Below is a quick briefing on key decisions, committee updates, and the next steps this group of volunteers is taking on your behalf. Inside you’ll find highlights on a new AANS liaison appointment, governance updates, membership growth, annual meeting planning, and communications priorities. Please review the committee blurbs and action items below, and reach out to a committee lead if you have questions or want to support these initiatives as a volunteer.

Membership: Membership has grown ~25% since 2022 with 72 net new members in 2025, reflecting strong recruitment momentum. The committee is launching targeted retention outreach, a membership welcome program, and plans to expand virtual roundtables and networking opportunities. We will also run a brief retention survey and promote member testimonials and scholarship opportunities to drive further engagement and renewals.

The AANS Practice Management Committee recently welcomed several new members and met to review committee responsibilities, strategic priorities, and upcoming initiatives. The committee continues to focus on developing high-value educational programming, creating practical resources for neurosurgical practices, and collaborating with organizations such as NERVES and NeuroPoint Alliance to advance business management best practices across the specialty. Committee priorities for the coming year include Coding & Reimbursement Education, Practice Management Website enhancements, Practice Management Pearls, and Social Media engagement. The committee is also monitoring planned changes to the AANS Coding Course anticipated in early 2027.

Call for Contributors! The committee is seeking neurosurgeons, administrators, practice leaders, and management professionals willing to share real-world insights through practical practice management articles for publication on the AANS website. Members are encouraged to submit approximately 800-word articles that provide actionable lessons, innovative solutions, or experiences that could benefit colleagues across the neurosurgical community. Interested in contributing? Contact AANS/CSNS Liaison Derek Cantrell at [email protected] to share your idea or article.

Dear NERVES Friends,

As I reflect on the tremendous success of our recent Annual Meeting in San Antonio, I am energized by the momentum, engagement, and collaboration across our membership. The energy throughout the conference reinforced what has long made NERVES such a valuable professional community: leaders who are willing to share ideas, challenge one another, and work together to advance neurosurgical practice leadership. Our educational sessions, networking events, and candid peer discussions demonstrated the strength of this organization and our collective commitment to helping one another succeed. Building stronger relationships, expanding engagement, and creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration have remained central themes for NERVES leadership, and San Antonio showcased that mission in action.

By Nicola Hawkinson, DNP, RN, RNFA, CPC
CEO, SpineSearch

Healthcare has never stood still. Every generation of healthcare professionals has had to learn new technologies, adopt new workflows, and rethink established practices. Organizations that adapted generally emerged stronger, not because new technology replaced people, but because it enabled talented people to work differently.

Dr. George Galvan and Cynthia G. Voorhees, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC, RNFA, are leaders at Texas Neuro Spine in San Antonio, bringing together clinical expertise, practice leadership, and a shared commitment to the neurosurgical community.

Dr. George Galvan

Dr. George Galvan is a board-certified neurosurgeon who has been proudly serving the San Antonio community for over 20 years. A native of the Midwest, he earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2001 before relocating to Texas to complete his neurosurgery residency at UT Health San Antonio. Today, he balances his clinical practice at Texas Neuro Spine with a fulfilling personal life centered around his family and active involvement in the local community.

High-performing neuroscience service lines are built on the ability to deliver fast, confident decisions across complex patient populations.

In neurovascular care, where time directly impacts outcomes, leading organizations are adopting technologies that turn imaging into immediate, actionable insight. Deep clinical AI is becoming a foundational infrastructure, enabling faster interpretation and more coordinated care across teams.

Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southeast, Northeast, South, Midwest and West regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!

Southeast

• Melinda Kalski, Neuroscience and Spine Center, Gastonia, NC

Northeast

• Jennifer Jacovino, Penn State Health - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA
• Jennifer Paquette, Hartford Healthcare Neurosurgery, Hartford, CT
• Khalid Sethi, NeuroSciences and Spine Group, Vestal, NY 
• Paul Joseph Schwartz, Hartford Healthcare Medical Group, West Hartford, CT 

South

• Glen Frick, UMC/UMCP's Neurosurgery Department, Lubbock, TX
• Kevin Grant, Tulane University - Center for Clinical Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA
• Ziyad Makoshi, El Paso Children's Hospital, El Paso, TX
• Matt Tinsley, UMC Texas, Lubbock, TX
• Justin Wyrick, University of Texas Dell Medical School, Austin, TX
• Jennifer Gentry Savage, Neurosurgical Associates, Knoxville, TN
• Bridgette Rees, UTSW Department of Neurological Surgery, Dallas, TX
• Melissa OBrien, UMC El Paso, Nexus Neurosurgery, El Paso, TX

Midwest

• Rose Peterson, University of Michigan Department of Neurosurgery, Ann Arbor, MI
• Nam Do, Endeavor Health, Northbrook, IL

West

• Kelsey Wacha, Neurosurgery One, Denver, CO
• Kerri Nunemacher, Barrow Brain and Spine, Phoenix, AZ

High-performing neuroscience service lines are defined by how seamlessly imaging, decision-making, and care teams operate as one.

As volumes grow and time-to-treatment remains critical, leading organizations are investing in connected systems that bring consistency, speed, and clarity to the neurovascular pathway. Deep clinical AI is emerging as core infrastructure that integrates data, workflows, and teams in real time.

RapidAI transforms imaging into immediate clinical context, enabling earlier identification of intervention candidates, faster alignment across stroke, neurointerventional, and transfer teams, and more consistent, protocol-driven decision-making.

Functional impairments following stroke remain a significant therapeutic challenge. More than 60% of stroke patients do not regain full hand and arm mobility, highlighting a critical gap in recovery outcomes.

Originally published in PR Newswire
News provided by
MicroTransponder Inc. 
Nov 25, 2025, 09:45 ET

Effective January 1, 2026, the Vivistim® procedure is assigned to New Technology Ambulatory Payment Classification 1580, with an associated national average payment of approximately $45,000

Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, and North/Midwest regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!

Southeast

• Tammy Lynn Jackson, FirstHealth Neurosurgery, Pinehurst, NC
  
• Frances van Beek, Wellstar Health System, Atlanta, GA
• Maritza Alvarez, Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood, FL 
• Amy C Poplin, Raleigh Neurosurgical Clinic, Raleigh, NC
• Brandon Nix, Ascension, Pensacola, FL
• Larry Shannon II, De Novo Brain & Spine, College Park, GA
• Syed Humza Ali, Neurosurgery Specialists of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR

Northeast

• Melanie Lopez-Humann, Neurosurgery Service Line, Northwell Health, Huntington, NY 
• Shannon Gilgallon, Metropolitan Neurosurgery Associates, Englewood, NJ

Southwest

• Carolina Guerra, TNSpine, San Antonio, TX
• Khrystal LeAnne Tucker, Fort Worth Brain and Spine Institute, LLP, Fort Worth, TX
• Nasser Ashour, Methodist Moody Brain and Spine Institute, Richardson, TX
• George M Galvan, Texas Neuro Spine, San Antonio, TX
• Brian Daniel Chavarin, Dignity Health Bakersfield Market, Bakerfield, CA 

North/Midwest

• Alan Dow, BJC Health, St. Louis, MO
• Ryan Dabelow, Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Avon, IN
• Nancy Mehrhoff, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
• Jenny Patterson, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI 
• Alyssa Crosser, CommonSpirit Neurosurgery St Anthony, Lakewood, CO
• Jody Glenister, Anchorage Neurosurgical Associates, INC, Anchorage, AK

Dear NERVES Friends,

As I reflect on my time serving as President of NERVES, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride in what we have accomplished together. Over the past two years, our organization has continued to strengthen its role as a premier network for neurosurgical executives—advancing collaboration, elevating best practices, and fostering meaningful relationships across our field.

Together, we have expanded educational programming, deepened our strategic partnerships, and created new opportunities for members to share insights and drive innovation in both neurological care and practice management. From impactful Annual Meetings, our Building the Best Conference, to the continued growth of our benchmarking and socio-economic initiatives, the work we have done is not only advancing our organizations but ultimately improving care for the patients we serve.

The NERVES Nominating Committee would like to submit the following ballot of nominees for your consideration and support. Final voting by the membership will take place during our Annual Business meeting set for Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Kimpton Santo Hotel in San Antonio, TX.

2026-2027 Board Nominees

 
 2026-2027 Board, Liaisons, and Committee Chairs

Here are the top conversations from last quarter in the List Serv.  You can read the full threads by visiting:

Member’s Home Page → My Profile → My Features → E-Lists → NERVES Listserv.

Kevin A. Rudd Jr. serves as the Director of Clinical Operations for the Department of Neurosurgery at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia. In this leadership role, he oversees operational strategy and administrative management for one of the region’s leading academic neurosurgery programs, supporting physicians and multidisciplinary teams delivering highly specialized neurological care. Kevin has been part of Jefferson Health’s Neurosurgery leadership team for several years, supporting the continued growth and operational excellence of the department.

Jefferson’s neuroscience program is nationally recognized for treating complex neurological conditions including brain tumors, neurovascular disease, stroke, minimally invasive spine disorders, skull-base surgery, and advanced endovascular neurosurgery. Kevin’s leadership focuses on strengthening operational efficiency, improving patient access, optimizing clinical workflows, and ensuring seamless coordination across clinical, surgical, and administrative teams. 

Kevin's Areas of Focus

• Clinical operations leadership for a large academic neurosurgery practice
• Surgical coordination and patient access optimization
• Multidisciplinary care integration across neuroscience programs
• Operational workflow development and performance improvement
• Strategic support for neurosurgical service line growth

Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southeast, Northeast, Northwest, West, South and North/Midwest regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!

Southeast

• Jeff Nguyen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
  
• Dana Sosh, Neurosurgical Consultants, LLP, Owensboro, KY 
• Kasie Wood, NMMC Neuroscience Institute, Tupelo, MS
• Jessica Zeller, UAB Medicine, Birmingham, AL 
• Allison Wakeland, NeuroSpinal Associates, Bradenton, FL
• Anne Whaley, Neuroscience Service Line, Hoover, AL
• Brian Tamburro, AdventHealth Medical Group West, Wesley Chapel, FL
• Shanna Clark, Norton Healthcare, Louisville, KY 
• Gregory Lee Neal, Appalachian Orthopedics & Neurosurgery, Kingsport, TN
  
  

Northeast

• Jonathan Bellotte, UPMC Hamot Neurosurgery and Neurosintervention, Erie, PA 
• Maximillian DeFilippis, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group - Neurosurgery, Bristol, CT
• Susan Shirk, Argires Marotti Neurosurgical Associates of Lancaster, Lancaster, PA
• Melissa Kardonsky, MGB Neurosurgery, Boston, MA 
  
• Elise Atkinson, Mass General Brigham Neurosurgery, Boston, MA 
  
  

Northwest

• Barri Stiber, Legacy Health, Portland, OR
  
  

West

• Adam Hebb, Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Dilon, CO
• Joshua Beckman, NeurosurgeryOne, Denver, CO
  
  

South

• Joanne Martin, UTHealth Houston Neurosciences, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston, TX
• Jennifer Seals, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Leander, TX
• Elizabeth Ifeoma Nwojo, Macaulay E Nwojo MD PLLC DBA Midessa Neurosurgery & Complex Spine, Odessa, TX
• April Ramirez, University of Oklahoma - Neurosciences, Oklahoma City, OK 
• Emily Tally, University of Oklahoma Neurosurgery, Oklahoma City, OK
• Dawn Van Nice, Neurosurgery and Spine Specialist, Neurocritical Care, Fort Worth, TX
  
  

North/Midwest

• Natalie Cassidy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Hannah Beth Horwood, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Candice Wright-Lawson, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
• Brandon Henry Darrington, University of Nebraska Medical Center / Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE
• Dawn Garbarz, University Neurosurgical Associates PC/Michigan Head & Spine Institute, Novi, MI
• Evlien Khamis, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL
• Misty Michelle Kirby-Nolan, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN
• EmmaMarie Pierce, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Neurovascular care is the backbone of every high-performing neuroscience service line. RapidAI strengthens that foundation with deep clinical AI designed to improve clinical, operational, and financial outcomes across the neurovascular pathway.

Our enterprise platform brings care teams together with real-time intelligence that tells a complete clinical story—from first imaging to surgical decision-making. With unmatched speed and compatibility across all imaging formats, RapidAI supports confident, timely decisions that improve door-to-treatment times, increase appropriate case capture, identify surgical eligibility earlier, and reduce unnecessary transfers. The result is a more aligned, efficient neurovascular program that elevates performance across the entire service line.

Here are the top conversations from last quarter in the List Serv.  You can read the full threads by visiting:

Member’s Home Page → My Profile → My Features → E-Lists → NERVES Listserv.

My name is Joshua Beckman, and I am a board-certified neurosurgeon at NeurosurgeryOne in Denver, Colorado. I joined NeurosurgeryOne in 2021 after completing my military service at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX where I served as Vice Chair of Neurosurgery and Director of Spine Surgery and Spinal Oncology. I am incredibly honored to have served my country and to have cared for some of the bravest men and women I have ever known. At NeurosurgeryOne, I specialize in the full spectrum of spinal procedures, treating conditions ranging from degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis to complex spinal deformities and tumors. Most recently, I was honored to be named a 2025 “Top Doctor” by 5280 Magazine, a recognition that reflects our commitment to excellence in patient care.

One aspect that makes my practice unique is my passion for both motion-preserving/minimally invasive procedures and complex spinal deformity surgery. These two ends of the surgical spectrum could not be more different, and I joke with my team that scheduling swings from “microsurgery mode” to “all-hands-on-deck” every week.  This dichotomy was born out of necessity during my military service, where preserving motion and function was critical for pilots and soldiers to continue their careers. But we also needed to treat complex acute trauma to maintain readiness skills and degenerative deformity conditions for the retired military population. Being able to perform both types of procedures at a high level allows me to tailor care to each individual patient rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution.