Mazin Al Tamimi, MD

Leon Anijar, MD

Dr. Leon Anijar is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Flagler Health. He completed his residency training in anesthesiology at the University of Florida and his fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. He began his career in private practice in Florida, where he quickly realized he wanted to make a larger impact on healthcare. Rather than wait for the system to change, he set out to build the change he wanted to see, co-founding Flagler in 2023 to create an AI-native operating system for musculoskeletal (MSK) care. Today Flagler handles triage, care management, billing and patient communication for thousands of MSK providers in more than 36 states, and has raised $63 million to date, including a $50 million Series B led by Bessemer Venture Partners.

 Angela Ash, MPAS, PA-C

Angela Ash is a native Texan who spent more than 15 years in dentistry, graduating from University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio with a degree in Dental Hygiene. She lived and worked in Switzerland and Germany for 3 years immediately after graduating in 1991. She learned to speak Swiss German while there. She moved to Austin in 1994 and began to prepare for a degree of Physician Assistant Studies. She attended Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, earning a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2006. She started her experience in neurosurgery immediately after graduation. Working closely with her surgeon, she was an integral part of many brain and spine surgeries during that time. This opportunity allowed her to be a successful diagnostician for pain related conditions. She transitioned to pain management in 2010 for more work life balance with her growing family and found the perfect fit for her skills. She strives to be a compassionate and effective communicator in educating her patients on their condition and ways to improve their quality of life through our many new technologies available. Angela looks forward to caring for those patients in Southwest Austin area. Her dental experience has been helpful for many pain related issues and helped shape her ability to be a well-rounded clinician. 

Angela is board-certified by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants and licensed by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. She is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants, and the local Central Texas PA society. 

In her spare time, she and her family enjoy outdoor activities, such as camping, traveling, bird watching, caring for her new flock of chickens.

Sixtus Z. Atabong, DMSc, PA-C

Sixtus Z. Atabong, DMSc, PA-C, is the Program Director and Physician Assistant at Grace Clinic Spine Care Center in Lubbock, Texas, where he has dedicated his career to the care of patients with spinal disorders. He is also the Founder and CEO of Purpose Medical Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to improving healthcare access in medically underserved communities worldwide. Born and raised in Cameroon, he earned degrees in Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Physician Assistant Studies from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and a Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg. Through Purpose Medical Mission, founded in 2008, Sixtus has helped provide medical care, supplies, education, and healthcare infrastructure to underserved communities in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. His leadership and humanitarian work have earned numerous honors, including the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Presidential Distinguished Alumni Award, Texas Outstanding Physician Assistant of the Year, the American Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the AAPA PA Service to the Underserved Award. He is also the author of the award-winning My Father’s Gift: How One Man’s Purpose Became a Journey of Healing and Hope and is passionate about purpose, service, leadership, and inspiring others to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

 Donald Atkins, MD

Dr. Donald Atkins completed his neurosurgery training at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic from 1994 to 1999. Following his residency, he served at Brooke Army Medical Center from 1999 to 2003. Since 2003, he has been in clinical practice with Neurosurgical Associates of San Antonio.

 Damiano Barone, MD, PhD, FRCS

Damiano G. Barone, MD, PhD, FRCS(SN), is a neurosurgeon-scientist at Houston Methodist, with faculty appointments at Weill Cornell Medicine, Rice University, and the University of Cambridge. His clinical practice spans epilepsy surgery, functional neurosurgery and neuromodulation, and complex peripheral nerve and brachial plexus surgery. He leads the Barone Neurorestoration Laboratory at Houston Methodist Research Institute, where his team combines neurosurgery, bioelectronics, biomaterials, and computational modeling to develop next-generation neural interfaces for the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. His goal is to help transform neurosurgery from a discipline that treats disease into one that restores neurological function.

 Alyson Brzezinski, APRN, FNP-C

Alyson started her career as a critical care nurse in 2012, remaining at bedside while she pursued education to further her career. She graduated from Texas Woman’s University with her MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner in December 2022 and has been working in pain management since early 2023. She is an active member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Central Texas Nurse Practitioners, and the American Society for Pain Management Nursing.

When she is not working, Alyson enjoys spending time with her husband, teenage son, and their chiweenie, Sprackles.

 Nicole Busch

Grant Chen, MD

Dr. Chen earned his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Rice University before completing his medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He went on to complete his residency in Anesthesiology at Washington University at St. Louis, followed by fellowship training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell, Hospital for Special Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering. He currently serves as the Director of Chronic Pain Medicine at UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School.

 Gulshan Doulatram, MD

Mitch Engle, MD, PhD

Dr. Mitchell Engle is a founding partner of the Institute of Precision Pain Medicine in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the founder and president of Mazu Clinical Research. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Texas Pain Society and chairs its Value Assessment Committee. In addition, he represents both the Texas Pain Society and the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists on the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Advisory Committee. His clinical practice focuses on minimally invasive therapies for chronic pain, alongside a strong focus on advancing clinical pain research.

Yashar Eshraghi, MD

Yashar Eshraghi, MD, serves as Program Director of the Pain Medicine Fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his anesthesiology residency at Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center and his pain medicine fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. Triple board-certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine, and headache medicine, Dr. Eshraghi has authored numerous research articles and book chapters and has presented nationally and internationally. His professional interests include headache and facial pain, neuromodulation, regenerative medicine, vertebral compression fractures, and advancing education and research in interventional pain medicine.

Kaycee Power Frederick, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Kaycee Power Frederick, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is the APP Director and Family Nurse Practitioner at Pain Specialists of America in Austin, Texas. She specializes in interventional pain management, with a focus on evidence-based, biopsychosocial approaches to treating high-acuity chronic pain. Kaycee holds an MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner studies from UT Health San Antonio and is an active member of AANP, the North American Neuromodulation Society, and the Texas Pain Society.

Bennjamin Fronk is originally from Houston, completed Medical School, Residency, and Fellowship all at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, TX. He has four children and practices in Waco, TX.

Kim Harmon

Kim Harmon serves as AVP of Innovative Practice Models with the Texas Medical Association. As a member of the Medical Economics team, she follows issues related to value-based care and other emerging alternative payment models. Most recently, Ms. Harmon was a founder and member of the executive management team for TMA PracticeEdge, a TMA-owned startup that helped create and manage fifteen physician-owned Accountable Care Organizations across Texas. Kim’s prior work includes 25+ years with TMA in the areas of leadership development 

Saba Javed, MD

Dr. Saba Javed is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pain Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She is board-certified in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.

Currently, Dr. Javed serves as Program Director of the Pain Medicine Fellowship Program, Director of Journal Club, and Research Mentor for the department. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of neuropathic pain, particularly painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), and on developing non-pharmacologic strategies for managing chronic and cancer-related pain.

Dr. Javed has authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and serves on the editorial boards of four journals, including Regional Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Neuromodulation.

 Stephanie Jones, MD

Enas Kandil, MD, MSc

Enas Kandil, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She specializes in cancer pain management and cares for patients at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research focuses on opioid safety and non-opioid treatments for neuropathic pain, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with complex pain.

Earl Kilbride, MD, MHA

I am a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with over 25 years of experience specializing in sports medicine, joint reconstruction, and orthopedic trauma.  My orthopedic interests include outpatient total joint surgery, complex knee injuries, traumatic joint injuries, and sports medicine. I am on the forefront of minimally invasive nerve stimulation in painful joints, both pre- and post-surgery.  I earned my medical doctorate from LSU Medical School, completed an orthopedic residency at UT Southwestern, and trained in a fellowship in sports medicine and reconstruction at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute. I have served as the head team physician for Texas State University and numerous high schools and have provided event coverage for national and international events.

Dhanalakshmi Koyyalagunta, MD

Dhanalakshmi Koyyalagunta, M.D. received her medical degree (MBBS) and postgraduate training in Anesthesiology from Grant Medical College, Bombay, India. She completed her Anesthesiology residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and pursued advanced fellowship training in Pain Management at Beth Israel Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. She is currently a Professor of Pain Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she has dedicated her career to advancing the care of patients with cancer-related complex pain conditions. She is board-certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, with more than two decades of experience in interventional pain management, cancer pain, perioperative pain care, and opioid safety.

Dr. Koyyalagunta currently serves as Medical Director of the Transitional Pain Service at MD Anderson and has held multiple leadership positions within the Department of Pain Medicine, including Medical Director. She has been instrumental in developing multidisciplinary approaches to pain management, enhancing clinical care pathways, and mentoring the next generation of pain specialists.

Her academic and research interests focus on cancer pain management, interventional pain therapies, opioid stewardship, transitional pain services, neuromodulation, and innovative strategies to improve quality of life for patients with cancer. She has served as principal investigator and collaborator on numerous clinical research studies and has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, reviews, and book chapters in the field of pain medicine.

Dr. Koyyalagunta has been deeply involved in advancing education and collaboration in pain medicine through her leadership in major institutional and professional initiatives. She has been a key contributor to MD Anderson’s Interdisciplinary Pain and Opioid Crisis Seminars and the annual Supportive and Palliative Care Clinical and Research Symposium. She currently serves as Co-Director of the MD Anderson Cancer Pain Symposium, bringing together experts to advance cancer pain care, research, and education.

A committed leader in the pain medicine community, Dr. Koyyalagunta has been actively involved in planning and organizing the Texas Pain Society Annual Conferences for more than a decade and currently serves as President of the Texas Pain Society. She has delivered invited lectures and educational programs nationally and internationally, contributing to the advancement of evidence-based pain management, opioid safety, and multidisciplinary cancer care worldwide.

Marte Martinez, MD

Dr. Marte A. Martinez is a board-certified physician specializing in Interventional Spine and Pain Medicine, with certifications in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine from the American Board of Anesthesiology. A native of McAllen, Texas, he earned his medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School and completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Martinez has held leadership roles in both medicine and public service, including service as a Laredo City Councilman. He currently serves on the Board of the Texas Pain Society, the Texas Medical Association Council on Membership Experience, and as President of the Webb-Zapata-Jim Hogg County Medical Society.

Chris Massey, MD

Dr. Chris Massey is a board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician currently practicing in Austin, Texas, with a strong interest in the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into clinical practice. His work focuses on practical applications of AI that can reduce administrative burden, improve clinical workflows, enhance patient education, and give clinicians faster access to relevant medical information. He is particularly interested in how AI can augment rather than replace clinical judgment, allowing physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to make more informed decisions while spending more time focused on their patients. He believes AI has the potential to help clinicians better understand their patients, personalize treatment strategies, and improve the overall delivery of pain care. Ultimately, his goal is to help clinicians use AI safely and effectively as a tool to deliver more efficient, personalized, and effective patient care.

Matthew McClure, MD

Dr. Matthew McClure is an Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine physician with experience in both academic medicine and private practice. He graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 2009 and completed his Anesthesiology residency and Pain Medicine fellowship at UT Health San Antonio in 2013 and 2014, respectively. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UT Health San Antonio, where he serves as Division Chief and Medical Director of the UT Health Advanced Pain Management Clinic. His clinical practice focuses on the comprehensive management of complex pain conditions, with particular expertise in advanced interventional therapies, neuromodulation, and minimally invasive spine procedures. Dr. McClure is also actively involved in medical education, mentorship, and clinical research aimed at advancing pain medicine and improving patient outcomes.

Maged Mina, MD

Dr. Maged Mina is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management, practicing in San Antonio, TX. He is originally from Egypt, where he received his medical degree with honors from Ain Shams University School of Medicine in 1991. He completed his residency training at UT Health Science Center in Houston, where he served as chief resident for the Department of Anesthesiology in 2000 and received the award for Best Resident for regional anesthesia. He completed a pain management fellowship at UT Health San Antonio in 2001. Dr. Mina has been practicing in San Antonio for the last 20+ years. In addition to pain management and anesthesiology, he has significant experience in teaching, as he currently serves as clinical Associate professor at UTHSCSA.

Dr. Mina’s medical memberships include associate faculty of the American Society of Regional Anesthesiologists and Pain Management (ASRA), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the Texas Pain Society, and Vice President of the Texas Pain Society chapter in San Antonio.

Kelley Pennell, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Dr. Pennell has been a registered nurse for over 23 years and an APRN for 19.  She currently practices in the hospice environment and performs expert witness case reviews via contract with the Texas Board of Nursing. She has been involved in some capacity with Texas Pain Society since 2011.

Lynn Puana, MD

Lynn Puana, MD, spent more than two decades treating complex pain and addiction before shifting her focus toward new ways of changing the brain itself. At Premier Integrative & Cognitive Medical Institute in Denver, she now works with patients suffering from conditions such as CRPS and treatment-resistant depression using clinical psilocybin and advanced neurofeedback. Her work is centered on restoring function by targeting neuroplasticity rather than simply managing symptoms. Dr. Puana is also involved in clinical research examining how psilocybin may influence cognition and brain aging, with the broader goal of expanding how physicians think about chronic pain, mental health, and longevity.

Michael Sprintz, DO

Dr. Sprintz is a national expert on the intersection of chronic pain and addiction. He received training at Johns Hopkins and MD Anderson Cancer Center and is triple board-certified in Pain Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and Anesthesiology. In 2013, he founded the Sprintz Center for Pain and Recovery and now serves as the Medical Director for the substance abuse and mental health IOP at the Lovett Center in Houston. Dr. Sprintz is also a member of the Texas Medical Association’s Behavioral Health Committee and CEO of Cellarian, a software company that automates medical necessity documentation for physician-owned and clinical labs.

Daniel Sternthal is a recognized authority on regulatory, business and policy issues related to health care. He serves as strategic counsel to a diverse range of health care entities (both for profit and not-for-profit) as they evaluate regulatory, administrative and transactional opportunities and navigate through challenges. For the last 20 years, Daniel has focused his practice on the health care industry, representing providers across the continuum of care including medical practices, ambulatory surgery centers, hospitals, long-term care facilities, health care start-ups, medical device companies and an array of ancillary service providers on issues relating to regulatory, operational and corporate matters.

Brent van Dorsten, PhD

Dr. Brent Van Dorsten is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in health and pain psychology and behavioral medicine assessment and treatment at the Colorado Center for Behavioral Medicine. At the CCBM, Dr. Van Dorsten provides cognitive-behavioral assessments and treatments to a diverse patient population referred by physician specialists in Primary Care, Surgery, Anesthesiology/Pain Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedic Spine, Occupational Medicine, and Neurology among others. This clinical service includes assessment, psychological and neuropsychological testing, and CBT treatment for pain, functional limitations, physical injury and delayed recovery in worker’s compensation, assisting physicians in the management of patients on long-term opioids, mild traumatic brain injury/concussion, and pre-surgical behavioral assessments for patients being considered for spine surgery and implantable spinal cord stimulation.

Prior to opening the Colorado Center for Behavioral Medicine in 2012, Dr. Van Dorsten was an Associate Professor for over 23 years at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedics Spine Center, and Anesthesiology Pain Medicine. He is certified with a variety of national credentialing services including the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology and is a Life Fellow of both the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the American College of Forensic Examiners.

Bao Vinh, MD

Dr. Baominh P. Vinh is a board-certified interventional pain physician and founder of Cy-Pain & Spine, a private practice located in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Vinh earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and served for seven years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. Following his military service, he pursued a career in medicine, earning his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

He completed his residency in anesthesiology at the same institution, where he served as Chief Resident, and went on to complete a prestigious fellowship in interventional pain management at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Vinh is actively involved in the medical community through his membership in the Harris County Medical Society, Texas Pain Society, and the Texas Medical Association. He is committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.

R. Corey Waller, MD, MS, FACEP, DFASAM

R. Corey Waller, MD, MS, FACEP, DFASAM, is a board-certified and actively practicing specialist in addiction and emergency medicine, with extensive experience working at the local, state, and national levels. He works with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and related organizations to advance the evidence-based practice of treatment and recovery for individuals affected by addiction. A nationally recognized expert in SUD, he is now the Editor in Chief of The ASAM Criteria. In his previous role as Chief Medical Officer for Brightview Health, he was responsible for the quality of care, education, and service characteristics of over 1100 providers and more than 90 locations across seven states. Brightview delivers a full spectrum of outpatient addiction treatment services, including COE and specialized treatment for specific populations. Currently, he serves as an Executive Advisor for Behavioral Health at Shore Capital Partners, where he supports multiple healthcare businesses in developing quality, ethical, and training programs.

Courtney Williamson

After 15 years serving the State of Texas, Courtney Williamson joined Congress Avenue Partners as Legislative Director. In this role, she works with the Texas Legislature, state leadership, and agencies to advance policy initiatives and legislative interests for a range of clients.

She worked for several state agencies and for members of both the Texas House and Senate. Most recently, she spent seven years as Director of Governmental Relations at the Texas Workforce Commission.

Courtney holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a bachelor's degree from St. Edward's University.

Kenneth Wu, MD

Triple ACGME boarded physician with extensive training in Interventional Pain Management, Anesthesiology and Addiction Medicine currently functioning as chief medical officer at a multidisciplinary clinic. The physician also holds adjunctive professorship at McGovern School of Medicine. Area of focus is geriatric pain managment and palliation of advanced degenerative orthopedic conditions as well difficult to treat neurlogical conditions.

Dr. Shiraz Yazdani is a board-certified physician specializing in Interventional Pain Management with more than 15 years of experience treating patients with acute and chronic pain. He earned his bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Kentucky before receiving his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed his residency in Anesthesiology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where he served as Chief Resident, and went on to complete his Pain Medicine fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Yazdani is dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-centered care through advanced, minimally invasive treatment options. His clinical interests include neuromodulation, cancer pain, and cutting-edge spinal interventions designed to reduce pain, restore function, and improve quality of life.

Dr. Christopher Yopp is a dual board-certified anesthesiologist and pain physician and an Associate Professor at UT Health San Antonio, where he serves as Director of the Pain Medicine Fellowship. He studied History and Molecular Biology at Cornell, earned an MPH in Infectious Disease at UC Berkeley, and completed medical school at the University of Iowa before finishing his anesthesiology residency and pain medicine fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He has since added an MBA from UT Health San Antonio and built a practice centered on minimally invasive spine procedures, neuromodulation, and ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve and joint interventions. His academic interests are fellowship education and procedural simulation, and he has lectured on these topics at the ASA Annual Meeting, prior Texas Pain Society conferences, ASRA and internationally through UT Health's Global Health Initiative with the University of Ghana. Outside of medicine he backpacks, works his way through Texas wine country, and spends most of his free time with his wife and their boys.

Sherif Zaafran, MD

Dr. Zaafran serves as the President of the Texas Medical Board appointed by Governor Abbott in 2017.  He was recently reappointed and confirmed by the Texas Senate to serve through 2027.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Federation of State Medical Boards as well as on the FDA Analgesia and Anesthesia Drug Product Advisory Committee.

As a partner with US Anesthesia Partners, he serves as the Chair of their National Legislative Committee and as the Vice-Chair of the Clinical Governance Board for USAP Gulf Coast.

Within organized medicine, Dr. Zaafran is a delegate in the Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, American Medical Association, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. He was also recently appointed to the Board of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. In all these organizations, he serves on committees and councils advancing both the practice and regulation of medicine.

Dr. Zaafran studied biochemistry at The University of Texas at Austin and finished medical school and residency at The University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston. He is the current chair of the Texas Medical Board.