Physician Profile
Physician Philosophy:
I believe every patient deserves a care plan built around their individual needs, goals, and circumstances. My approach begins with clear, compassionate communication, taking the time to explain a diagnosis, outline every available option, and answer questions so that patients and their families can make informed decisions with confidence. With training and experience across endovascular, microsurgical, and radiosurgical techniques, I am able to offer the full range of treatment options for conditions including brain aneurysms, stroke, brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia. This comprehensive skill set ensures that treatment recommendations are guided by what is best for the patient, not by the limitations of any single approach. When you choose me as your neurosurgeon, you are choosing a partner dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome through expert care, open communication, and genuine support at every step.
Credentialed Facilities:
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Clinical Highlights:
As a Harvard-trained, board-certified neurosurgeon, I specialize in cerebrovascular disease and brain and spine tumors at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. My practice encompasses the full spectrum of neurosurgical care, from complex cerebrovascular bypass and open microsurgery to minimally invasive endovascular techniques including flow-diverting stents, liquid embolic agents, and intrasaccular flow disruption devices. I also treat spinal conditions, traumatic brain injuries, trigeminal neuralgia, and other neurological disorders requiring surgical expertise. Throughout my career, I have treated over 750 brain aneurysms and 500 life-threatening ischemic strokes using minimally invasive, image-guided endovascular approaches. I have also provided non-invasive treatment for hundreds of patients with brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and functional disorders using advanced stereotactic radiosurgery, including both photon-based and proton beam techniques. Whether treating patients in the catheterization lab, the operating room, or through focused radiation, I am committed to delivering state-of-the-art, evidence-based neurosurgical care to every patient on the Central Coast and throughout Southern California.
Research:
I have authored over 160 peer-reviewed articles spanning key areas of neurosurgery and cerebrovascular disease, including advancements in brain aneurysm treatment, intracranial flow diversion techniques, detailed mapping of human brain vasculature, neuromodulation, and neuroprotective strategies in stroke. I have also contributed book chapters on the latest techniques in cerebrovascular surgery and the management of complex neurosurgical conditions. I also serve as the Site Principal Investigator for the ASPIRE trial, an NIH-sponsored phase 3 randomized controlled trial advancing treatment for stroke patients. In addition to my published research, I serve as a journal reviewer for leading publications including The Lancet Neurology, JAMA Surgery, Neurosurgery, and the American Journal of Human Genetics. This dual role, evaluating cutting-edge research while actively contributing original findings, allows me to bring the most current evidence and innovations directly to patient care.
Awards:
- 2019 - Research Grant (PI): Precision Medicine in Ischemic Stroke (National Institutes of Health)
- 2019 - Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery Physician Training (Accuray)
- 2018 - Pipeline Embolization Device Certified Physician (Medtronic)
- 2014 - Christopher Getch Research Fellowship (Congress of Neurological Surgeons)
Professional Memberships:
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Board Certifications:
American Board of Neurological Surgery (2020)
Education
Medical Education:
Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine
Internships:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA USA
Residency:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA USA
Fellowship:
UC San Francisco - Program, San Francisco, CA USA
Fellowship:
University of Southern California Medical Center (Los Angeles), Los Angeles, CA USA