Donald Mohs, MD - Beacon Medical Group ENT and Audiology South Bend

Ashley Saia decided on a career in medicine when she was a senior in high school. "I was taking college classes at the time and randomly decided to take a medical terminology class," she explains. "Not only did I love the class, but I became very interested in medicine. From that point on, I never wanted to major in anything else." As an ear, nose and throat practitioner, Ashley evaluates, diagnoses and treats patients who have ENT disorders. "I enjoy working with all different age groups and love that we can make a real difference in peoples’ lives," Ashley says. "There are many procedures that can almost instantly make a person feel better or improve their quality of life." Ashley enjoys the complexity of her field and chose to practice at Beacon because of the care they show their employees and their commitment to providing the best care to the community. "It is important to me to work at a hospital that I take pride in, and Beacon is exactly that." When it comes to her profession, Ashley wants her patients to know that she will treat them like her own family. "I want them to feel comfortable and cared for," she states. "I put my heart and soul into what I do. I want all my patients to have a good experience while getting excellent care. If they leave their visit feeling their questions have been answered and they received exceptional care, I have done my job." In her own words… Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? My grandmother was a very influential person in my life. She was kind, loving, hard-working, patient and accepting of everyone. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I was a cashier at A&W. I remember what a great job it was because I worked with a lot of my friends and the food was amazing. I once had a customer come through the drive-thru and thank me for having a smile on my face and being friendly. I never forgot how a smile can make a difference. What is your favorite food? Movie? My favorite food is grandma’s homemade vegetable soup. I try to replicate it and have come close, but it always makes me think of her. My favorite movie is The Princess Bride. What were your best/worst subjects in school? My favorites then and now are math and science. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone, alive or deceased, who would it be and why? Florence Nightingale. She has been an inspiration to me throughout my career. She was very ahead of her time and incredibly passionate about the nursing profession. I would love to hear stories about how nursing was then, and how she made changes throughout her life to the nursing profession. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? I am very passionate about spending time with my family. There are so many things I want to do with my children that will also benefit others. I would like to be a Girls on the Run coach for my daughter and help teach other children the value of exercise and instill confidence. My son and I also want to volunteer at a local cat rescue. What are your hobbies, interests? I love to run. My oldest son and I have run a few races together and it has been awesome to share that love of running with him. I also love to read. Do you have pets? Yes! I have two dogs, Ruby and Luna, and two cats, Newt and Ravenclaw. What is something most people don’t know about you? I am a huge Harry Potter fan. Three of my animals are named after Harry Potter characters, and my kids and I will often have Harry Potter movie marathons!

About Frank Pennoni With his immediate family all in the medical field, it was no question for Frank Pennoni, PA-C, that he would do something in the field. “My father has been the director of a laboratory for 25 years, and both my mom and sister are nurses,” he says. While a senior at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology, he learned about the PA profession. After doing some research, he loved the idea of being a PA and started the process of gaining patient care experience so he could apply for graduate school. He earned his Master of Science in Biology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and his Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Indiana State University, Terre Haute. He enjoys the field for the variety of ENT cases he sees in a day -- a mixture of acute and chronic, or rare and common conditions in kids and adults. “From the most urgent condition-airway emergency to nosebleeds, headaches, dizziness, thyroid problems, cancers, etc. – I will get to see it all,” he says. Frank is often asked what a PA does. He explains it is a licensed advanced practice provider who delivers direct patient care to all ages in most specialties. A PA performs physical exams, orders and interprets lab tests and imaging, develops and manages treatment plans, prescribes medications, and provides preventative care to patients, all while working under the supervision of their collaborating physician, he explains. While clinical schedules can get hectic, Frank says he treats each patient as if they were his mother or father. “I would want my family to receive the best possible care, so that is the goal I have with each patient,” he says. “Treat every patient as your family or friend. Treat them with the same dedication and commitment you would your loved ones.” In his own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My parents. They taught me the value of hard work, determination and resilience. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? My first job was Burger King. I remember it taught me how to have good people skills, and a sense of responsibility. What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food: Vietnamese food Favorite movie: The Green Mile What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? My best subjects were math and sciences. My worst subject was art. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? Albert Einstein. He was a brilliant scientist and mathematician who changed our understanding of the universe. I would find it interesting to learn his perspective on the current state of science and technology. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? My family. I have three nephews and one niece. What are your hobbies, interests? My hobbies include golfing, playing basketball, exercising, watching sports and playing video games. Do you have pets? Yes, I have two cats – Luna and Aurora. What is something most people don’t know about you? I grew up on a farm. Also, I was on the chess team in middle school and we got seventh in the state.

Beacon Medical Group ENT and Audiology South Bend, located in the Navarre building adjacent to Memorial Hospital, provides comprehensive ENT and Audiology services. Dr. David J. Isaacson is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist with special interests in: thyroid and parathyroid surgery, head and neck cancer, cochlear implantation, facial reconstruction, DaVinci robotic surgery of the head and neck, and endoscopic pituitary surgery. Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) Treatment of sinus/allergy disorders and minimally invasive sinus surgery available. Our physician has expertise in treating chronic ear infections, hearing loss, dizziness, thyroid disorders and a variety of other ear, nose and throat problems for pediatric and adult patients. Audiology The science of hearing, balance, and related disorders. Audiologists are experts in diagnosing and managing disorders of the auditory and balance system. The brands of hearing devices we fit, service, and program are Cochlear Americas, Phonak, ReSound and Oticon. If you are looking for a new provider and already wear hearing aids and/or have a Cochlear Americas implanted device, our audiologists are more than happy to help you transfer care.