Faculty & Staff

Alessandro Olivi, M.D., Chair
Director, Neurosurgical Oncology
Professor of Neurosurgery

Education: M.D., fellowship in neurosurgery - University of Padova Medical School; internship in general surgery - Good Samaritan Hospital; residency program in neurosurgery - Mayfield Neurological Institute; fellow in neurological surgery and neuro-oncology - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Specialties/Interests: primary and metastatic tumors of the brain and spinal cord; microsurgery on skull-based tumors, such as acoustic neuromas, meningiomas and vascular lesions; cerebrovascular conditions and craniofacial re-constructions; immunotherapy for brain tumors, cancer stem cells and new drug delivery systems

Click here to listen to a PodCast featuring Dr. Olivi speaking about his team's multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of brain tumors.

Judy Huang, M.D., Vice Chair
Director, Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

Education: B.S. in neuroscience - Brown University; M.D. - Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; residency training in neurological surgery, fellowship in neurovascular research - Neurological Institute of Columbia University 

Specialties/Interests: cerebrovascular disorders such as cerebral aneurysms, carotid artery stenosis and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs); spinal disorders and primary and metastatic brain tumors; inflammatory mechanisms of stroke

Ali Bydon, M.D.
Clinical Director, Neurosurgical Spine Program
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery

Education: M.D. - University of Michigan School of Medicine; residency in neurosurgery - Henry Ford Hospital; fellowship in complex spinal and reconstructive surgery - The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Specialties/Interests: degenerative disorders of the spine(cervical, thoracic, and lumbar osteophytes or disk herniations, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal stenosis, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, spondylolysis and degenerative scoliosis), neoplastic disorders of the spine (intradural spine tumors, intramedullary spine tumors, extradural metastatic spine tumors, spine meningiomas, spine schwannomas), traumatic spinal cord and vertebra column injuries; complex reconstruction and restoration of the spine; minimally invasive spine surgery

Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, M.D.
Director, Brain Tumor Program
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Oncology

Education: M.D. - Harvard Medical School; residency in neurosurgery, postdoctoral fellowship in developmental and stem cell biology - University of California, San Francisco

Specialties/Interests: primary and metastatic brain tumors, with emphasis on motor and speech mapping during surgery; intradural spinal tumors, brainstem and eloquent brain tumors in adults; pituitary tumors; skull base tumors; the role of stem cells in the origin of brain tumors and their role in fighting brain cancer and regaining neurological function

Timothy Witham, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Director, Neurosurgical Spine Program
Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery

Education: B.S. - Pennsylvania State University; M.D. - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; internship in general surgery, residency in neurological surgery - University of Pittsburgh; military committment-chief of neurosurgery element - Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi

Specialties/Interests: surgical treatment of low back pain, spinal oncology with complex spinal reconstruction, dynamic stabilization of the spine, pathology of the occipital-spinal junction, spinal trauma, experimental treatment of metastatic spine tumors

Jean-Paul Wolinsky, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery

Education: M.D., general neurosurgery training program - Baylor College of Medicine; extensive training and experience in trauma - Ben Taub Hospital; specialized training in neurosurgical oncology, residency in neurology - M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital; AO Spine fellowship in complex reconstructive spine surgery and spinal oncology - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Specialties/Interests: neurosurgical oncology, spinal cord tumors, pathology of the occupital-cervical junction; complex spinal reconstruction; skull-base approaches to the upper cervical spine and foramen magnum; minimally-invasive spine surgery

Dan Sciubba, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology and Orthopaedic Surgery

Education: M.D. - Columbia University; internship in general surgery, residency in neurological surgery, infolded complex spine fellowship - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; traveling orthopaedic spine fellowship in pediatric spine deformity - Shriners Hospitals for Children

Specialties/Interests: all aspects of spine disease with a focus on surgical treatment of complex spinal reconstructions and spinal tumors; treatment of all categories of spine pathology (degenerative, trauma, tumor, deformity) with minimally invasive approaches

Michelle Clarke, M.D.
Instructor of Neurosurgery

Education: BS with honors in aerospace engineering (minor in biology) - Princeton University; M.D. - Georgetown University School of Medicine; residency in neurological surgery - Mayo Clinic; specialized training in spinal oncology - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Specialties/Interests: degenerative disorders of the spine, neoplastic disorders of the spine (including intradural, intramedullary and extradural metastatic spine tumors), and traumatic spinal cord and vertabra column injuries

Reza Yassari, M.D.
Instructor of Neurosurgery

Education: M.D. - University of Vienna; M.Sc. - University of Chicago; residency in neurosurgery - University of Chicago Medical Center; fellowship in medical ethics - University of Chicago, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics; specialty training in spinal oncology - The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Specialties/Interests: degenerative, traumatic and neoplastic diseases of the spine with special focus on minimally invasive techniques, complex and reconstructive spine surgery

Jared Abay, MS, PA-C

Biography: Jared Abay, MS, PA-C, is a senior physician assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview. He earned an undergraduate degree at George Washington University, where he also completed physician assistant training. Abay also earned a master of science with emphasis in neurosurgery at the University of Nebraska and completed a physician assistant surgical residency program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.

Jill Anderson, MS, PA-C

Biography: Jill Anderson, MS, PA-C, is a physician assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview. After graduating from the Saint Francis University physician assistant program with a bachelor’s of science degree, she also earned a master of science degree with emphasis in neurosurgery at The University of Nebraska.

Carla Chance, MS, PA-C

Biography: Carla Chance, MS, PA-C, is a physician assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She earned a bachelor of science degree in behavioral neuroscience from Lehigh University and completed physician assistant training at Arcadia University, graduating with a master of medical science degree in physician assistant studies.

Sharonda E. Keith, PA-C

Biography: Sharonda E. Keith, PA-C, is a physician assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She earned a bachelor of arts degree at Rutgers University, as well as a bachelor of science degree at Howard University, where she also completed physican assistant training.

Keith currently is pursuing a master of science degree with an emphasis in neurosurgery at The University of Nebraska.

Kearra Wagner, MS, PA-C

Biography: Kearra Wagner, MS, PA-C, is a physician assistant in the department of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview. She earned a bachelor of science degree from West Chester University. She earned a master’s in medical science and completed physician assistant training at Arcadia University.