Meet the faculty

Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed joined the faculty of the Anesthesiology Department at the University of Wisconsin in 2014 to provide Chronic Pain Medicine Services as part of the Interventional Pain Program. He received his medical training at Assiut University Medical School in Egypt, completed a master’s degree in Public Health, research fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, and residency in anesthesiology and pain management fellowship at University of Cincinnati. As part of the Interventional Pain Program, Dr. Abd-Elsayed evaluates patients at the Pain Clinic, and when an interventional pain treatment is appropriate, performs procedures at the Madison Surgery Center.
In addition to his work as a pain specialist, Dr. Abd-Elsayed is an active clinical investigator. Current studies include the use of opioids, genetic variations leading to different individual response to opioids, and the use of neuromodulation and peripheral nerve stimulators for the management of neuropathic pain. He also has research interests in fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and headaches, and is leading a study called “CREATE” to help CRPS patients. Over the course of his career, he has received numerous research grants, published more than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and authored several editorials and book chapters. He has presented at more than 60 international and national conferences and has earned more than 15 awards at the state and national levels. In addition, he has served as a reviewer for more than 20 journals and as an editor to several journals.
“Dr. Al,” as he likes to be called, is a member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA). He was named among the Leading Physicians of the World and America’s Best Physicians in 2016.

Dr. Latrice A. Akuamoah, M.D., M.P.H is originally from Chicago. She is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management physician at The Spine and Pain Institute of New York.
She graduated from The University of Rochester with a Bachelor of Science in molecular genetics prior to earning her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in anesthesiology at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, followed by a fellowship in interventional pain management at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Akuamoah uses an evidence-based multimodal approach, often recommending behavioral therapy, physical therapy, medications, and cutting-edge minimally invasive procedures when necessary. She takes the time to carefully listen to her patients so that she can help them reach their goals. She is committed to improving her patients’ quality of life, helping them return to work and other activities that they enjoy. She has a particular interest in helping historically undertreated groups, including women and people of color.

Dr. Shahzad Anwar is an Interventional Spine & Pain Medicine Physician and Medical Acupuncturist with over 20 years of experience in the fields of Pain Management, Regenerative Medicine, and Medical Acupuncture. Dr. Shahzad graduated from Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore in 1995. He started his medical career as a Physician and Medical Acupuncturist in 1998 after his postgraduate training at Beijing University of TCM. He is among the few Pakistani doctors who have been trained at Harvard Medical School USA in the field of Pain Medicine. He did his Masters in Pain Medicine from Cardiff University UK and also from Riphah International University Islamabad, Pakistan. He has done Fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine from (Pain School International) Hungary, a Fellowship in Interventional Pain Practice-FIPP (WIP-USA), and a Fellowship in Endoscopic Spine Surgery from Turkey. He is a Diplomat and a Member American Academy and Board of Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Shahzad Anwar is the Founding President of the Society for Interventional Pain Medicine (SIPM) Pakistan. He runs his own hospital “Iffat Anwar Medical Complex” in Lahore. He is working as Head of the Department of Pain Medicine at Azra Naheed Medical College, Lahore. He is actively engaged in research, teaching, and training of young doctors in the fields of Pain Medicine, Regenerative Medicine, and Medical Acupuncture.

Dr. Al-Kaisy is currently the Clinical Lead of the Pain Management and Neuromodulation Centre at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS trust. He trained in Chronic Pain Medicine at The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool. He has a fellowship in Chronic Pain Management at the University of Toronto Hospital, Canada. Dr. Al-Kaisy has an international reputation as a leading expert in Pain Management and has extensive experience in working toward the advancement of electrical neuromodulation techniques within this specialty. Dr. Al-Kaisy led the first multicenter and multinational study on the safety and efficacy of 10kHz SCS in the management of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS). He has subsequently clinically pioneered the use of this novel therapy in the management of different chronic pain conditions including the feasibility study on chronic back patients without prior surgery. He has successfully designed groundbreaking research including a randomized double-blind placebo control study examining different frequencies in the management of FBSS. He is the innovator of a number of techniques including transgrade dorsal root ganglion stimulation using monopolar electrical stimulation. Dr. Al-Kaisy continues to teach and lecture on essential and pioneering topics in pain management in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He is the chair of the biannual London Spine Pain Symposium at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital.

Adesanya Tolu Alugo, MD, MSC, FDPCOAI, CIME, DCAPM, FIPP, CIPS, ASRA-PMUC is an Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia and Chronic Pain at Horizon Health, Canada. He is also a Researcher/Clinician @ Dailhousie /Newbrunswick health Network.
Dr Alugo is skilled in: Emergency Medicine, Medical Education, Medicine, Hospitals, Critical Care, Healthcare Management, Internal Medicine, Clinical Research, Patient Safety, Healthcare, Critical Care Medicine, Public Health, Healthcare Information, Treatment, Epidemiology, ACLS, Surgery, General Surgery, Anesthesia.

Fabricio Assis, MD, FIPP is one of the founders of the Brazilian Society of interventional Pain Physicians (SOBRAMID) and its first president from 2013 to 2015. Dr. Assis is involved in lots of educational projects and had trained physicians in interventional pain all over the world in the last 20 years. Twelve years ago, he started a very successful training program in Interventional Pain in Brazil, where physicians from all over the country and neighboring ones from Latin America come once a month a year. This project was replicated in Budapest in 2017 and named Pain School International. Dr. Assis is also one of the directors of the WIP Workshop in Florida. Just founded in 2022, Dr. Assis is the first president of the Latin American Pain Society (LAPS). Dr. Assis became a certified pain specialist at the Universidad de Barcelona, Spain, in 1998. Since that he began his work in interventional pain management and focused his work mainly on chronic pain patients, performing all kinds of procedures. He had participated in courses and traineeships in Hungary, England, Turkey, the Netherlands, the US, and several other countries. In 2007 he became a WIP-certified Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP). Today Dr. Assis works at Singular – Pain Management Center, an EPP (Excellence in Pain Practice) Center in Campinas, SP, and is a member of the pain team at Hospital Sao Luiz Itaim, Sao Luiz Morumbi e Vila Nova Star and the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, all in São Paulo.

Dr. Steve M. Aydin is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University/Northwell Health, as well as Chief of PM&R and Intervention Pain Management at Kayal Medical Group, in NJ. He completed his PMR training at UMDNJ/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, and his pain management fellowship at the University of Michigan. He is board-certified in both PMR and Pain Management. He has published multiple book chapters, case reports, and research articles on interventional pain medicine techniques and treatments. He is an active member of the ASIPP, NJSIPP, and AAPMR. He also serves on the Board of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP).

Pain Physician and Palliative Care. PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil) President-elect Brazilian Society for Studies of Pain- SBED (2024-5). Scientific Director of sinpain sa. Professor of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Care – Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil. Chief Editor – Cancer Pain Textbook, Editora Atheneu.

Douglas P. Beall, MD, is board-certified in Diagnostic Radiology, has an added fellowship in Musculoskeletal Radiology, is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management, and is a Fellow of the Society of Interventional Radiology and Interventional Pain Practice and board-certified by the World Institute of Pain. He is currently in private practice focused on interventional pain management and minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Dr. Helen Blake is an Interventional Pain Physician and best-selling author of the book “Move Freely: Get Your Life Back After Injury.” She is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Management. Her compassionate, patient-centered, comprehensive pain management techniques help her patients manage their pain and minimize their dependence on medications. She strives to give her patients the results they need to live their best life.

Dr. Blake is empathetic, passionate, and inspiring to her patients and staff alike. Her Fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery (Premier Orthopedic Hospital) gave her advanced training in the evaluation of musculoskeletal complaints and sports injuries but it’s her interest in moving knowledge further with continuing education and the relentless study of cutting edge therapies that sets her apart from her peers.

Nicole has been a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist since 2015 with clinical experience focused in interventional pain management since 2017. She obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. However, it wasn’t long before she realized her passion for medicine, driving her to return to the University of Texas to pursue a Masters of Science in Nursing. Nicole believes that the key to pain management lies in creating a partnership for decision making between those that she treats, their families, and their healthcare providers in order to help them reach their pain management and functional goals through a comprehensive approach to care.

Aaron Kenneth Calodney, MD is the Past President of the Texas Pain Society and the Past President of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP). He served on the board of the International Spine Intervention Society for many years and was Director of Education. He is the Treasurer of the USA section of WIP. Dr. Calodney is board certified in Anesthesiology and carries subspecialty certification in Pain Management through the American Board of Anesthesiology.
Dr. Calodney earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. His residency in anesthesiology and subsequent interventional pain management fellowship was completed at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He subsequently completed a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia at the Denver Children’s Hospital.
With a particular interest in Spine and special interests including Neuromodulation and Intrathecal Drug Delivery, Regenerative therapies and Biological treatment of the painful degenerative disc, and Radiofrequency ablation, Dr. Calodney has presented and published many articles and textbook chapters. He is actively involved in clinical research and has delivered hundreds of invited lectures in the US and abroad.

Dr. Calodney is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and many other professional societies.
He is the author of the first Evidenced Based Treatment Guidelines in Interventional Pain and Evidenced Based Guidelines for the Use of Opioids published in the Pain Physician journal. Dr. Calodney was appointed by the governor of Texas to serve on the Advisory Committee on the Regulation of Controlled Substances Act.

Kenneth D. Candido, MD Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine

Dr. Kenneth D. Candido is Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago and Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Dr. Candido is a highly visible presence regionally and nationally in the pain management community. Since becoming Chair in 2008, Dr. Candido has spearheaded a pain management program which has realized double-digit expansion in each of his ten years there.
Dr. Candido spent the first two years of medical school in Tampico, Mexico, then completed the educational curriculum at The New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. He took an internship and residency in Anesthesiology at The Metropolitan Hospital in New York. During that time, Ken met Dr. Alon P. Winnie, one of the founding fathers of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and one of the nation’s leaders in education regarding pain medicine who at the time was Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He offered Dr. Candido a Fellowship spot there, which Dr. Candido completed in 1988. Shortly thereafter, he returned to his roots on the East Coast, landing a position in the Department of Anesthesiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
At Lenox Hill, Dr. Candido established a pain clinic, which he staffed daily after completing his anesthesiology duties in the operating rooms. In the eight years at Lenox Hill, Dr. Candido treated more than 20,000 patients suffering from a variety of both routine as well as complex pain entities.
In 1997, Dr. Candido was asked by Dr. Winnie, to rejoin his faculty at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and the two collaborated on a number of successful and highly regarded projects and publications. As Dr. Winnie prepared for retirement in 2001, however, Dr. Candido determined his future lay elsewhere, and so joined the prestigious Anesthesiology and Pain Management Department at Northwestern University Medical Center, where he was quickly promoted to the rank of Associate Professor and was placed in a Director Role over the Acute Pain Program. In 2005, Dr. Candido joined Loyola University Medical Center as Program Director of the Pain Management Fellowship Program and as Chief of the Pain Division. At Loyola, Dr. Candido was promoted to the rank of Full Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology.
Dr. Candido has published extensively on areas of acute and chronic pain management, and to date has written more than one hundred fifty-five original peer-referenced papers on a variety of topics related to controlling pain. He has also written more than eighty-five textbook chapters on diverse areas of pain control and has lectured to international audiences on the complex nature of pain and its treatment. Several of his works deal with finding appropriate solutions to dealing with painful conditions in patients who have underlying or iatrogenic addictive diseases which often blurs the distinction between therapy aimed at physiological ailments versus those designed to combat psychological distress.
Dr. Candido was born in New Jersey, attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, graduating in 1979. He lives in the Chicago metropolitan area with his family including four children ranging in age from 12 to 35.

Dr. Kenneth Chapman is the director of pain management at Staten Island University Hospital, part of the Northwell Health System, and is an assistant clinical professor at NYU Langone Medical Center. He completed his Interventional Pain Management Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and his Anesthesiology residency at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York, New York.
Dr. Chapman directs the fellowship program at the Spine and Pain Institute of NY and is actively involved in teaching and lecturing both nationally and internationally. Dr. Chapman also frequently serves as a pain management Board Examiner for certification on the Fellowship of Interventional Pain Practice Pain Boards. He has won numerous peer validated awards including ‘America’s Best Anesthesiologists’ and ‘Most Compassionate Doctors,’ and was one of the youngest physicians to ever be named as both a NY Times ‘Super Doctor’ and NY Magazine ‘Top Doctor’ when he first received the recognition in 2014. While at the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Chapman also received the “Ethlene R. Smith’s Most Outstanding Fellow” award. He is Vice President of the NYS Interventional Pain Society and on the advisory board to the NYS Worker’s Compensation Board responsible for writing the NYS Worker’s Compensation Guidelines, which all injured workers in the state are treated by.
Dr. Chapman’s interests include translational research pertaining to spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation mechanism of action, and studies involving the use of DRG-S to treat conditions traditionally considered to be mechanical pain syndromes.

George C. Chang Chien is a physiatrist specializing in interventional pain management with a focus on musculoskeletal medicine and regenerative medicine. He has practices in Southern California and can be reached at www.GCCInstitute.org

Dr. Wesley Chih-Chun Chen is a physician with multiple specialties, including Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pain Medicine, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, and Chinese Traditional Acupuncture Medicine. He completed his residency training at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, one of the best medical centers in Taiwan.
Dr. Wesley Chih-Chun Chen is passionate about medical education, focusing on the latest medical knowledge and technique education. He is the first to successfully conduct a multidisciplinary musculoskeletal medicine conference and cadaver hands-on workshop in Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Wesley Chih-Chun Chen is also the first to present the effect of PRP (platelet rich plasma) in cervical spine treatment in Europe. Dr. Wesley C. C. Chen is now running Purple Sun Medical System, and has been invited to lectures in Taiwan, Mainland China, Philippines, Australia, United States and Europe.

Kathleen Ciarletta is a Nurse Practitioner from Bayville, Long Island. Kathleen is board-certified in family health by the ANCC and AANP. She is a graduate of Molloy University for both her BSN and Masters in nursing. She has over 10 years of experience in healthcare, with a strong background in medical surgical nursing and palliative homecare. After obtaining her Masters, Kathleen began working in pain management in Long Island for Edward S Rubin, MD. There, she is dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes and advocating for patients pain control to improve function and quality of life.

Ashley Comer is an AANP Board Certified Nurse Practitioner at The Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias. She has become a leader in advanced practice provider education in both the United States and in the international community. Ashley has served on several society committees in leadership positions establishing training protocols and programs to enhance the field of Interventional Spine and Nerve treatment. She also has played a role in many device and procedural studies to achieve Food and Drug Administration approval or enhanced patient access. Born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, Ashley attended WVSCTC where she obtained her associate degree in Nursing. Continuing her education, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University. Graduating with honors, she completed her Masters of Science in Nursing with Family Nurse Practitioner specialization from Walden University. Ashley’s professional interests include implantable therapies, minimally invasive procedures, and research.

Dr. Sukdeb Datta is the Founder, CEO, and President of Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center. Under his leadership, the Center has grown to 9 locations serving the states of New York and New Jersey. He is a Diplomat, American Board of Anesthesiology and Diplomat, American Board of Pain Medicine with Subspecialty Certification in Pain Management. He is also certified as FIPP (Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice) and by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians as a DABIPP (Diplomat, American Board of Interventional Pain Practice). He is an ASIPP lifetime member. Dr. Datta has served on the Board of Directors of ASIPP for two consecutive terms (2007-2011) and as Secretary of ASIPP from 2011-2013. Executive committee, ASIPP 2017-2021; Treasurer, ASIPP; Vice President, Strategic Affairs 2019-2021, ASIPP; Vice President, Strategic Alliance 2017-2019, ASIPP. He has been intimately involved in different activities of ASIPP such as publishing systematic reviews, being on the editorial board of the Pain Physician journal as well as performing as Faculty on the Cadaver Workshops for the past several years. Dr. Datta also strongly believes in the advocacy arm of ASIPP and has participated actively in the legislative sessions for the past several years. Board of Directors ABIPP; Board of Examiners, ABIPP; Economic and Finance Committee, ASIPP; 2011-Internet and Social Media Committee, ASIPP; 2011-Research Committee, ASIPP; 2014-Committee on Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Spine, ASIPP. He is a two-time winner (2012,2014) of ASIPP “Outstanding Achievement in Research” for work on Endoscopic discectomy and the New Techniques of performance of Cervical Epidural Injection. He was the Section Editor, of Endoscopic Spine, of Pain Physician Journal 2017-2022.

Miles R. Day, MD (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock). Dr. Day is the medical director of The Pain Center at Grace Clinic, pain fellowship program director at Texas Tech, and the Traweek-Racz Endowed Professor in Pain Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology with subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine. He also serves as an examiner for the World Institute of Pain. Previously, he served as the director and associate professor at the Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He serves on the editorial boards of Pain Practice and Pain Physician. He is the past-president of the Texas Pain Society and past-chair of the Board of Examination for the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Day received his medical degree from Texas A&M University Health Science Center in College Station and completed his general surgery internship at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He completed his anesthesiology residency and pain fellowship at Texas Tech as well. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters in well-known publications. He has educated physicians globally to further the specialty of interventional pain medicine.

Dr. Carmen De Andres is a chronic pain specialist and the medical director at Medicina del Dolor Valencia, Spain.

Dr. Jose De Andrés qualified from the School of Medicine at Valencia University, and is now its Tenured Professor of Anaesthesiology of the Valencia University School of Medicine, also in the General University Hospital in Valencia, Spain, he holds the position of Chairman of Anaesthesia, Critical Care, and of the Multidisciplinary Pain Management Department.
He is involved in ongoing research in pain, and current areas of investigation include the expression of pain and its control through neuromodulation techniques, through neuroimaging markers, and genomic expression. In addition, the computerized prediction designs of programming models and the design of neuromodulation systems. He is on the editorial boards of several national and international journals and Vice Chairman of the examining board. European Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) to obtain the European Diploma of Chronic Pain Management (EDPM). Committee Member of “Society Liaison and Advocacy” International Neuromodulation Society (INS), Since 2016 and continuing

Dr. Deer is the world leader in research, product development, and education in the practice of Interventional Spine and Pain treatment. He is the President and CEO of The Spine and Nerve Centers of the Virginias. He is also a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. Dr. Deer has been a leader in the field of interventional techniques and neuromodulation for more than two decades. His enduring research career has included many pivotal studies to achieve FDA approval and many “first in human” approved devices. Dr. Deer has provided cadaver-based training to over 3000 physicians in novel methods of pain relief to improve function and relieve suffering. His work has led to more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, several book chapters, and many classic textbooks. Dr. Deer has held many national and international society positions including his current roles as the Chairman of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience, Past President of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS), and President Emeritus of the West Virginia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (WVSIPP). He is the Past Chairman of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee of Pain Medicine and a Charter Member of the West Virginia Controlled Substance Monitoring Program and has been involved in the peer review process to improve the quality of research in the international arena. In addition to his many endeavors in Medicine, Dr. Deer is an accomplished endurance athlete., with accolades including winning the Ultrarunning World Masters Championship in the Badwater 135-mile run in 2021 and competing in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii on many occasions. Dr. Deer is blessed with a more than 30-year marriage to his wife, Melissa, and has four children.

Dr. Díez Tafur did his Pain Medicine Fellowship at McGill University. Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit- Montreal General Hospital, Canada. He is Certified by the World Institute of Pain (WIP) with both, FIPP and CIPS certifications and has an MSc degree in Pain Study and Treatment from Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, Spain. He is a BOARD Certified Physiatrist with an Expert Diploma in MSK Ultrasound trained at Severo Ochoa University Hospital in Madrid, Spain. Born and raised in Lima, Perú. Dr. Díez Tafur moved back to Lima in 2018 aiming to provide high standards of care for pain-suffering patients and educate in this field. He is currently leading a private hospital’s pain service and is the Medical Director of two private pain centers in Lima, Peru.

Dr. Sudhir Diwan, nationally and internationally recognized as a key opinion leader in the field of pain management, is the President, Park Avenue Spine and Pain, New York, Associate Clinical Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. Dr. Diwan was the former Director of the Tri-Institutional Pain Fellowship Program and Division of Pain Medicine at Ivy League Weill Medical College of Cornell University for more than a decade, where he also served as associate professor of clinical anesthesiology, and on the faculty at the world renowned New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Diwan has published extensively in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals and medical books on a variety of pain management topics. He is on the Editorial Board for the Pain Physician – an official journal of the American Society of Pain Physicians (ASIPP) since 2008, and Pain Practice – official journal of World Institute of Pain (WIP) since 2009. He was invited Guest Editor for Journal of Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management 2009. Dr. Diwan is the Examiner for the Certification Board for American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians (ABIPP) and Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP) offered by the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Diwan is Co-Editor for Intrathecal Drug Delivery for Pain and Spasticity, Vol 2, Timothy Deer, Series Editor, Elsevier-Saunders 2012, and Co-Editor for Diwan-Staats’s Atlas of Pain Medicine Procedures, McGraw Hill Education 2015, and Advanced Procedures for Pain Management, A step-by-step Atlas, Springer US, 2018.

In addition to his busy pain management practice in New York City, Dr. Diwan lectures extensively and interacts regularly with experts in the field of pain medicine nationally and internationally.  He has been guest speaker for many noteworthy organizations including the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), and State Societies Pain Meetings, the World Institute of Pain, NANS, INS, and numerous International pain specialty societies and congresses nationally and internationally. Currently he is Executive Director of NYSIPP and Course Chairman of the Annual NYSIPP/NJSIPP Pain Medicine Symposium, and President of ASIPP.

Dr. Brian Durkin is the Medical Director of the Pain Institute of Long Island and leads the team toward the highest quality pain care available. He has been a leader in this field for the last decade and is relentless in his pursuit to provide the most up-to-date pain treatments on Long Island. Dr. Durkin is often “the first” to introduce a new treatment option to either Suffolk County or Long Island. He performed the first MILD procedure in Suffolk County in 2010. He performed the first Nevro HF-10 high-frequency spinal cord stimulator trials and implants on Long Island in 2015. He performed the first Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) spinal cord stimulator trials and implants in Suffolk County in 2016 and was the first physician to offer the Vertiflex option for spinal stenosis in 2017. In August 2018, Dr. Durkin became the first physician in New York and the Northeast part of the USA to perform the Intracept Procedure for patients suffering from chronic low back pain. Dr. Durkin attended medical school near his hometown at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, and graduated in 2001. He moved east for his training and completed his internship at UMDNJ in Stratford, New Jersey in 2002, before moving to Long Island and completing his residency in anesthesiology at Stony Brook University in 2005. He then completed his fellowship in pain medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, and New York Presbyterian-Cornell in 2006. He was recruited back to Stony Brook University as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology where he began treating patients with interventional pain management. He became the Director of the Center for Pain Management and Division Chief of Chronic Pain in 2009. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012. Dr. Durkin left Stony Brook University in 2015 to establish the Pain Institute of Long Island. Dr. Durkin is involved in several national and international pain societies and is currently the President of the New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

Megan Filoramo is a nurse practitioner with two decades of experience in the field of pain management. As a member of the Altair Health team, she serves patients at Morristown Medical Center and is a member of the Master Faculty at the American Society of Pain Management Nurses (ASPMN).

Recognized as an Advanced Practice Pain Management Nurse by ASPMN and certified as a nurse coach by the International Nurse Coach Association, Megan plays an active role in helping patients reduce their pain and educating pain management providers. She is dedicated to empowering patients and nurses to take an active role in setting and achieving personal goals.

Megan’s work has been published in the Journal of Pain Management Nursing – and she speaks regularly at national conferences for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and ASPMN.

Megan received her Master’s Degree in Nursing Science from Rutgers University and graduated magna cum laude with her undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University. She is completing her certification as an Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse.

Meredith George has over 30 years of experience in medical coding/billing, working with health plans and medical device manufacturers. Throughout her career, she has cultivated an intimate understanding of Medicare and Third-Party payor coding, coverage, and payment systems. She has been successful at securing numerous procedure coverage policies, as well as establishing candidacy criteria. Meredith is actively involved with various Pain Management organizations such as ASIPP, Texas Pain Society, NY/NJ Pain Symposium, and the World Institute of Pain often lobbying on behalf of Pain Management coverage and reimbursement issues. She has testified on behalf of interventional pain on various issues with State Workers Compensation groups as well as Medicare Administrative Contractors. In 2011 she developed a “Business of Practicing Medicine” program for Pain Fellowships and has lectured to more than 30 programs annually across the country. Meredith is credentialed through the Board of Medical Specialty Coding as a Specialty Coding Professional in Pain Management, as well as a Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management Expert from the American Society for Interventional Pain Physicians.

Christopher Gharibo, MD is a Professor with the Departments of Anesthesiology, Peri-Operative Care & Pain Medicine as well as Orthopedics at NYU School of Medicine and serves as the Medical Director of Pain Medicine at NYU Langone Hospitals Center. Dr. Gharibo obtained his M.D. degree from Rutgers Medical School in 1992 and completed his anesthesiology residency at NYU Medical Center. He served his Pain Medicine fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and holds subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine. His acute pain experience has included developing system-wide use of interventional techniques in combination with nonopioids and opioids as part of multimodal pain management pathways. He has been instrumental in developing and overseeing the pain medicine department at NYU that has been able to develop pain medicine policy and procedure focused on acute and chronic pain, from implementing a system of pain assessments based on functional gains to making pain visible on NYU’s census boards to opioid prescribing policy and pain safety oversight that focuses on pharmacological and interventional pain management. His areas of clinical expertise also includes low back and neck pain of musculoskeletal and spinal origin and neuropathic pain syndromes such as painful peripheral neuropathies and CRPS. His areas of technical expertise include nerve blocks, peripheral and spinal injection techniques for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain syndromes including joint injections, epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, facet injections, facet nerve blocks, radiofrequency rhizotomy as well as drug delivery systems and spinal cord stimulators. Many of these injections can provide diagnostic answers and be tailored to provide prolonged pain relief and functional improvement when used as part of an overall plan of care.

Christopher J. Gilligan, M.D. is the Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine at the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.

Medical School: Yale University, 1996
Residency: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Surgery, 1998; Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Emergency Medicine, 2007
Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital, Anesthesia/Pain Medicine Fellowship, 2008
Certifications: Emergency Medicine, 2008; Pain Medicine, 2009
Clinical Interests: Back pain; cancer pain

Dr. Gilligan’s original training is in Emergency Medicine, with subspecialty training in Pain Medicine, where he has focused on pain of spinal origin. Dr. Gilligan’s clinical expertise is focused on the treatment of pain related to disorders of the spine. He also treats patients with a wide range of pain conditions, including cancer-related pain, complex regional pain syndrome, and post-herpetic neuralgia. Dr. Gilligan’s research focuses on clinical trials of new interventions, devices, and medications for the treatment of pain.

Casey Grillo is a certified Nurse Practitioner at The Spine & Pain Institute of NY and has recently transitioned into the role of Lead Advanced Practice provider for the practice. She collaborates with her physicians, managing and educating patients of all ages with chronic pain. Casey received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Seton Hall University and a Master’s degree in Science of Nursing from Wagner College. Casey stays engaged in the field of pain management through participation in various pain societies, serving as faculty for NYNJSIPP, ASPN, and NANS. One of her goals as a nurse practitioner is to promote and educate the advancement of other APP’s, maximizing their roles in the field of neuromodulation in order to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Gritsenko is a Professor of Anesthesiology, Family & Social Medicine, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; She is Program Director for the ACGME accredited Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine fellowship and core member of the Montefiore Multidisciplinary Pain Program. She has a passion for teaching and spends a significant portion of her clinical time training residents and fellows in both acute pain and chronic pain settings. She also has authored multiple textbooks and articles on topics related to chronic pain, regional anesthesiology, and acute pain medicine. She is honored to be part of Nysipp year after year and considers this meeting her academic family and home.

Anesthesiologist and pain specialist with over 20 years of uninterrupted clinical and teaching experience at Fundacion Santa Fe in Bogota, Colombia. Associate Professor at University El Bosque and University of Los Andes in Bogota. Former Director of the Specialization Program in Pain Management and Palliative Care at University El Bosque. Fellow in Interventional Pain Practice at the World Institute of Pain (WIP). President of the Quality in Medical Care Committee at Fundacion Santa Fe in Bogota. Former President and current Treasurer of the Colombian chapter of the World Institute of Pain (WIP), and founding member and current Treasurer of the Latin American Pain Society (LAPS)

Dr. Gupta is a board-Certified, fellowship-trained interventional pain Management Physician. He is the president and CEO of KSIPP (Kansas Society of Interventional Pain Physician). He was the Chairman Of the Department of Surgery at St Luke’s Cushing Memorial Hospital from 2014-2018. He had served as President of the House Staff Association at Jhon H. Stroger Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Gupta has been awarded multiple awards for research presentations in nationally recognized conferences. Dr. Gupta is an internationally recognized speaker on numerous topics relating to pain management. He has been actively involved in training and education throughout the united States and abroad. He currently serves on the medical editorial board of multiple accredited pain journals.

Roger Härtl, M.D., is the Hansen-MacDonald Professor of Neurological Surgery and Director of Neurosurgery Spine at the Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center in New York. In addition, he is the Founder and Director of the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care as well as Weill Cornell’s Global Neurosurgery Initiative in Tanzania. He also serves as the official neurosurgeon for the New York Giants Football Team.
Dr. Härtl’s clinical interest focuses on simple and complex spine surgery for degenerative conditions, tumors, and trauma as well as biological approaches for disc repair and regeneration. He is a world-renowned pioneer and leader in minimally invasive spinal surgery and computer-assisted spinal navigation surgery and augmented reality. He is actively involved in improving neurosurgical care in emerging countries as the leader of Weill Cornell’s Global Neurosurgery Initiative in Tanzania.  In order to achieve the very best in patient outcomes, Dr. Härtl’s practice emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to spinal disease. He collaborates closely with other specialists such as neurologists, pain specialists, sports medicine doctors and physical therapists.
His patients come from all over the globe and include many physicians, surgeons, and even other neurological spine surgeons. He has been repeatedly named to the lists of New York Super Doctors, America’s Top Surgeons, and America’s Best Doctors, and has been included on the list of New York’s Best Doctors in New York magazine. He has authored more than 250 scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals and is the editor of four books on minimally invasive spinal surgery and biological disc repair and regeneration. He is the 2022 recipient of the AANS Humanitarian Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Härtl has provided commentary for numerous television shows on ABC, NBC, and CBS in addition to national radio shows. His expertise has been sought through interviews in the New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, and other media outlets.

Dr. Manuel Herrero is board certified in anesthesiology and pain management. He completed his anesthesia training at Severo Ochoa Hospital, Madrid, and continued his specialization in pain management at Ciudad Real Hospital with his mentor and recognized pain physician, Dr. Joaquin Insausti. He is also certified interventional pain sonologist (CIPS), fellow of interventional pain practice (FIPP) and European diploma in pain medicine (EDPM). Currently working in Madrid at Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda Hospital, and managing the Cancer Pain multidisciplinary Unit at HM Sanchinarro Hospital. He is a regular trainer in his country using fluoroscopy and ultrasound guided minimally invasive interventional pain procedures, and honorary tutor of the Master of Pain treatment by the Rey Juan Carlos University.

Dr. Corey Hunter founded the Ainsworth Institute in his vision to create the premier center for those suffering from pain. Dr. Hunter completed his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation the New York University Langone Medical Center and his Interventional Pain Management fellowship at the prestigious Weill Cornell Medical Center – New York Presbyterian Hospital. In a short time, Dr. Hunter has gained national recognition for his many publications and contributions to the study and treatment of pain. His steadfast dedication to furthering the field, particularly pain syndromes that are the most difficult to manage, has resulted in his appointment to advisory committees and the like.

Zohra Hussaini, MSN, FNP-BC, MBA is a board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in pain management at the University of KS Health System. She is the lead coordinator of the advanced practice providers in the Interventional Pain clinic. She finds professional growth through serving on the board of her local chapter of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and participating in shared governance in her institution as a member of the Opioid Stewardship Committee and past-Chair and current member of the Advanced Practice Provider Council. Zohra stays engaged in the field of pain management through membership and participation in various pain societies, serving as a speaker, faculty and planning committee member within these organizations. She enjoys engaging in speaking and education opportunities locally, nationally and internationally, and participates in ongoing research and quality improvement opportunities. Zohra also collaborates with and serves as an advisor to industry partners.

Evan Jay is a graduate of the Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant program where he excelled in both Pain Management and Sports Medicine. He is dual-credentialed as a Certified Athletic Trainer, graduating from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree and from East Stroudsburg University with a Master’s degree in Athletic Training. His extensive background in physical medicine and rehabilitation along with his understanding of internal medicine allows him to provide a high level of well-rounded care to his patients. He thrives to coordinate care amongst the healthcare team in order to develop personalized treatment plans to minimize pain and maximize patient recovery. As a healthcare professional, Evan takes advantage of his ability to connect with patients to create a comfortable, positive experience.

Dr. Kalia specializes in interventional spine and cancer pain management with special expertise in advanced neuromodulation procedures. He earned his medical degree from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore; India and a Master’s degree in Public Health from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY. His first residency was in Preventive Medicine & Public Health followed by Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Rochester. He subsequently completed an ACGME-approved Pain Medicine fellowship at the University of Rochester and additional FIPP (Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice) certification from the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Kalia is a member of numerous national/international professional societies and sits on various sub-committees. He is on the Board of Directors for NYSIPP (New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians); ASPN (American Society of Pain & Neuroscience) and President-Elect of Monroe County Medical Society. As part of the faculty at national and international hands-on cadaveric workshops for interventional spine and pain procedures, he is involved in teaching young neuromodulators and interventional spine & pain physicians. He also is an examiner for the reputable FIPP certification course through the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Kalia has presented his work on cancer pain and advanced neuromodulation at multiple national and international conferences including publications in peer-reviewed journals in the field of Pain Medicine. He served as an Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Clinical Medical Research & Health Care Delivery open access Journal and currently serves as section editor or part of the editorial board for numerous pain and neuromodulation journals. He successfully started the Interventional Spine & Cancer Pain fellowship program at Rochester Regional Health System. He currently serves as the founder and CEO of the Center for Research and Innovation in Spine & Pain (CRISP) and Managing Director of Savya Spine & Pain, Invisionhealth in Rochester, NY.

Leonardo Kapural, M.D., Ph.D. is a Pain Physician at the Carolinas Pain Institute and Center for Clinical Research. He is also a member of the clinical faculty of Wake Forest University, School of Medicine. Dr. Kapural served as a Professor of Anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University and Wake Forest University over the last 15 years. Dr. Kapural’s interests include spinal cord stimulation, discogenic low back pain, and visceral abdominal and pelvic pain. Dr. Kapural is an active member of a number of professional organizations including the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, North American and International Neuromodulation Societies, and the World Institute of Pain. In addition, he is an invited speaker to many national and international meetings. He served as Director-At-Large of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and International Neuromodulation Society, and currently is the Director-At-Large of the North American Neuromodulation Society. Dr. Kapural’s experience is broad and encompasses teaching and clinical education, extensive research, and innovations in the area of pain treatments which brought him two Innovator Awards. His noteworthy research findings have been published in more than 160 journal articles, more than 200 abstracts, two books, and 35 book chapters. He is listed by his peers in the “Best Doctors in America”.

Dr. Kaufman is an award winning educator and physician. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, the Columbia-Presbyterian Anesthesiology Program and the Harvard/Longwood Pain Fellowship. Currently he is a Professor of Anesthesiology at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, directing the Division of Pain Management
as well as the Pain Fellowship Program.

Jennifer Kirschenbaum, Esq., counsel to the NY/NJ Interventional Pain Symposium, is  the managing partner of K&K’s healthcare department, and represents ASCs and physicians with contracts, compliance, patient and employee issues.    Jennifer is available at the Symposium to discuss employment contracts, buy-ins, practice purchase / sale, ASC syndication, private equity backed initiatives and general practice matters.   Jennifer can be reached at (516) 747-6700 x. 302 or Jennifer@Kirschenbaumesq.com.   To join K&K’s free healthcare newsletter, visit K&K’s booth at the Symposium.

Kristen is a native Long Islander. She attended Adelphi University for her undergraduate, where she received a BS in Nursing in 2007. After graduating, she worked in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Stony Brook Medicine for eight years. she completed her MS in Nursing in 2015 at SBU, with a certification in Adult Gerontology. Kristen continued to work as a Nurse Practitioner in the trauma division at Stony Brook for the next three years. She joined the Pain Institute of Long Island in 2018. Here, she is treating patients with various conditions, providing the most cutting-edge and minimally invasive therapies. Kristen has a passion for providing competent and compassionate care to her patients. She enjoys the challenge of pain medicine, the innovation in treatment and procedures, as well as the interactions and relationships she develops with her patients. Additionally, she enjoys educating fellow Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants about some of the most cutting-edge pain management therapies.

Sean Li, M.D. specializes in interventional pain management. His clinical interest is in neuromodulation therapy such as spinal cord stimulation, high-frequency stimulation, dorsal root ganglion stimulation, and peripheral nerve stimulation. Prior to joining National Spine & Pain Centers, Dr. Li served as the medical director of Premier Pain Centers LLC. In addition to his work at National Spine & Pain Centers, Dr. Li continues to serve as an attending physician at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ, and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ. Dr. Li serves on the Education Committee and Young Neuromodulators Committee at the International Neuromodulation Committee (INS), is a director at large for the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN), and is the current president of the New Jersey Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (NJSIPP). Dr. Li earned his medical degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and underwent residency training in general surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and later in anesthesiology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He completed his fellowship in interventional pain medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

Patrick McGinn is a nationally certified physician assistant specializing in interventional pain management at National Spine and Pain Centers in Shrewsbury, NJ. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in sociology and concentration in health care delivery at Roanoke College. He then went on to earn his Master of Science in Physician Assistant studies at Stony Brook University. He has worked in the Interventional Pain Management space for approximately seven years. He takes great pride in problem-solving and formulating an individualized treatment plan for each of his patients. Patrick currently resides in Central New Jersey and enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and spoiling his nieces and nephew.

Dr Jesus Medina is a Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist (CIPS) and Former President of Sociedad Mexicana de Ultrasonido en Dolor (SMUD). Dr. Medina earned his Medical Degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara College of Medicine in Guadalajara, Mexico, and specialized in Anesthesiologist and Pain Management and Palliative Medicine from the University of Guadalajara (CUCS). He’s been dedicated to his practice for more than 10 years, and opts for non-surgical treatments, when indicated, before considering the option of surgery.

Neel D. Mehta, M.D., is the Director of the Weill Cornell Pain Management Center and an Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He also serves as a Co-Director of the Center for Comprehensive Spine Care. He is President of the Eastern Pain Association and Director-at Large-of the New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Dr. Mehta completed his fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine in the Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Medical anesthesiologist fellow pain and palliative care. Past president of the Colombian Association for the Study of Pain ACED. Director of the Neurocentro pain program (pereira, Colombia).

Jee Youn Moon is a tenured professor at the Dep. of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine of Seoul National University (SNU) College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. She is the Chief Director of the Pain Center at the SNU hospital. She is currently a Director of the International Coop and Academic Board of the Korean Pain Society, CRPS SIG Secretary in IASP, and BoE member in WIP. Her clinical interests are in managing CRPS, cancer pain, ultrasound-guided pain interventions, and epidural and facet blocks. She has published about 100 articles, including “Botulinum toxin type A for lumbar sympathetic ganglion block in CRPS (2022)” in ANESTHESIOLOGY. Jee Youn received an Award for Excellent Research Prize 6 times from the Korean Pain Society and won the Best Speaker Award from the same society for the field of ultrasound-guided pain medicine.

Dr. Annu Navani is the Chief Medical Officer of Boomerang Healthcare, the leader in interventional and multidisciplinary spine, musculoskeletal, and orthopedic care. Boomerang is a large multispecialty group practice with 350 medical providers that operates via multiple state of the art centers in Northern and Southern California and Nevada.
Dr. Navani is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Division of Pain, Stanford University School of Medicine. She also serves as an Advisor to Le Reve Regenerative Wellness, the center for cutting edge restorative and regenerative solutions for clinical applications and research.
Dr. Navani completed her Anesthesiology residency from Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Fellowship in Pain Medicine from the University of California, Davis. She is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine by American Board of Anesthesiology, in Interventional Pain by American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians, Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice and in Regenerative Medicine by American Board of Regenerative Medicine and American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians.
She sits on the Editorial board of the journal, Pain Physician and serves on the board of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery and California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the American Association of Interventional Pain Physicians, The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and The Postgraduate Assembly in Anesthesiology.
She has extensive publications in the field of Interventional spine and Regenerative medicine and has contributed via several peer reviewed journal articles, visionary editorials and book chapters. Her book, “Essentials of Regenerative Medicine” is first in its right illustrating latest interventional techniques in spine and musculoskeletal interventions. She has also been instrumental in authoring several National Guidelines including the ones on Opioids, Interventional Spine Epidural procedures, Facet joints, and Biologics in Lumbar spine.
Her vision is to forward the field of Interventional Pain and Regenerative Medicine by using technological innovations to improve access, decrease health care costs and maximize quality and efficacy.

Dr Victor Pacheco (Brazil)- Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology – UNICAMP; Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon by SBOT; Board Certified Pain Physian by the Assoicação Médica Brasileira; Board Certified – Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice FIPP – World Institute of Pain; Board Certified – American Academy of Regenerative Medicine; ‌Coordinator of Advanced Regenerative Medicine; Board of the Latin American Pain Society and sinpain course of interventional pain. ‌Former Santos Futebol Clube Team Psysician.

Jaclyn Pappas is an advanced practice nurse at The Spine & Pain Institute of New York. She practices alongside Dr. Kiran Patel on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Long Island in an interventional pain practice focusing on neuromodulatory and intrathecal therapies. Prior to working in pain, Jaclyn specialized in Endocrinology and Diabetes working as a certified diabetes educator. As an individual with Type 1 Diabetes, Jaclyn recognized the gaps in communication between healthcare providers and patients. She applies this experience to her work in interventional pain management by blending humanism with the technical aspects of treatment allowing patients to be active participants in their care.

Dr. Patel has served as Vice-President of Physician Development, Managing Partner and Chair of the Executive Physician Committee at National Spine & Pain Centers.   NSPC is largest single-specialty interventional spine practice in the United States with over 180 sites in Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas and New York.  Dr. Patel completed his Anesthesiology training serving as chief resident in his final year before pursuing fellowship training in Pain Management at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Patel earned his M.B.A. in Healthcare Management and International Finance at the George Washington University School of Business.

He serves as Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Infusion Solutions Healthcare and as a consultant to numerous medical device and pharmaceutical companies and academically as a student mentor for the George Washington University’s Graduate Schools of Business and Medicine.  His focus is on multi-modal chronic pain therapies with utilization of minimally invasive surgical techniques for chronic pain.

• American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
• American Society of Pain & Neuroscience
• American Academy of Pain Medicine
• North American Neuromodulation Society
• International Neuromodulation Society
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• American Society of Anesthesiologists-Political Action Committee
• American Society of Regional Anesthesia
• American Medical Association
• National Society for Healthcare Business Consultants
• North American Spine Society

Erika Petersen, MD, FAANS, FACS Department of Neurosurgery University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Dr. Petersen directs the Section of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery at UAMS Medical Center. She is a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at UAMS and program director for the neurosurgery residency. Dr. Petersen is a board-certified neurosurgeon whose clinical practice focuses on neuromodulation, treating movement disorders, spasticity, and chronic pain through surgical procedures and stereotactic radiosurgery. Dr. Petersen’s research interests focus on developing new devices, indications, and methods for treating chronic pain using neuromodulation. Her collaborations with colleagues in interventional pain, neuroradiology, neurology and psychiatry are aimed toward identifying new applications for the use of deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation for pain. She is also involved in the study of privacy and cybersecurity implications of implanted neuromodulation devices, diversity and inclusion in surgery, and the applications of virtual reality technology in clinical neurosciences.

Dr. Petersen completed her undergraduate education at Princeton University and received her medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She trained in neurosurgery at the University of Texas Southwestern with a fellowship in deep brain stimulation at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. Dr. Petersen has served on the Joint Section on Pain of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and the CNS Scientific Programming Committee and sits on the Executive Board of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience, where she is secretary. She serves as associate editor of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery for Operative Neurosurgery and Section Head Editor for Journal of Pain Research. She is on the editorial board of Neuromodulation and contributes as a reviewer for several other journals. Dr. Petersen lectures frequently at national and international meetings on neuromodulation for pain, emerging considerations and uses of neuromodulation, chronic pain management, and deep brain stimulation. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters related to stereotactic and functional neurosurgery and neuroscience.

Prof. Plancarte, trained in Anesthesiology and intensive care, to later specialize in interventional pain management. He founded the Pain Clinic of the National Institute of Cancerology in Mexico and has been the creator of 5 original techniques in interventional pain management, which are already part of the armamentary of interventional cancer pain treatment. He is a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and has a Doctorate in Medicine research and is a member of the National System of Researchers in Mexico.

Dr. Puttaniah is a board-certified anesthesiologist with additional expertise and training in pain medicine. As a member of both the Anesthesiology Service and the Pain Service in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, his clinical work involves delivering anesthesia as well as treating postoperative pain. He also treats cancer pain using medications, nerve blocks, intrathecal drug delivery systems, radiofrequency techniques, and neurolytic blocks. He regularly supervises and teaches clinical fellows.

Dr Rapcan currently works at EuroPainClinics / Norrlands University Hospital, Sweden EuroPainClinics (EPC). It is an independent healthcare network clinic with a first-class record of achieving quality, innovation and efficiency in providing interventional pain healthcare to patients. Our Clinical Advisory Board consists of five members – Theodor Gorozseniuk, Andrzej Kroll, Ash Shetty, Arun Bhaskar and Sherdil Nath. Clinics are located in Slovakia (Bardejov, Kosice, Bratislava) and Czech Republic (Prague, Hradec Kralove, Ostrava and Brno). EPC provides specialised interventional pain diagnostic/ treatment services and movement impairment diagnostics and treatments. At EuroPainClinics he performs all mini – invasive spine procedures including epiduroscopies and advanced endoscopic procedures (discectomy, facet and SI joint denervation). In collaboration with University Hospital Bratislava, Neurosurgical Clinic, he also provides complex neuromodulation care, including implantations of spinal cord stimulators for not only FBSS but also for pelvic, abdominal pain and headaches.

Dr Rapcan is also teaches endoscopic procedures for MaxMore company (Germany) and neuromodulation for Medtronic (USA). Eight weeks a year he works at the Norland University Hospital in Umeå, Sweden in a position of Consultant Anaesthesiologist and Pain Medicine.

Carlos Eduardo Restrepo-Garces MD FIPP is a Colombian Anesthetist & Pain Physician. He did his MD and Anesthesia training in Colombia and his Fellowship on Chronic Pain in Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at the University of Toronto. He is also a FIPP graduate from the WIP.

He is currently an Associate Professor of the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín Colombia, Director of the Pain Relief Unit at UROGINE/QQ, Liaison for the ASRA Newsletter, Director of the Research Committee of the Latin American Pain Society and Co Chair of the Latin American Academy of Ultrasound. His Clinical interest includes US for pelvic pain procedures, Intravenous infusions, Headache and Interventional Cancer Pain and tools for Education in Pain Management, specially interventional pain relief.

General medicine (University Autonomus of Coahuila)

– Anesthesiology (University of Monterrey)

– Pain Management and Palliative Care (National Institute of Cancerology, Mexico)

– Interventional Pain Management (National Institute of Cancerology Mexico)

-Master of Medical Sciences.

– Fellow Interventional Pain (FIPP) Practice by World Institute of Pain.

-Degree of Pain Ambassador

(International speaker on pain issues by the

Dr. Rubin did his residency in Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell in Manhattan. After residency, he attended the Quad Institution Fellowship in pain management at Weill Cornell, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Dr Rubin is currently in private practice on Long Island, New York. Dr. Rubin is a strong supporter of New York Medical Societies. He is the current Treasurer and former President of the New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians a Board Member of the Nassau County Medical Society and delegate to the Medical Society of the State of New York.

Former president & Founder, Clínica Vertebra and World Institute of Pain (WIP)

Dawood Sayed is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Vice Chairman of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience. He is the Chief of Pain Medicine and Program Director at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Professor Sayed has published and lectured across the globe on multiple topics in the field of Interventional Pain Medicine.

Dr. Michael Schatman is a clinical psychologist who has spent the past 37 years working in multidisciplinary chronic pain management. He currently serves on the faculty of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, & Pain Medicine and the Division of Medical Ethics in the Department of Population Health, both at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Schatman is the author of over 175 journal articles and book chapters on various aspects of chronic pain management, and lectures regularly on pain management on local, national, and international bases. Much of his current research is neuromodulation outcomes Dr. Schatman is a member of the Editorial Boards of numerous journals, and for the past 10 years, he has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pain Research. He is also the editor of Ethical Issues in Chronic Pain Management and Chronic Pain Management: Guidelines for Multidisciplinary Program Development, both of which were released by Informa Healthcare in 2007. He is the past-Chairperson of the Ethics Special Interest Group of the American Pain Society, and the immediate past-Chair of the Ethics Committee of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. *

Naum Shaparin, MD, MBA, is Professor and Vice Chair of Business Affairs in the Department of Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He also serves as Director of the Montefiore Multidisciplinary Pain Program. After graduating magna cum laude from Boston University, Dr. Shaparin received his medical degree from Rutgers — New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ. He then completed his residency in anesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital and completed a fellowship in pain medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Most recently, he completed his MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business. He is a Past President of the Eastern Pain Association and is a member of numerous organizations and committees. Dr. Shaparin has lectured and published extensively on various topics related to regional anesthesia, acute pain medicine and chronic pain medicine.

Prof Shetty trained at Cambridge University Hospitals and underwent a clinical fellowship in pain management at Guys & St Thomas Hospital in London. He is a consultant lead in Pain Medicine at University College London Hospitals and an Associate Professor at UCL. He is a consultant at Harley Street Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. Special interests: Chronic Pain: Neuromodulation, Spinal Cord stimulators, Sports Medicine, Pelvic pain, CRPS

Interventional pain management professor at the Tecnológico de Monterrey and University of Guadalajara. Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice FIPP and Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist CIPS.

Konstantin Slavin, MD, FAANS is a Professor, Chief of Section, and Fellowship Director for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Dr. Slavin graduated from medical school in Baku, Azerbaijan in the Soviet Union, and completed his neurosurgery residency in Moscow. He then completed his second neurosurgery residency at UIC and a fellowship in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, OR. Dr. Slavin is the current President of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and the Past President of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. He is also the President-Elect of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS) and past Secretary of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS). For many years, he was an Executive Committee member of the Joint Section on Pain of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Slavin is published in many books and peer-reviewed journals and is an associate editor or editorial board member for a number of publications, including Neuromodulation, Neurosurgery, Brain Sciences, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Acta Neurochirurgica and others; he is the current editor-in-chief of Progress in Neurological Surgery. His first book on Peripheral Nerve Stimulation was published in 2011; another book, co-edited with Sam Eljamel on Neurostimulation: Practice and Principles, came out in 2013; the third one, Stimulation of Peripheral Nervous System: The Neuromodulation Frontier was released in 2015. The most recent book on Neuromodulation for Facial Pain came out in 2021.

Dr. Agnes Stogicza is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain physician with more than 15 years of experience in interventional pain management. She completed her pain fellowship at the University of Washington, where she served as faculty from 2010 to 2017. As a clinician-educator, she treated pain patients and taught fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guided minimally invasive interventional pain procedures, regional anesthesia techniques, and medication management for complex chronic pain patients to pain fellows and residents. Currently, she works in chronic interventional pain and anesthesia in Budapest at Saint Magdolna Private Hospital. She is a member of the World Institute of Pain (WIP) Education Committee, Vice-Chair of the Hungarian Section of WIP, and serves as an examiner for the FIPP (Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice) and CIPS (Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist) Board Certification.

She regularly lectures and teaches interventional pain procedures in the US, Europe, South America, and Asia for the World Institute of Pain (WIP), the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA), World Academy of Pain Medicine Ultrasonography (WAPMU) and other societies. She is a co-founder of Pain School International which provides interventional pain education in Budapest for doctors from all around the world. She has authored and co-authored numerous book chapters and papers in chronic pain management. Her main clinical interests are cancer pain, spinal pain, and related conditions (headaches, arm and leg pains) and the application of regenerative medicine (such as PRP, Stem cell, and prolotherapy) for various spine and musculoskeletal conditions.

Dr. Harry Sukumaran, M.D. is a pain management specialist Board Certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Physiology at Michigan State University and his medical degree from American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in Anesthesiology at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center. He then continued his specialty training in Pain Medicine in a multidisciplinary interventional fellowship at the University of Michigan. Active in professional organizations, Dr. Sukumaran is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists, American Medical Association, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, North American Neuromodulation Society, as well as the Association Council for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Sukumaran is passionate about improving patient wellness, quality of life, and function.

Dr. Donald Tang is a boarded anesthesiologist and pain physician in Taiwan. Currently he is the Director of Department of Pain Management in Buddhist Taichung Tzu-Chi Hospital. He had been trained in the residency of general surgery for 3 years before entering the residency of anesthesiology. Therefore, the personality, skills of decision making and talent of surgery and anatomy make him an excellent interventional pain physician. For comprehensiveness of pain intervention skills and patient care, he worked hard and was awarded FIPP and CIPS in the 1st and 2nd year of attending physician. He is also skilled in regional anesthesia and musculoskeletal pain syndromes and awarded EDRA, EDPM, ASRA-PMUC.  Additionally, he is the organizer of several multimodal image-guided pain intervention workshops in Taiwan and is very experienced in workshop teaching and arrangement. His areas of interest are cervicogenic headache, discogenic neck or back pain, sacroiliac joint pain, regenerative therapy and multimodal image-guided interventional techniques.

Dr. Tiso is the founder and President of the New York Spine and Wellness Center – a large multidisciplinary pain treatment center in central NY. He is also the president-elect of the NY Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Dr. Tiso places a strong emphasis on compassionate, patient-centered care and advocates on their behalf both locally and nationally. He is also the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles. Pain Medicine is undergoing a dramatic transformation over the past several years. The challenge will be to navigate this change positively from both a clinical and administrative standpoint. He is hoping to help lead us through this change.

Dr. Reda Tolba is the Chairman of the Pain Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE. He is a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently serving as the Founding Chair of ISPN , the International Society of Pain and Neuroscience,. He  serves on several committees for the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience ASPN,  American society of Regional Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine ASRA , North American Neuromodulation Society NANS .   Dr.Tolba completed his residency training in Anesthesia followed by Fellowship in Pain Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. He is double board certified in Anesthesia and Pain Medicine by the American Board of Medical Subspecialties. He has published numerous papers and book chapters in the field of pain medicine. He directed several workshops at international meetings such as ASA and ASRA. He has lectured extensively at variety of national and international meetings in the field of pain management. His special interests are the use of neuromodulation for the treatment of neuropathic pain. He is also interested in the management of vertebral compression fractures and minimally invasive spine procedures

Prof. Yu Chuan (Grace) Tsai is Professor of Anesthesiology and Chief, Center of Pain Management at E-Da Cancer Hospital, Kaohsiung Taiwan. She has served as the Chair of the 2nd Asian Congress on Pain (AAFPS) in 2014. In 2019, 2020, and 2023, she has organized WIP Taipei Interventional Pain Workshop with FIPP/CIPS Examination. Currently, she is the Chair of WIP Taiwan Registered Society. Prof. Tsai is a recognized pain specialist. She has published more than 80 articles on anesthesia and pain management Her main interest field is in regenerative medicine and interventional pain management.

Dr. Ricardo Vallejo is the Director of Research at Millennium Pain Center. He is deeply committed to discovering new methods and treatments for chronic pain. Dr. Vallejo holds multiple appointments in the editorial boards of international peer review journals such as Clinical Journal of Pain, Pain Physicians, Journal of Opioid Management Revista Mexicana de Anestesiologia.

Dr. Vallejo is the current Associate Editor of the journal Pain Practice, where he established the section Images in Pain Practice in 2007. He is also a member of the examination board for the World Institute of Pain. Dr. Vallejo has published extensively in national and international peer-review journals and serves as a speaker in meetings around the world. He is adjunct professor at the Illinois State University. Research interests of Dr. Vallejo include management of chronic pain status, such as sympathetically maintained pain: failed back surgery, and discogenic low back pain. His research efforts are aimed at understanding the immune mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain conditions and the effects of electrical stimulation on the central and peripheral immune response.

Dr. Vallejo received his medical degree in Colombia and then pursued his PhD in Immunology at the Complutense University in Madrid Spain. During his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Miami he became Chief Residence of the program and served as resident representative for the Florida Society of Anesthesiology and The American Society of Anesthesiology. Dr. Vallejo then pursued his fellowship in Pain Medicine at Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was awarded the Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology in 2001 and further board certification in Pain Medicine in 2002. After graduation, Dr. Vallejo joined Millennium Pain Center in Bloomington, Illinois.

Dr. Wahezi earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Buffalo and completed his Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Montefiore Medical Center, where he served as Chief Resident. He then completed an Interventional Musculoskeletal fellowship. Following his training, he completed a Pain Medicine Fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center, where he cultivated the clinical and academic development of the Pain Program. Dr. Wahezi currently serves as an Associate Professor of PMR, Anesthesiology, and Orthopedic Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City where he serves as the Program Director of the ACGME accredited Pain Fellowship. He has created a fellowship with an interventional focus and multidisciplinary foundation. His mission is to create an academic environment that fosters the growth of Pain Medicine by education and investigation/development of new devices and techniques. Dr. Wahezi is a long-standing member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), New York Pain Society (NYPS), Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP), New York Pain Society (NYPS), American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN), Eastern Pain Association (EPA). He is a nominated AAPMR delegate representative for the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Expert Panel on Pain Management, a nominated representative on ASIPP’s expert lumbar stenosis panel, serves on the Board of Directors for the NYPS, and is a member of the AAPM Membership Committee Council. He is a graduate of the Academy of Academic Physiatrists’ (AAP) Program for Academic Leadership (PAL) and a member of Montefiore’s esteemed Professional Leadership Program, President-Elect for the Academy of Pain Program Directors (APPD), Co-Chair of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) Educational Committee, and elected member of the Spine Intervention Society (SIS) Evidence Analysis Committee. He is also a Reviewer and Editor for the Pain Physician Journal and the Pain Medicine Journal. Dr. Wahezi is a nominated member of the Associate Professor Promotions Committee at Montefiore/Einstein. In addition, he is a nominated Super Doctor®, as identified by the New York Times Magazine, and included in the list of Best Doctors in America®.

Dr. Woska completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Columbia University, New York Presbyterian Hospital. He completed a fellowship in interventional spine and pain medicine with Dr. Charles Aprill at LSU in New Orleans.  Dr. Woska is in private practice and performs spinal diagnostic injections as well as electrodiagnostic testing.  Dr. Woska is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pain Medicine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine and Sports Medicine.  Dr. Woska is the Executive Director Emeritus of NJSIPP and remains active in legislative affairs.