Board of Directors Ballot

As a member of the PSPS marketing committee, membership committee and research committee, I feel my committment to PSPS can be further utilized by being an active member of the PSPS Board of Directors. As founder and medical director of 2 private practices here in LA (Mind and Brain Link and MindPain Relief Institute), as well as having over 60 publications and on editorial board for 7 pain journals, I feel my unique combination of academics and private practice can be of value to the board. I have also actively attended the past few PSPS annual meetings, and on faculty for this upcoming meeting in Napa, therefore demonstrating my committment to PSPS.

My passion is research, knowledge, and education. Serving on the PSPS Board of Directors allows me to help shape the future direction of our specialty through thoughtful leadership and collaboration. As an interventional physiatrist, I am passionate about advancing high-quality, evidence-based spine and pain care while supporting meaningful educational and advocacy initiatives. I value opportunities to engage with colleagues across disciplines to strengthen our collective voice and foster member growth. Serving on the Board would allow me to contribute in a way that creates a lasting impact within the pain medicine community and supports the mission of PSPS. Plus, I've been involved since the schism.

Given the continued growth and evolution of interventional spine and pain medicine, it is with great enthusiasm that I submit my statement of interest to continue serving on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Spine and Pain Society (PSPS).

Over the past two years, it has been a privilege to serve on the PSPS Board and contribute to the society’s mission of education, collaboration, and advancement in our field. During this time, I helped develop a three-part webinar series, “Foundations for Fellows and Young Attendings,” focused on financial foundations, the job search process, and building a successful early career. Mentorship and education for trainees and early-career physicians remain areas of particular importance to me, and I believe PSPS is uniquely positioned to provide meaningful guidance and support for the next generation of spine and pain physicians.

I have also remained actively involved in the Education Committee and the Research and Scientific Committee, and I am honored to serve as co-course director for the upcoming PSPS Mid-Year Lab in 2027. These experiences have further strengthened my commitment to PSPS and its role in advancing high-quality education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based care.

If selected to continue serving, I hope to build on this work by expanding educational programming, strengthening mentorship opportunities, and supporting the continued growth of PSPS. I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing to the society and its future.

PSPS is a unique society that focuses on collaborations between pain and surgical spine specialties. I believe that this partnership will help advance treatment algorithms and options for our patients. With all of the tremendous investment and innovation coming from industry, this is a very exciting time to be in our field of medicine. However, I feel that it is our responsibility as a spine/pain society to develop standards for education and training. Being a board member of PSPS, I have had the pleasure to work with so many great leaders in our society to start establishing these standards.  I believe I would bring an experienced perspective to the Board of Directors, and would be honored to help shape policy and educational training for our future.    

I am honored to be considered for the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors. Among the many organizations I have engaged with, PSPS stands out for its strong representation of the surgical and interventional fields and its clear commitment to improving care for patients. I identify with the passion, energy, and practical vision of its leaders, and I have seen firsthand the organization’s national impact despite its regional identity. Through PSPS, I have completed the Leaders-in-Training program, served on the Education Committee, reviewed abstracts, taught in the APP course, contributed to webinars, and participated wherever I could be useful. I would be gratefulto serve on the Board to help expand PSPS’s momentum, encourage ongoing membership growth, support high-quality education, champion early career clinicians, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, and contribute sustained effort to the organization’s continued success.

I am honored to seek re-election to the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors. Serving on the Board has been a rewarding experience, and I would welcome the opportunity to continue contributing to the growth and success of our organization.

As a double board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and co-owner of a multidisciplinary private practice in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona, I remain deeply committed to advancing the field of pain management through education, advocacy, innovation, and collaboration. During my time on the Board, I have valued the opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues who share a passion for improving patient care and supporting our specialty.

I believe continuity in leadership is important as PSPS continues to expand its impact. I look forward to continuing to support the society's educational initiatives, fostering engagement among members, and helping shape the future of pain medicine throughout our region. Thank you for your consideration and for the opportunity to continue serving PSPS and its members.

My interest in serving on the PSPS Board of Directors is focused on several of the society’s important missions. As PSPS serves to bridge the gap between spine surgery and pain medicine, I would like to encourage the next generation of pain medicine clinicians to pursue research opportunities to support the development of evidence-based clinical approaches to pain treatment. As Co-Chair of the PSPS Research Committee, one of my goals is to support and encourage clinicians at all levels of training to pursue various research opportunities organized through PSPS. Engaging trainees from diverse backgrounds in the pacific region will assure a strong foundation of future leadership in the fields of spine surgery and pain medicine. Through my NIH-funded pain research, I have come to understand the importance of disseminating pain research findings to the community and taking the lived experience of patients suffering from chronic pain into consideration. I believe PSPS serves an important role as a trusted source in educating both clinicians from multiple specialties and patients on cutting-edge pain care. I would like to continue to support PSPS’s efforts on all fronts. Achieving meaningful impact and influencing important changes for colleagues in our specialty and our patients is a group effort, and I welcome the opportunity to continue to work with PSPS on all of these endeavours. Thank you for your consideration.

I appreciate being nominated for a position on the PSPS Board of Directors. In my capacity as a Policy & Advocacy chairperson, I am endeavoring to invigorate this committee. My vision is to develop a more engaged committee membership which is prepared to pursue more proactive initiatives. As part of this intention, it will be important to be pursue partnerships with other society committees, chief among those being Research and LIT. A position on the Board would enable me not only to identify opportunities for integration with these and other committees, but also to align with the broader direction of PSPS’s mission plan. During previous placement on the Board, I contributed fresh ideas, including the Industy Engineers Product Showcase & outreach to the South Pacific Pain Society. I have also spearheaded a major Policy initiative in the Washington State SCS Policy change thatraised national attention to the regional issues affecting our membership. My wish is to continue to make meaningful contributions to PSPS via the perspective and relations that this position would promote. Thank you for the nomination and consideration.  

I would like to state my continued interest to be on the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors.  The mission of PSPS remains an important one to advance the care for spine patients.  I wish to continue to help shape the future of the society so that we can help bring the best care to spine patients.

As a pain physician and academic faculty member at Stanford University School of Medicine, I am interested in serving on the PSPS Board of Directors to help advance our specialty through education, research, and professional collaboration. My experience in academic medicine has given me a deep appreciation for training both the next generation of clinicians and experienced practitioners seeking to expand their knowledge and procedural skill sets. Through my work at Stanford and with other professional societies, I have helped develop educational initiatives including webinars, annual meeting programming, safety guidelines, and hands-on procedural and surgical training laboratories. I hope to contribute by expanding these educational opportunities, fostering collaborative research efforts, and supporting the development of safety-focused, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines that improve patient care. Additionally, I would leverage my background in business development and sales to cultivate strategic partnerships and sponsorship opportunities that strengthen the Society's educational mission, annual meetings, and overall impact and recognition throughout our space. Thank you for your consideration.

My primary mission is to help PSPS continue to serve as a leading academic and professional home for the spine and pain community. I believe our specialty is at a critical point of growth, where scientific rigor, clinical excellence, ethical leadership, and multidisciplinary collaboration must remain the foundation of our progress. If selected to serve on the Board, I would be committed to supporting the highest academic standards for our society, our educational programs, and our broader specialty.

Through my involvement with PSPS, including educational programming, leadership development, and physician engagement, I have developed a deep appreciation for the organization’s role in shaping the next generation of pain and spine specialists. I would like to contribute further by helping expand high-quality academic content, strengthen mentorship pathways, support leadership development, and promote meaningful collaboration among physicians, advanced practice providers, trainees, industry partners, and allied stakeholders.

In addition, I am interested in helping PSPS explore responsible business development opportunities that can support the Society’s long-term growth and impact. Meaningful expansion should not be growth for its own sake; rather, it should align with PSPS’s educational mission, enhance member value, create sustainable partnerships, and extend the Society’s influence across the broader Pacific region and beyond.

I would be grateful for the opportunity to serve the Society at the Board level and contribute to its continued academic excellence, strategic growth, and professional leadership within our specialty.

I am honored to submit my interest in reappointment to the Board of Directors of the Pacific Spine and Pain Society. My service on the Board and as Co-Chair of the Research Committee has reinforced my commitment to PSPS’s mission of advancing collaborative spine and pain care through education, advocacy, and research. If reappointed, I hope to continue strengthening the society’s research infrastructure, supporting high-quality evidence reviews, promoting multidisciplinary collaboration, and helping translate research into practical guidance for clinicians. I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing to the growth, academic rigor, and long-term impact of PSPS.

I would love to continue the mission of forwarding PSPS as a major society in the hybrid space of spine surgery and interventional pain medicine. Currently, I am working on building our podcast platform to hopefully increase membership and engagement with the society. I have really enjoyed my time on the board this far and would like to continue my commitment to serve the society.

I would be honored to serve on the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors. Throughout my career, I have been committed to advancing spine and pain medicine through patient care, education, research, and innovation.

As CEO and Co-Founder of Pacific Sports and Spine, Fellowship Director of the Pacific Sports and Interventional Spine Fellowship, and a Principal Investigator on numerous multicenter clinical trials, I have worked to promote evidence-based care and the development of emerging technologies that improve patient outcomes. My experience as faculty for the Pacific Spine and Pain Society and prior service on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Society of Interventional Pain Physicians have reinforced my commitment to professional collaboration, mentorship, and advocacy.

If elected, I would focus on supporting high-quality education, fostering multidisciplinary engagement, mentoring future leaders, and helping advance the Society's mission of improving spine and pain care throughout the Pacific region.

I am honored to be considered for nomination to the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors. Aside from my membership in the Society for the past 5 years, over the past two years, I have had the privilege of serving as a lab coordinator, helping organize and execute the mid-year and annual procedural labs for PSPS meetings. Through this work, I have developed a deep appreciation for the society’s mission of advancing education, collaboration, and innovation in interventional spine and pain medicine. I would be grateful for the opportunity to contribute further to PSPS by supporting its educational programs, strengthening member engagement, and helping expand the society’s impact.

I am honored to be nominated for the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors. As an interventional pain physician at Sutter Medical Group in Sacramento and a faculty educator at the University of California, Davis, I serve my community as a clinician, educator, and advocate for equitable access to pain care. I welcome the opportunity to advance PSPS’s mission through education, leadership development, and advocacy.

PSPS has played an instrumental role in my leadership development within pain medicine. Through participation in the Leadership Immersion Tract (LIT), I was invited to present on AI-powered literature review for pain physicians and subsequently served as faculty for the PSPS Mid-Year Pain Lab and APP Course in 2026. These experiences provided firsthand insight into PSPS’s unique ability to cultivate leaders in pain medicine. I am also proud to serve on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, supporting efforts to strengthen the pipeline into our specialty.

My professional interests center on advancing education, mentorship, and representation. As lead author of Health Disparities in Pain Medicine, developed in collaboration with Stanford Pain Medicine, and through nationwide initiatives examining representation in pain medicine training and leadership, I have worked to strengthen the future workforce of our specialty. At UC Davis, I teach pain medicine fellows through cadaver labs, fluoroscopic case reviews, and ultrasound skills sessions. I am committed to physician development and mentorship.

If elected, I aim to strengthen PSPS through intentional mentorship pathways across all career stages, creating meaningful leadership opportunities for early-career physicians, and continued efforts to broaden representation within our specialty.

I would be honored to serve on the PSPS Board of Directors and contribute to the continued growth and success of the Society.

I am eager to expand my contributions to PSPS by serving on the PSPS Board of Directors because I believe deeply in the organization's mission to unify the fields of interventional pain and spine surgery. I see an opportunity to help strengthen PSPS's impact with my collaborative mindset and desire to support strategic initiatives to bring early career physicians together. Currently, I am serving my second term as a LIT member and have contributed to the monthly PSPS BOD meetings as the Marketing Committee Chair. PSPS was the first society I have engaged in a leadership role in, and I believe it has benefited me the most out of any society because of the mentorship, training labs, conferences, webinars and networking opportunities. I am excited about the possibility of working alongside fellow board members I constantly worked with the past two years and I hope to guide PSPS toward continued growth and success.

It is an honor to be nominated for a position on the PSPS Board of Directors. I am grateful for the potential opportunity and have a strong interest in serving the organization in this capacity. As a Psychologist, I believe that I present a distinct perspective and can facilitate new outside collaborations, both of which will add depth and diversity to the Board.

My 20+ years of experience in leadership roles across various settings has provided me with numerous occasions to work alongside multidisciplinary teams to advocate for, design, and implement changes to advance the science and practice of pain care and to also improve access to clinical services. Achieving success in these domains has required me to not only understand the mechanisms of change in the environments in which I am operating, but to also recognize the factors that are resistant to transformation and the variables that reinforce them. As the challenges that face our profession grow more complex, it is abundantly clear that finding their solutions will not come through navigating issues alone; rather, we need to work collaboratively with teams of individuals who possess expertise that extends beyond our own.

The field of pain medicine is in an intriguing space at the present time. There is a plethora of emerging technologies that hold promise for our patients; conversely, increased regulatory oversight and declining reimbursements make it challenging to integrate these and other interventions into comprehensive, meaningful treatment plans. The latter issue impacts all domains of pain care—including pain psychology—thus, formation of interprofessional alliances to assist with advocacy can be mutually beneficial. I welcome the opportunity to facilitate this process if elected.

In closing, I would like to reiterate my enthusiasm to serve on the PSPS Board of Directors. The knowledge that I acquire from holding such a role would better inform my roles in PSPS and other domains, and I believe that my leadership experiences and unique professional identity will be assets to the organization. Thank you for your consideration.

I am honored to be nominated for the Pacific Spine & Pain Society Board of Directors and would be grateful for the opportunity to serve the organization and its members.

Throughout my career, I have been committed to advancing high-quality, evidence-based spine care while fostering collaboration among the multidisciplinary providers who care for patients with spinal disorders and pain conditions. I have benefited greatly from the educational opportunities, professional relationships, and collegial environment that PSPS provides, and I would welcome the chance to contribute to the society's continued growth and impact.

As a board member, I hope to support initiatives that strengthen physician education, promote thoughtful advocacy on behalf of our specialty, and encourage engagement among both established and early-career clinicians. I am particularly interested in helping PSPS expand opportunities for member involvement, mentorship, and collaboration across specialties, while ensuring that the society remains a leading voice for high-quality patient care throughout the region.

I believe my clinical experience, commitment to clinical medicine, and enthusiasm for service would allow me to make meaningful contributions to the Board. I would be honored to work alongside fellow leaders to advance the mission of PSPS and help shape its future.

Thank you for your consideration.

As a dedicated member of the Pacific Spine & Pain Society and a current member of its Policy and Advocacy committee, I would be honored to serve on the Board of Directors. I bring a strong background in organizational leadership, having successfully led initiatives focused on restructuring membership for young physicians, designing compensation surveys, and building inter-organizational partnerships. My goal on the board is to leverage these clinical and administrative experiences to advance the specialty, champion patient access to care, and build the critical mass necessary for impactful industry advocacy. I am fully committed to investing the time and energy required to serve PSPS and help move the future of spine care forward.

I have greatly valued the opportunity to serve on the Pacific Spine and Pain Society Board of Directors and would be honored to continue contributing to the organization’s growth and mission. As co-chair of the Education Committee, I have been deeply involved in developing high-quality educational programming, including planning the mid-year and annual lab meetings that provide hands-on, evidence-based training for our members. I am passionate about advancing interventional pain education and helping ensure that PSPS continues to deliver relevant, practical, and innovative educational experiences for physicians, APPs, and trainees. I remain committed to collaborating with the Board and our members to further strengthen the society’s educational initiatives and overall impact within the pain medicine community.

I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in serving on the Board of Directors for the Pacific Spine and Pain Society. As an interventional pain management physician in private practice with over 8 years of clinical experience, I have developed a deep commitment not only to my patients, but to the future of our specialty.

Pain medicine is rapidly changing, and it is not changing uniformly. The evolution happening in academic centers looks very different from what private practice physicians are navigating on the ground. Additionally, spine and pain specialties are too often growing in parallel rather than in true partnership. Orthopedic and neurosurgical colleagues approach the spine from one lens, while interventional pain physicians approach it from another, and yet we share the same patients, the same pathology, and ultimately the same goal. Pacific Spine & Pain Society aims to create a space for intentional dialogue and leadership bridges this gap, anchoring our specialty in peer-to-peer insight and shared evidence rather than leaving us at the mercy of industry influence and siloed thinking. I am passionate about carrying this intention forward and to strengthen our specialties, ultimately in service of our patients.

I am equally passionate about the physicians who will carry our specialty forward. Our younger generation enters a landscape that can be noisy, commercially driven, and at times disorienting. The perspectives they are exposed to early in their careers will shape their practice for decades to come. I want to help PSPS create mentorship and educational opportunities that offer them a broader view with access to thoughtful guidance, one that values evidence, cross-specialty collaboration, and diverse perspectives as they build their careers.

Finally, as a society representing west coast physicians, the challenges and opportunities we face here are distinct, and deserve strong representation. I would be honored to serve on the Board to help PSPS grow into an even stronger home for all of us. A home for meaningful dialogue, clinical excellence, and the next generation of pain physicians.

I have had the privilege of serving on the PSPS Board of Directors and contributing to the Membership Committee, while remaining actively involved in the growth and development of the society since its early years. I also helped develop and curate the APP educational course at the annual meeting from the inception of PSPS, an experience that has reinforced my commitment to education, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration within plastic surgery. I am interested in continuing to serve on the Board to help strengthen member engagement, support strategic initiatives, and advance PSPS’s national presence and advocacy efforts. I value the opportunity to bring both institutional knowledge and a collaborative leadership approach as the organization continues to evolve and expand its impact. I am a member of the AMA as well.