Biographies

James J. Lynch, M.D., F.A.C.S. | Lali Sekhon, M.D. PhD, F.A.C.S. | Jonathan D. Burns, M.D. | Lisa M.M. Pitino, D.O. | Joseph L. Olivarez, P.A.-C | Josh Pfeifle, P.A.-C | Lisa Herz, P.A.-C. | Thaïs Mollet, PT, DPT | Leslie H. Toulouse, MA, MPT

Neurological Spine Surgeons

James J. Lynch, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Board-certified Neurological Surgeon
Fellowship-Trained Spine Surgeon

Dr. James Lynch is a board-certified neurological surgeon who specializes in complex spine surgery, cervical disorders, degenerative spine, spinal deformities, trauma, tumor infection and minimally invasive spine surgery.

He has been elected to “Best Doctors of America” and received the “Top Neurosurgeons in US” award by consumer report. Dr. Lynch is one of a handful of spine surgeons with three fellowships in the specialty of spine surgery. He has also served as Chief of Neurosurgery at St. Mary’s Hospital. Dr. Lynch has been published in leading journals including: Spine: Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery.

He earned his medical degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, followed by a residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Dr. Lynch went on to complete a spine fellowship at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queens Square, London, UK, followed by a spine fellowship at Mayo Clinic and an additional spine fellowship under Volker Sonntag, MD, at the prestigious Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ. As a leading authority on Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) development, Dr. Lynch lectures at national meetings on outpatient spine surgery. He serves as Chairman and Director of Spine Programs at Surgery Center of Reno.

Dr. Lynch is the founder of SpineNevada.

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Lali Sekhon, M.D. PhD, F.A.C.S.
Fellowship-Trained Neurological Surgeon
Fellowship-Trained Spine Surgeon

Dr. Sekhon has been managing patients with spinal and neurosurgical conditions for over 20 years, since 1989. He came to Reno in 2005 having spent the previous 5 years as Head of Complex Spine Surgery in the major teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Dr. Sekhon earned his undergraduate and medical degree from the University of Sydney, Australia. He also obtained a PhD in Neurosurgery. Dr. Sekhon completed a spine/neurosurgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as a spine/minimally invasive surgery fellowship at Toronto Western Hospital in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Australiasian and American College of Surgeons (FRACS and FACS).

Dr. Sekhon has received numerous honors and awards including the Young Neurosurgeons Award from the World Federation of Neurosurgeons and the 2000 Outstanding Clinical Research Award from the Cervical Spine Research Society. More recently he has twice achieved the AMA’s Physician’s Recognition Award, and the Patients’ Choice Award, most recently in 2009. He also received one of the Best Doctors in America Awards for 2009-2010. He has published over 95 peer-reviewed articles, a dozen book chapters and almost 50 abstracts. He is still engaged in groundbreaking research.

Dr. Sekhon is a pioneer of spine surgery, and is recognized internationally for his expertise in artificial disc surgery, cervical spine disorders and spinal trauma. He has expertise in all manner of adult spinal disorders.

Dr. Sekhon is a member over 20 professional associations including the North American Spine Society, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the Joint Section AANS/CNS Spine and Peripheral Nerve and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is also a member of the Spine Trauma Study Group, one of only 45 surgeons worldwide.

During his career, Dr. Sekhon has presented at a multitude of national and international medical conferences. He is on the editorial board for the Journal for Spinal Disorders & Techniques, Spine, The Spine Journal and SpineUniverse.

Dr. Sekhon is the only AO Spine Faculty member in the Reno/Carson City Area. The AO is a worldwide orthopedic society dedicated to research, treatment and education with respect to spinal disorders. Dr. Sekhon teaches orthopedic and neurosurgeons throughout North America with the AO. He is also an instructor to surgeons throughout North America on spinal surgery. He is involved in the design of groundbreaking spinal implants and has over a dozen patents. He is currently an Adjunct Clinical Professor for the University of Nevada, School of Medicine.

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Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Jonathan D. Burns, M.D.
Board-certified Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician
Fellowship-Trained Interventional Pain Management Specialist

Dr. Burns joins SpineNevada after completing an interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship at The SMART Clinic in Sandy, Utah. Dr. Burns specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of back and neck pain problems. He is proficient in EMGs and pain-relieving spinal injections.

Dr. Burns earned his undergraduate degree at The Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore and his medical degree at New Jersey Medical School at Newark. He completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, where he also served as clinical instructor, elective coordinator and research coordinator. He is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports & Occupational Rehabilitation.

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Lisa M.M. Pitino, D.O.
Board-eligible Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician
Fellowship-Trained Interventional Pain Management Specialist

Dr. Pitino joins SpineNevada after completing a Pain Management Fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Pitino specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of back and neck pain problems. She is proficient in EMGs and pain-relieving spinal injections.

Dr. Pitino earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Santa Barbara and her medical degree at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, California. She completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports & Occupational Rehabilitation.

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Physician Assistants

Joseph L. Olivarez, P.A.-C
Physician Assistant

Joseph Olivarez has been with SpineNevada since September of 2004. He received his certificate in PA studies in 1995 from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, in Pomona, CA.  

Joseph started his career in medicine in 1985 as a Navy corpsman. He spent 4 years in the Navy working as a surgical technologist. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he continued work as a surgical technologist while pursuing his degree at Mount San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. Since becoming a PA, Mr. Olivarez has worked with both orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgeons. He has assisted on thousands of spine surgeries in his 13 year career.

Joseph has remained active in the  education of physician assistants. He is on the adjunct faculty at Western  University. He is a clinical preceptor for Western University, Samuel Merritt College Physician Assistant Program, and Touro University Primary Care Physician Assistant Program. He is as well a regular speaker and presenter at the California Academy of Physician Assistants annual conference. Mr. Olivarez has received special recognition for achievements and knowledge of surgery and is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. He is also a Fellow member of the Association of Neurosurgical Physician Assistants and the Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants.

In his spare time Mr. Olivarez enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. He is as well an avid cyclist.

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Josh Pfeifle, P.A.-C
Physician Assistant

Josh Pfeifle, P.A.-C, joined SpineNevada in 2007.  Josh also works alongside SpineNevada physicians and surgeons, assisting in all areas of patient care and management, including office visits, in-patient care and assisting in surgery.

Josh Pfeifle comes to SpineNevada from the rural farming community of Power, Montana with a particular interest in the care of patients with spinal disorder.  During his training he completed an elective neurosurgery internship in Great  Falls, MT.

He is a 2006 graduate of the Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistant Program, in Billings, Montana, where he earned a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies.  Josh is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

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Lisa Herz, P.A.-C
Physician Assistant

Lisa Herz PA-C joins Spine Nevada as a third generation medical practitioner in Reno.  She assists in all aspects of patient care from the office to the operating room, helping Spine Nevada to provide superior services to its patients.

Locally raised, Lisa completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis.  In addition to her pre-medical coursework, she spent a year studying abroad in Spain obtaining a degree in Spanish.  After leaving Reno once again for physician assistant school, Lisa is excited to be back home to carry on her family’s long tradition of medicine in Northern Nevada.

In 2007, Lisa graduated with honors from Touro University in Las Vegas, earning a Masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies.  She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

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Physical Therapist

Thaïs Mollet, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist

Thais joined the Physical Therapy Department at SpineNevada in 2008.  She helps patients improve their quality of life through therapeutic treatment that includes manual therapy, specific exercises and patient education.  Thais earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Boston University in 2004.  Thais has studied manual spine treatment approaches from Australia. Her treatment approaches uses techniques from Kaltenborn, Evjenth, Maitland and Butler schools of thought.  Thais treats patients according to their individual needs to decrease their pain and increase their overall function in order to better enjoy life.

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Leslie Hill Toulouse, MA, MPT
Physical Therapist

Leslie joins the SpineNevada Physical Therapy Department with experience in manual and aquatic physical therapy. She has specialized training in the treatment of the cranial base, thoracic cage, pelvis, cervical and lumbar spine and lower and upper extremities. Leslie also brings experience in spinal evaluation and manipulation to SpineNevada.

Leslie has studied at the URSA Foundation, where she completed the highly respected Silver Series program, a 2-year post graduate course in the evaluation and manual treatment of the entire system. She also has specialized training in the following areas, mobilization of the nervous system, embryology for the manual practitioner and evaluation and treatment of the cervical, thoracic and pelvic ganglia.

Leslie’s background also includes professional experience as a Director of Aquatic Therapy Department for a CARF accredited rehabilitation facility and as a Director of outpatient physical therapy with a focus on manual and aquatic physical therapy. She has 14 years of experience as an Instructor and Instuctor-trainer for the American Red Cross Water Safety and Adapted Aquatics programs.

Leslie received her BA from the University of Nevada in Reno and her Masters of Physical Therapy from the University of California at San Francisco.

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