Summary
In this episode of the Breathe Free podcast, host Matt Ghanem welcomes Dr. Kenny Iloabachie, a new physician partner, to discuss his journey to joining Breathe Free, his observations on patient care, and the importance of work-life balance. Dr. Iloabachie shares insights on the transition to a new EMR system, the positive feedback from his staff, and the significance of community engagement through charity initiatives. The conversation also touches on parenting, defining success, and a light-hearted debate on the impact of basketball legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Adam Pellegrine started his career with National Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy Centers in 2020 at the Dallas location. As part of the clinical staff, he was able to develop processes in every operational aspect, from patient coordination to eventually operations management. Empathetic patient care, unique problem solving, staff and patient education, and servant leadership have been formative guides as he has grown with the organization, leading him to his role as Director of New Clinic Operations as well as Regional Operations Manager.
Experienced as a new clinic operations manager, Adam possesses a proven track record of successfully planning, managing, and overseeing new clinics from build-out to full operation. Starting with a second location for Dallas Breathe Free, he has assisted in the opening of multiple Breathe Free locations including, but not limited to, Woodbridge, West Palm Beach, Columbia, and Las Vegas, with the list only continuing to grow.
Originally from Birmingham, AL, Adam received his BA in Biology and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas, Arlington. While Dallas remains his home base, Adam travels from coast to coast opening new Breathe Free clinics. In any downtime, you can catch Adam enjoying the outdoors, traveling, or spending time with his pups, Benjamin and Deloris.
Adam M. Shapiro, M.D., M.A.S. is delighted to be the newest member of the Breathe Free family, soon to be affiliated with Miami Breathe Free in Coconut Grove, Florida. He is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist and Sleep Medicine Specialist, a licensed pilot, a dedicated member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Aviation Division and an intrepid traveler. He is board certified in both Sleep Medicine and Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, a Fellow of the American Rhinologic Society, and is fellowship trained with sub-specialty experience in Rhinology, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, and Aerospace Medicine. Dr. Shapiro is the founder of Aerospace Medical Sleep Consultants and has a particular interest in Human Factors and Sleep Disorders. He is also an Airline Transport Pilot, Citation Jet type rated pilot, Seaplane pilot,, FAA Senior Aviation Medical Examiner, and an Advanced FAA HIMS Aviation Medical Examiner. He is a consultant and active participant with Space Florida. He also serves as an Aircraft Commander, and is a former Division Commander and Assistant District Flight Safety Officer with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Dr. Shapiro founded Virgin Islands Ear, Nose & Throat, P.C., the region's premier state-of-the-art otolaryngic surgical practice with offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix, as well the St. Thomas and Virgin Islands Sleep Centers, the territory's only AASM accredited sleep centers. He is also hyperbaric medicine certified and was a DAN referral physician for the Virgin Islands. In his spare time, Dr. Shapiro likes to bike, hike, snorkel, read, and learn as many languages as possible. He lives in Miami with his wife, Pamela Berkowsky, the president of Blue Sapphire Strategies, a defense resilience consulting practice. His son Benjamin, is an aerospace economist working for the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California. His daughter, Zara, is graduating from Cornell University with Honors in Linguistics and this fall will be enrolling in graduate studies at the London School of Economics. He is nearly always accompanied by Blanco Grande, his Arctic White German Shepherd.
Matt Ghanem, Todd Tomlinson and Taylor Borane discuss their thoughts and feelings on the 5th Annual Breathe Free Family Reunion in Part III of this III part reaction series.
Matt Ghanem, Todd Tomlinson and Taylor Borane discuss their thoughts and feelings on the 5th Annual Breathe Free Family Reunion in Part II of this III part reaction series.
Matt Ghanem, Todd Tomlinson and Taylor Borane discuss their thoughts and feelings on the 5th Annual Breathe Free Family Reunion in Part I of this III part reaction series.
James Osborne, DO, FACOOS, is an ear, nose, and throat doctor at Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat in Surprise, Arizona. Dr. Osborne has been practicing in the Phoenix valley since August of 2006.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Osborne earned his undergraduate bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from The Ohio State University in 1995. After practicing pharmacy for two years, he pursued his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2001. Dr. Osborne stayed in Erie, Pennsylvania, and completed his medical/general surgery internship at LECOM Health Millcreek Community Hospital and his dual otorhinolaryngology and facial plastic surgery residency at UPMC Hamot Medical Center (formerly Millcreek Community Hospital). He served as chief otolaryngology resident in 2005.
Dr. Osborne is an adjunct clinical professor at Midwestern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale, Arizona. He is also a founding physician member of the Utu Humanitarian Alliance with hopes to one day take it to the next step and personally care for those patients in under-served countries. In March 2017, Honor Health Deer Valley Hospital presented Dr. Osborne with an award in honor of his Citizenship and Community Service.
In his free time, he and his wife enjoy watching their children's sporting events and spending time in the great outdoors. He enjoys being an ENT physician and surgeon because he gets to care for patients young and old.
Brittany Camden is our National Authorization Director, overseeing the largest team at Breathe Free. Brittany aspires to foster a culture where each team member feels valued and has the opportunity to grow.
Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Brittany graduated from the University of Arizona and went on to receive her Master’s in Special Education. After ten years in education, she joined the Breathe Free family after learning about a new opportunity. She is passionate about advocating for patients much like she would advocate for students.
Her background in education, behavioral health, and leadership equip her to support and coach new and veteran team members.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and traveling to new places — with a special place in her heart for Alaska.
CEO Matt Ghanem's wife, Ginna Ghanem, joins the Breathe Free Podcast to give the Breathe Free Family an opportunity to learn a little bit about their CEO.
Dr. Waters is a board certified subspecialist in the field of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and her practice includes the full scope of ear, nose, and throat issues in patients of all ages. She is also Board Certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Her expertise includes Rhytidectomy (Facelift), Brow Lift, Blepharoplasty and Rhinoplasty (cosmetic nasal surgery), as well as Otoplasty, skin cancer reconstruction of the face, neck, and all aspects of functional nasal surgery including Nasal Fracture repair and Septoplasty. Dr. Waters additionally has distinct knowledge in the nonsurgical management of the skin and soft tissue including the use of neurotoxins, fillers, and laser and chemical rejuvenation.
Dr. Waters graduated with honors from The Ohio State University School of Medicine and Public Health and subsequently completed a residency in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. After completing her residency, she completed a prestigious fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with one of the world’s leaders in the field.
She is a Double Board Certified physician as a Facial Plastic Surgeon and by the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Dr. Hershcovitch has been honored as a TOP DOCTOR by Los Angeles Magazine in 2024, recognizing his outstanding contributions to patient care and excellence in otolaryngology. This prestigious award highlights Dr. Hershcovitch’s dedication to providing exceptional medical services and his commitment to the well-being of his patients.
Dr. Hershcovitch is a double board-certified fellowship-trained physician specializing in ENT and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Hershcovitch was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. He received his medical education from the State University of New York and then performed his residency training in Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He then completed his training with a prestigious fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University.
Dr. Hershcovitch is passionate about treating the different aspects of sinus conditions and diseases. By staying current on sinus intervention innovation and technology, Dr. Hershcovitch is proud to offer minimally invasive office-based approaches and techniques to treat sinus conditions and diseases. These patient-centric innovations are more cost-effective and result in better outcomes, fewer complications, and faster recovery times.
Dr. Manish Khanna joins the show today to talk with Matt Ghanem.
Dr. Khanna grew up in Rockville, MD. After graduation from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, he spent the following year as a post-graduate researcher at NIH, performing cutting edge research and producing publications. Dr. Khanna then attended Albany Medical College to earn his medical degree in 2002. Subsequently, he was accepted to the Otolaryngology Residency program at Albany Medical Center and completed his surgical internship, residency, and chief residency in 2007.
Following residency, Dr. Khanna was accepted for a Fellowship in Rhinology – Advanced Endoscopic Sinus Surgery at the California Sinus Institute in Palo Alto, CA, under Drs. Winston Vaughan and Karen Fong. While training at the Institute, he learned both the medical and surgical management of challenging sinonasal disorders. Revision endoscopic sinus surgery, balloon sinuplasty, medial orbital wall decompression, CSF leak repair, sinonasal polyp surgery, sinonasal tumor removal, and frontal sinus surgery were some of the nearly 300 sinonasal procedures performed by Dr. Khanna at the California Sinus Institute.
Dr. Khanna completed his Fellowship in Rhinology and Board Certification in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in 2008 and returned to the DC metro area to provide quality medical and surgical care for Ear Nose & Throat patients. He served as director of the Sinus Institute of Northern Virginia from 2008 until 2018.
He is currently on staff at Harborside Surgery Center and Sibley Memorial Hospital.
Tia Tiebklang joins the show again, because the conversation needed to continue.
She is the Operations Manager at Gulf Coast Breathe Free and is dedicated to helping others in their journey of self discovery. Her family relocated from Thailand to the US during mid-late 80’s in hopes of creating a better life. She is passionate about helping others, inspiring people to achieve their goals, and loving love to the fullest. She was born and raised in Panama City, FL. With over 10 years of experience in the service industry, she takes pride in her ability to make a lasting impression and connect with people. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
CEO Matt Ghanem's wife, Ginna Ghanem, joins the Breathe Free Podcast to give the Breathe Free Family an opportunity to learn a little bit about their CEO.
Tia Tiebklang is the Operations Manager at Gulf Coast Breathe Free and is dedicated to helping others in their journey of self discovery. Her family relocated from Thailand to the US during mid-late 80’s in hopes of creating a better life. She is passionate about helping others, inspiring people to achieve their goals, and loving love to the fullest. She was born and raised in Panama City, FL. With over 10 years of experience in the service industry, she takes pride in her ability to make a lasting impression and connect with people. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Taylor Borane’s unique experience in the healthcare, hospitality and medical device industries, along with his passion to provide patients with the best possible experiences and access to the highest quality of care was why he was brought on to National Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy as Chief Operating Officer. Taylor’s areas of expertise include talent acquisition, people management, data processing, customer relationship management (CRM), and operations management.
Taylor’s career prior to National Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy included leadership roles in the medical device industry (Ear Nose and Throat Specifically), leadership roles within healthcare and leadership roles within hospitality.
In his free time Taylor likes to volunteer with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity.
Nick Binge
FOUNDER, CO-FOUNDER PXENGAGEMENT™
Nick Binge has held executive leadership positions at Lippert Components, Boston Scientific, Entellus Medical, and Stryker. He has a depth of experience in disruptive technology and market development. He founded Medfluence Advisors as a way to leverage the digital revolution, to bring awareness to underserved disease states, and help physician practices position themselves for today and the future. Nick has extensive experience in early-stage commercialization with neuromodulation (Advanced Bionics/Boston Scientific), diabetic sensors (Dexcom), and office-based sinus procedures (Entellus and Stryker). He co-founded PXEngagement, a Medfluence Advisors company, which utilizes cutting-edge texting software to supercharge efficiencies for physicians and their patients.
Rob Weiss-
Director and Founder of CT ENT Sinus Center, Hearing & Balance, Dr. Robert Weiss has created one of the preeminent medical practices in Fairfield County, CT. Dr. Weiss is a board-certified Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon, Fellow of American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA), and serves as an affiliate member of the American Institute of Balance (AIB) and the American Rhinologic Society (ARS). He is also a part of 7 preeminent medical associations and societies and is associated with Norwalk Hospital.
Ciro Dipaola- Long term patient of Dr Weiss for over 20 years
Dr. Brian Lee is a board-certified ENT doctor committed to delivering compassionate and attentive care to adult and child patients suffering from ear, nose, and throat conditions.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lee has been praised by countless patients for providing excellent patient care.
Mark was a Navy search and rescue instructor for his H-60 helicopter squadron at NAS Mayport when he realized he had affinity for working in some type of medical field. After finishing his enlistment, he returned to the University of Maryland at College Park where he achieved his Bachelor of Science degree in biology. From there he graduated with a Master’s degree in health science and was awarded a physician assistant certification in 1995 from the George Washington University. He began his emergency medicine, trauma, and ICU training right out of PA school at PG hospital in Cheverly Maryland. From there Mark worked practicing emergency medicine and trauma in Maryland for the next 17 years.
As an army reservist Mark was called to active duty twice to serve in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and again in 2007 to 2008. While in Iraq he traveled extensively throughout the country practicing emergency medicine and trauma as needed for American soldiers, local nationals, Coalition troops, and Iraqi detainees.
In addition to Emergency Medicine and Trauma, Mark has also practiced urgent care and occupational medicine. He has also worked as a government contractor helping to develop and maintain medical documentation standards for both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veteran’s affairs.
Mark currently lives in Damascus Maryland with his wife of 27 years Susan, their three children Madeline, Mitchell and Mark and their 3 dogs Pantera (Belgian Malinois), Chickee (Tibetan Mastiff) and Bailey (Akita/Lab Mix)!
