed at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He has published multiple original, peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. 

He serves as a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture. Dr. Maddalozzo currently serves as board member of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Surgical Foundation as well as being a member of the Executive Surgical Council. He is also the Section Chief of Head and Neck -Skull base surgery in the division of Otolaryngology at Lurie Children’s.

Although he maintains a general otolaryngology practice his clinical and research interest focuses on the treatment of pediatric head and neck masses. This encompasses parotid and submandibular lesions, atypical tubercular adenopathy, parathyroid and thyroid disorders, diseases of the jaw, tongue and floor of mouth, as well congenital lesions such as thyroglossal duct cyst, branchial cleft cyst, lymphatic malformations, and midline cervical cleft. His publications and surgical outcomes in these areas have gained him a regional and national referral base for the treatment of these disorders.

Dr. Maddalozzo sees the patients at Lurie Children’s main location- Chicago, Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in Northbrook, and Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in Westchester.

James Schroeder is a pediatric otolaryngologist and Vice Chair of Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He holds a dual academic appointment as Professor in both the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Medical Education at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. He has held multiple leadership roles in both graduate and undergraduate medical education at Feinberg and is currently serving as the Assistant Designated Institutional Official (DIO) at McGaw.  He is the Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Surgery where he led transformational change in faculty compensation and in operational efficiency and governance of the educational programs.  He is the long time Program Director for the Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship program at the Lurie Children’s.  Has been inducted into the Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators (FAME) honor society and regularly contributes to faculty development as part of the McGaw Clinical Scholars programs and the FAME Medical Educator Certificate Program.  

He received a Bachelor of Arts with distinction at the University of Virginia, Doctor of Medicine (Cum Laude) from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, completed a residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Rush University in Chicago, a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and an Education Fellowship at the Searle Center for Advanced Learning and Teaching at Northwestern University. He also has an MBA focused on healthcare administration and leadership.  

He treats children with airway and swallowing problems and performs related surgeries. His research interests include pediatric dysphagia in children specifically related to congenital and acquired airway disorders. He has published over 70 scientific articles and book chapters and frequently lectures nationally and internationally on related topics. He is a member of and has held leadership roles in the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the American Bronchoesophagological Association (ABEA), American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO), American College of Surgeons (ACS), and others. He is the past President of the Chicago Laryngological and Otological Society.

Dr. Schroeder sees the patients at Lurie Children’s main location, Lurie Children’s Outpatient center in Lincoln Park, and Lurie Children’s Outpatient center in Westchester.

Dr. Kathleen Billings is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital), and Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. She completed her medical degree at the Rush Medical College in Chicago, and her residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. Her fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology was completed at the Children’s Hospital of Boston. 

Dr. Billing’s clinical and research interests include the management of acute and chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, hearing loss, adenotonsillar diseases including obstructive sleep apnea, and the care of children with complex craniofacial disorders or syndromes. She serves as the Clinical Practice Director for Pediatric Otolaryngology at Lurie Children’s Hospital. She also serves in the Same Day Surgery Ear Tube Program.

Dr. Billings sees patients at Lurie Children’s main location and Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park (Clark/Deming), Northbrook, and Westchester.

Dr. Dana Thompson is the Lauren D. Holinger Professor Chair of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Lurie Children’s and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She has held faculty positions at premier institutions including the Mayo Clinic and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine/Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. In 2011 she achieved the academic rank of Professor, making her the first African American woman professor in the specialty of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in the United States. The leadership journey navigating a career as an underrepresented woman of color in surgery has driven her to become a thought leader in areas of conscious and unconscious bias and impact in health care delivery.

She has a unique hybrid of expertise in the surgical treatment and management of airway, voice, and swallowing disorders for infants, children, and adults. Her other clinical interests include Infant Apnea, Airway and Extraesophageal Manifestations of GERD, Aerodigestive Manifestations of Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Oropharyngeal Swallowing, Airway Protection, Neurolaryngology, and Laryngomalacia. She brings 24 years of experience as an internationally recognized airway surgeon and leader in aerodigestive medicine. The collective research contributions in laryngomalacia have influenced the surgical and medical management of the disease and she is considered one of the world’s authorities on the topic. She received the prestigious Mosher Award from the Triological Society for excellence in clinical research for her seminal work elucidating the etiology of Laryngomalacia. She has published over 100 scientific articles and 15 book chapters.

Dr. Thompson sees patients at Lurie Children’s main location and Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park (Clark/Deming).

Saied Ghadersohi MD FACS is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Lurie Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He serves as the Director of the Complex Sleep Program and the Director of Resident Education at Lurie Children’s for all rotating otolaryngology residents.

After completing his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences, and Pharmacology and Toxicology at the State University of New York at Buffalo, he then completed his medical degree at the State University at Buffalo – Jacob’s School of Medicine, where he graduated summa cum laude. He then completed his residency training in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern University and fellowship training in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, CO. He began at Lurie Children’s in 2020 where his clinical and research focus is on pediatric airway disease including obstructive sleep apnea and voice disorders, pediatric cleft and craniofacial disorders, velopharyngeal insufficiency, pediatric otology, and chronic sinonasal disorders.

Dr. Ghadersohi sees the patients at Lurie Children’s main location and Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in New Lenox.