Our Team
OHSU Doernbecher's pediatric brain and spine experts combine world-class expertise with a commitment to caring for children and teens. In addition, they offer:
- Comprehensive care: Our doctors, nurses practitioners and other experts work together to treat conditions affecting the brain, spine, nerves, muscles, behavior and development. This ensures that your child receives coordinated, individual care at every step.
- Care for the whole child: Our team includes education and social-service specialists to support the overall well-being of your child and family.
- Access to the latest findings: As part of Oregon’s only academic health center, our doctors also pursue discoveries in the lab and at bedside. This offers your child access to the latest treatments and a network of clinical trials.
- Pediatric Brain Tumor Program: Our brain tumor program has three directors: Dr. Kellie Nazemi, the medical director; Dr. Lissa Baird, the surgical director; and Dr. Yoon-Jae Cho, the scientific director. This integrated leadership ensures that patients have access to the full spectrum of expertise.
Lissa Baird, M.D., heads the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery and is the surgical director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program. She specializes in brain tumors, cerebrovascular conditions and skull base neurosurgery. She is a world-class expert in neuroendoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical technique, and one of the few in the U.S. with expertise using flexible neuroendoscopy to treat hydrocephalus without a shunt. She completed her fellowship in skull base neurosurgery at Louisiana State University and finished her pediatric neurosurgery training at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Christina Sayama, M.D., M.P.H., leads the neurosurgical spine program in Doernbecher’s Multidisciplinary Pediatric Spine, Scoliosis and Deformity Clinic. She is an expert in neurodegenerative scoliosis and other spinal disorders, including tumors, trauma and congenital conditions. She is also an expert in the surgical management of spasticity. She trained at the University of Utah and Texas Children’s Hospital.
Nathan Selden, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.A.P., has earned international recognition for excellence in neurosurgery and research. He is chair of OHSU’s Department of Neurological Surgery and has particular expertise in treating children’s brain tumors, epilepsy and craniofacial disorders. He helped make history in 2006 with a study that transplanted stem cells into the human brain. An award-winning educator, Dr. Selden pioneered the "neurosurgery boot camp" training courses and in 2015 led the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the largest neurosurgical professional society in the world. He has also published more than 140 articles in medical journals.
Wendy Osorio Domreis, M.S., R.N., C.P.N.P., is a pediatric nurse practitioner who focuses on neurological surgery. She works with Drs. Baird, Selden and Sayama. She earned her master's degree from the OHSU School of Nursing.
Deborah Fanning C.P.N.P., M.S., R.N., is a pediatric nurse practitioner who focuses on pediatric neurosurgery. She earned her nursing degrees from the Columbia University School of Nursing.
Laurie Yablon, R.N., M.S., C.P.N.P., is a pediatric nurse practitioner who works with Drs. Selden, Baird and Sayama. She focuses on neurological surgery.
Jeremy Fong M.P.A.S., P.A.-C., is a certified physician's assistant. His focus is neurological surgery.
Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D., directs Doernbecher's Pediatric Brain Injury Research Laboratory. He focuses on finding new ways to encourage the brain to repair injuries caused by low blood flow. He hopes his work leads to better treatments for children and for adults with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. Dr. Back completed a fellowship in pediatric neurology at Harvard Medical School.
Yoon-Jae Cho, M.D., is an internationally recognized neurologist and scientist with OHSU's Doernbecher and Knight Cancer Institute who is on the leading edge of fighting cancer at the molecular level. Dr. Cho heads Doernbecher's Division of Pediatric Neurology and is the scientific director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program. He treats neurological conditions such as developmental delays and seizures. He completed his fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Jason Coryell, M.D., specializes in caring for children with brain and spinal cord illnesses, both in critical care and condition management. He also has advanced training in medical genetics and managing seizures. He completed his fellowship in pediatric epilepsy at the University of Colorado.
Erika Finanger, M.D., is an expert in children's neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy. She has advanced training in neuromuscular neurology, including comprehensive evaluation, medical management and electrodiagnostic studies. Dr. Finanger is also a scientist involved in the clinical research of pediatric neuromuscular conditions. She completed her training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Juan Piantino, M.D., is a pediatric neurologist and director of inpatient pediatric neurology. He also coordinates our pediatric neurocritical follow-up clinic, which provides comprehensive care to children who were admitted to the intensive care unit with neurological conditions. Dr. Piantino completed his training at the Ann & Robert Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Seattle Children's Hospital.
Joseph Pinter, M.D., is a pediatric neurologist and a member of our Down Syndrome Clinic, Neurodevelopmental Clinic and Spina Bifida Clinic teams, specializing in treating children with Down syndrome, Tourette syndrome and congenital brain anomalies. In the lab, he focuses on neuroimaging for congenital brain anomalies and Down syndrome. He completed fellowships at the University of California at San Francisco and Stanford University.
Colin Roberts, M.D., leads Doernbecher's comprehensive epilepsy program, where neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurses and social workers provide complete care for children with the disease. Dr. Roberts also leads one-of-a-kind clinical trials in the pursuit of better patient care. He completed his fellowship in pediatric epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Barry Russman, M.D., F.A.A.P., specializes in treating children with neuromuscular disorders including cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. He leads our Tic and Tourette Program and our pediatric headache program. Dr. Russman has taken part in several cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy research programs. He completed his fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Jenny Wilson, M.D., is a pediatric neurologist with specialties in pediatric stroke, cerebral palsy and neurodevelopment. Dr. Wilson trained at Stanford's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Carter Wray, M.D., is a pediatric neurologist who specializes in caring for children with brain and nerve problems, especially epilepsy. He has particular expertise with children whose seizures do not stop with medication. He also has advanced training in interpreting EEGs and evaluating children for possible epilepsy surgery. He completed his fellowship at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Andrea Frank, M.S.N., C.P.N.P., is a pediatric nurse practitioner who specializes in caring for children with seizures and epilepsy. She manages admissions for Doernbecher's Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and enjoys coordinating care for children with complex needs. She earned her master of science in nursing degree at Vanderbilt School of Nursing.
Lauren Popp M.S.N., R.N., F.N.P.-C., is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and is working with the Neurology-Oncology team. She previously worked as a registered nurse in oncology/hematology for 6 years, prior to obtaining her masters in nursing.
Jerry Jaboin, M.D., Ph.D. is a radiation oncologist who specializes in caring for children with cancer, and for patients with brain tumors and women's cancers. He completed his training at Vanderbilt University.
Thomas Lamkin, M.D. is a pediatric oncologist who treats children covered by Kaiser Permanente. He specializes in caring for patients with brain and spinal cord tumors, cancer and blood disorders. He participates in Doernbecher's Pediatric Brain Tumor Board, ensuring that his patients benefit from our full team's expertise. He completed his training in hematology and oncology at the Children's Hospital, Los Angeles.
Rebecca Loret de Mola, D.O., M.C.R., is a pediatric neuro-oncologist who has particular interest and advanced training in treating children and teens with brain and spinal cord tumors. She completed her fellowship in hematology/oncology and stem cell transplantation at OHSU, and in pediatric neuro-oncology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
Kellie Nazemi, M.D., is the medical director of Doernbecher's Pediatric Brain Tumor Program. As a pediatric neuro-oncologist, she is devoted to treating children and teens with brain and spinal cord tumors. She is also dedicated to bringing comprehensive care and the latest treatments to children in our region. She developed the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Clinic to give patients care from a range of specialists. In 2016, Dr. Nazemi was the only Doernbecher doctor to receive an OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Clinical Scholar Award in recognition of her work. She completed her training at Boston Children's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Chris Conrady, M.S.N., N.P., is a nurse practitioner who specializes in treating children and teens with brain and spinal cord tumors, cancer and blood disorders. He earned his nursing degree at the University of Illinois.
Ann Houck, R.N., B.S.N., is the nurse coordinator for Doernbecher's neuro-oncology program. She helps patients and families coordinate appointments and navigate the journey from diagnosis through long-term follow-up. She also serves as a liaison between the Pediatric Neuro-oncology Clinic and other departments.
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- Chelsea Kaye, L.C.S.W.