Neurology Fellows 2024-2025

Mohamad I. Itani, MD
Autonomic Neurology Fellow (Neurogastroenterology Track)

Mohamad earned his undergraduate and MD degrees from the American University of Beirut (AUB) before completing a post-doctoral research fellowship at the GI Division of Johns Hopkins University (JHU) under Dr. Vivek Kumbhari. He then moved to Detroit for his Internal Medicine residency at Wayne State University, where he developed a special interest in improving the quality of life for patients with motility disorders. His academic interests include the intersection of neurological and gastrointestinal disorders, with a research focus on motility disorders in patients with autonomic dysfunction.

Calvin Santiago, MD
Clinical Instructor

Dr. Santiago is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, specializing in Neurology. He completed his Adult Neurology residency at the University of Toronto and is now a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Comprehensive Neurology at Stanford University. He provides comprehensive neurological care to patients with a broad range of neurological conditions. His academic interests focus on improving access to neurological care, such as reducing wait times and stream-lining referrals so that patients are directed to the most appropriate care provider.

David Hartmann, MD, PhD
Adult Epilepsy Fellow

David earned his undergraduate degree at New College of Florida. He received his MD/PhD from the Medical University of South Carolina, doing his research with Andy Shih on the cellular regulation of cerebral blood flow. He moved to Stanford to complete intern year and neurology residency. At Stanford, he's been doing some work in Ivan Soltesz's lab to understand why some neurons participate in seizures yet others don't.

Joanne Lau, MD
Adult Epilepsy Fellow

Joanne earned her undergraduate degree in Integrative Biology and Disability Studies minor at UC Berkeley. She later completed her Master of Science degree in Biomedical Imaging at UCSF. She earned her medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She subsequently completed her internal medicine internship at Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and her adult neurology residency at UC San Diego. Besides her clinical interest in caring for patients with epilepsy, her research interest includes medical devices in the treatment of refractory epilepsy.

Olivia Marais, MD
CNP/Epilepsy

Olivia earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical & Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. She stayed at UBC for medical school and Neurology residency. She is interested in epilepsy surgery, devices for epilepsy, and transition from pediatric to adult epilepsy care. In her spare time, she enjoys walking her dog, reading science fiction, and gardening.

Aida Risman, MD
Adult Epilepsy Fellow

Aida completed her undergraduate education as a Dean’s Scholar at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she majored in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology and minored in French Studies. She completed medical school at the Medical College of Georgia prior to returning to Emory for adult neurology residency followed by clinical neurophysiology fellowship. She is now completing her second year of fellowship in adult epilepsy at Stanford University. Her research interests have spanned from clinical research involving patients with psychogenic nonepileptic spells and comorbid epilepsy, to new developments like EEG-sensing earbuds. In her free time Aida enjoys spending time with family and friends, international travel, and exploring new beaches and hikes.

Steve Savinoff, MD
Adult Epilepsy Fellow

Steve earned his undergraduate degree in Biology at California State University Los Angeles. He then studied the use of stem cells for treating various neurologic disorders, such as Glioblastoma and ALS, at Cedar Sinai’s Regenerative Medicine Institute before moving to Ohio to earn his MD at The Ohio State University. He completed internship and Neurology residency at University of Colorado, where he worked with Dr. Laura Strom to investigate how to improve care for patients with Non-Epileptic Seizures (NES) / Functional Seizures. He is particularly passionate about providing care to patients with concomitant medically refractory epilepsy and NES, and is interested in investigating how advancing technologies such as RNS may prove particularly useful in the care of patients with both of these conditions.

Aditi Trivedi, MD
Pediatric Epilepsy Fellow

Aditi Trivedi completed her undergraduate studies at UC Santa Barbara where she was a Beckman scholar participating in undergraduate developmental biology research in the lab of Prof Joel Rothman. She then completed medical school at UC Davis where she was first exposed to pediatric neurology as a research scholar in the MIND institute under the mentorship of Dr. Randi Hagerman. This led her to complete her residency training in Child Neurology at UC San Diego/Rady Children's Hospital, in her hometown of San Diego. There, she was involved in studying post-surgical seizure freedom outcomes after laser ablation in pediatric patients, as well as leading a diversity related medical education project. Her interests include harnessing genetics for diagnostics and treatment of childhood epilepsy as well as learning about surgical epilepsy modalities and she is grateful for the opportunity to train at Stanford's Pediatric Epilepsy fellowship program.  

Alexandria (Ali) Valdrighi, MD
Pediatric Epilepsy Fellow

Ali Valdrighi completed her undergraduate studies at Pomona College with a major in neuroscience and medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). She then returned to California to complete child neurology residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).  Her interests within epilepsy include surgical epilepsy and neuromodulation as well as SUDEP counseling practices. She is additionally passionate about medical education and completed a medical education pathway during residency that involved the creation of an EEG curriculum for neurology residents.  Outside of work, Ali enjoys swimming, hiking and spending time with her family and cat. 

Taehong Lim, MD
Headache Fellow

Dr. Taehong Lim hails from South Korea, where he earned his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Chungbuk National University and his Doctor of Medicine from Hanyang University. Driven by a passion for advancing his medical expertise, Dr. Lim relocated to the United States, where he completed his neurology residency at The Ohio State University. During his residency, Dr. Lim's personal experience with headaches sparked a deep interest in the field of headache and pain management. His dedication to understanding and treating various types of headaches has become a cornerstone of his medical practice. Outside of his professional commitments, Dr. Lim is an avid fitness enthusiast. He enjoys going to the gym, running, hiking, and cherishing quality time with his family. Dr. Lim's holistic approach to life and medicine underscores his commitment to promoting overall well-being for his patients.

William Zhu, MD
Headache Fellow

Will completed his internship year and Neurology training at Stanford, where he was involved in the quality improvement curriculum and wellness committee. Prior to residency, he received his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School, and majored in Neuroscience at Dartmouth College. He is a Neurology Clerkship Student Teaching awardee and his research interests include utilization of telemedicine and wearable devices in Neurologic care. Off campus, his interests include trying new restaurants, road trips, and staying active around the Bay.  

Khushboo Verma, MD
Behavioral Neurology Fellow

Dr. Khushboo Verma completed her medical education at Ravindra Nath Tagore Medical College in India and subsequently earned an equivalence to the Belgian MD degree. She pursued her Child Neurology Residency at Dell Medical School, UT Austin, and is currently a Behavioral Neurology Fellow at Stanford University.

With her extensive global and interdisciplinary training in both adult and pediatric cognitive disorders, Dr. Verma is dedicated to establishing lifespan cognitive clinics, providing comprehensive care to individuals with cognitive disorders throughout their lives. Her research interests focus on understanding the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease in its preclinical stages, particularly by studying clinical, psychometric and biological markers in individuals with Down syndrome.

Shawn Barton, MD
Movement Disorders Fellow

Dr. Barton is a Movement Disorders Fellow at Stanford. He completed a combined MD-PhD at Vanderbilt University. His PhD research focused on studying drug delivery and developing novel biomarkers using a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. He completed neurology residency at Emory University where he served as a chief resident. His research interests include developing biomarkers for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. He has a particular interest in studying cognitive impairment in synucleinopathies.

Pegah Kahali, MD
Movement Disorders Fellow

Pegah was born and raised in Tehran. Upon graduating from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, her fascination with brain sciences led her to Boston, where she pursued a research fellowship in electrophysiology and neuroimaging, studying the brain oscillatory behavior and its implications for neurological functions and disorders. Subsequently, she completed an internship in New York before relocating to Los Angeles for her neurology residency at the University of Southern California (USC). During her residency, Pegah developed a keen interest in movement disorders, recognizing them as a significant opportunity for the physician to make a profound impact through observational skills, bedside clinical expertise and adopting cutting-edge therapeutics—all of which deeply resonated with her. Pegah’s research focuses on characterizing the circuitries and electrophysiological correlates of human motor control, aiming to advance neuromodulation techniques to restore function in patients with movement disorders. Beyond her professional pursuits, Pegah enjoys activities such as hiking, running, and Pilates. She also finds solace and enrichment delving into philosophical literature and exploring the world of visual arts, particularly drawn to paintings and cinema

Lia C. Franco, MD
Neurocritical Care Fellow

Dr. Lia Franco is a neurologist originally from Ecuador. She completed her medical degree at Universidad San Francisco de Quito and pursued her residency in Neurology at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. During her residency, Dr. Franco received several honors, including the "Golden Plunger Award" for fastest tPA administration during her PGY2 year. She was also recognized with the “Outstanding Humanitarian and Patient Advocate Award” on two occasions and received the Leon Weisberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching. Dr. Franco served as chief resident and actively contributed to the wellness committee. Driven by a passion for advancing healthcare in Latin America, Dr. Franco seeks to create a career in Global Neurocritical care.

Aaron Kaplan, MD
Neurocritical Care Fellow

Aaron is a neurocritical care fellow at Stanford. He received his undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied English Literature, Psychology, and Creative Writing. He discovered his love of medicine after graduation, and attended the pre-medical postbaccalaureate program at Columbia University, where he stayed on for medical school at the Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. He completed his neurology residency at Weill Cornell, where he was accepted into the education track and received the Resident Teaching Award for Excellence in Education. He intends to use his humanitarian and educational interests to emphasize shared decisionmaking and palliation in the intensive care unit. When not practicing neurology, Aaron illustrates for education and theater, studies Narrative Medicine, and expands his practice as a home chef.

David Koren, MD
Neurocritical Care Fellow

David Koren is originally from Massachusetts and received his undergraduate degree at Brown University. He then joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Chicago, where he completed his medical education and received a PhD in neurobiology studying the cellular mechanisms underlying motion detection in the retina. He discovered his love of critical care during the start of the COVID pandemic. He completed his intern year at Rhode Island Hospital and his neurology residency at Johns Hopkins. He is passionate about multidisciplinary critical care. In his spare time, he enjoys running and hiking with his dog, Chance.

Prashanth Venkataraman, MD
Neurocritical Care Fellow

Prashanth is a current first year neurocritical care fellow at Stanford. He completed his medical school at California Northstate University College of Medicine; Internal Medicine internship and Neurology residency at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center; and Vascular Neurology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He was humbled to receive the Intern of the Year and Resident of the Year awards during his time at UC Irvine. Taking his role as a clinician-educator very seriously, he was awarded the UC Irvine Sterling Staph: Excellence in Teaching award in 2022 and 2023, the Cedars-Sinai Best Teaching Fellow award in 2024 and inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching in 2023. His research interests are in improving outcomes in patients/populations susceptible to intracranial atherosclerotic disease, quality improvement of stroke systems of care, and improving access to excellent stroke and neuro-critical care to healthcare deserts, both within the United States and abroad (focusing on rural parts of South India). His career goal is to become an academic clinician/researcher working to improve access to care by establishing Stroke and Neurocritical Care Units in areas of need. When not in the hospital, he loves spending quality time with his wife and their cats, Biscuit and Waffles, watching the 49ers play, training for marathons, and playing pick-up basketball.

Zac Hodosevich, MD
Neurohospitalist Fellow

Dr. Hodosevich is a Neurohospitalist fellow for the 2024-25 academic year. He grew up in San Diego, California. He earned his medical degree at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and then went on to complete his intern year at UC Irvine and Neurology residency at UC San Diego. During residency he was awarded the Gold Humanism Honor Society's Resident Teaching Award. His career interests include medical education and quality improvement. His fellowship work focuses on optimization of neurologic care in patients with multi-organ dysfunction, acute management of headache, and medical education regarding neurologic emergencies.

Foad Taghdiri, MD, MSc
Neurohospitalist Fellow

Dr. Foad Taghdiri completed his neurology residency at the University of Toronto and is pursuing a Neurohospitalist Fellowship at Stanford University for the 2024-2025 academic year. He earned his MD from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and a Master of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, where he also completed a two-year research fellowship. His research identified brain changes in neurodegenerative diseases and early diagnostic biomarkers. During his residency, Foad studied geographic and socioeconomic disparities in stroke care in Ontario, Canada. He is dedicated to improving acute neurological care, quality improvement, and inpatient care optimization. Foad aims to develop a neurohospitalist program in Canada and continue projects that enhance neurological patient outcomes.

Jacob Loeffler, MD
Neuroimmunology Fellow

Dr. Jacob Loeffler is a Neuroimmunology Fellow interested in the role of infections in neuroinflammatory diseases. Dr. Loeffler graduated from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, Davis where he was awarded the Daniel T. O’Connor Memorial Research Grant. After graduation in 2020, he entered post-graduate training during the height of the COVID pandemic, serving as a medicine intern at Santa Clara county’s public hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

During adult neurology residency at Stanford, he joined the laboratory of William H. Robinson, MD, PhD, investigating the role of Epstein-Barr virus in autoimmunity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Dr. Loeffler was awarded the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Clinician-Scientist Development Award to continue work on the role of EBV in MS focusing on CD8 T cell responses to Epstein-Barr viral antigens and their self-antigen mimics in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Danwei Wu, MD
Instructor

Dr. Danwei Wu is a Neuroimmunology Fellow with translational interests in cell-based therapies for neuroimmunological diseases. Dr. Wu completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Duke University and her medical degree at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. While in medical training, she also completed a research fellowship with the mentorship of Dr. Vann Bennett through the Howard Hughes Medical Investigator Medical Research Fellows Program.  

During her adult neurology residency at Stanford, she completed a Neuroscience Scholars Track with the mentorship of Dr. Marius Wernig. She was awarded the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and American Brain Foundation Clinician-Scientist Development Award to continue her research investigating the effects of bone marrow transplantation on myeloid cells in the central nervous system. As an aspiring physician-scientist, Dr. Wu is interested in developing the next generation of cell-based therapies for the treatment of neurologic disorders.  

Toni Cao, MD
Neuro-Oncology Fellow

Toni received her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at Vanderbilt University. She then returned home to Chicago where she completed medical school at Northwestern and then stayed at Northwestern for neurology residency. During that time, she gained an interest in neuro-oncology, medical education and also served as Administrative/Scheduling Chief during her final year. She has won several teaching and interdisciplinary awards throughout residency. In her free time she enjoys playing tennis, running (slowly), and finding the best ice cream flavors out there.

Meaghan Roy-O'Reilly, MD, PhD
Neuro-Oncology Fellow

Dr. Roy-O'Reilly is a Neuro-oncology Fellow with research interests in leptomeningeal disease and secondary brain metastases. She completed her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and master's degree in Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut, followed by her MD/PhD degree in Neuroscience and Immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center/MD Anderson. She has an amateur interest in the area of Aerospace Medicine and served briefly as a subject matter expert in Neuroscience at NASA Johnson in Houston, Texas prior to residency training. During her adult neurology residency at Stanford, she completed a Neuroscience Scholars Track project in non-small cell lung cancer leptomeningeal disease under the mentorship of Dr. Melanie Hayden-Gephart. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, playing the drums and trying not to adopt any additional dogs.

Brian Stocksdale, MD
Neuro-Oncology Fellow

Brian received his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Davidson College. After a few years in San Francisco working on oncology clinical trials, he moved back east for medical school at Drexel. His background in neuroscience and oncology lead to a career in neuro-oncology. After completing neurology residency at Stanford, he will stay on as a neuro-oncology fellow. He is interested in clinical trial design, immuno-oncology, leptomeningeal metastases, and Baltimore sports teams.

Gabrielle Dufort, MD
Neuromuscular Fellow

Dr Gabrielle Dufort is a neuromuscular fellow at Stanford. She received her medical degree and completed her adult neurology residency at the University of Montréal. She is passionate about the care of patients with neuromuscular conditions, with a particular interest in myopathies, neurogenetic disorders and the diagnostic use of ultrasound in neuromuscular medicine. Medical education is another focus of hers and she strives to develop didactic materials to further the teaching of electrophysiology and disorders of the peripheral nervous system.

Michelle Lee, MD
Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellow

Dr. Lee completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley and medical school at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. She then completed a child neurology residency at Washington University in St. Louis where she also served as the Administrative Chief Resident. During residency, she developed a passion for medical education and received an award for outstanding teaching. She was ultimately drawn back to the Bay Area for Pediatric Neuromuscular fellowship and is excited to join a field that has undergone such a great change as a result of translational and clinical research.

Will Scott McKeen, MD
Neuromuscular Fellow

Dr. Will McKeen is an Oregon native who obtained an undergraduate degree at Reed College in chemistry. While attending Boston University School of Medicine he received the Robert G Feldman, MD, Prize in Neurology for humanism and academic excellence. He completed his intern year at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic followed by a neurology residency at Stanford University Hospital. During residency he focused on patients with Myasthenia Gravis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth. He enjoys well brewed coffee, board-game nights with friends, and rock climbing.

Angeline Ngo, MD
Clinical Neurophysiology/EMG Fellow

Angeline Ngo, a southern California native, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego. She went on to obtain her medical degree and complete her intern year at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She returned to the University of California, San Diego for residency in neurology, where she discovered her interests in neurophysiology, autoimmune neuromuscular diseases, and medical education. Angeline is excited to continue her training as a neurophysiology fellow under the Stanford Division of Neuromuscular Medicine.

Sophie Rengarajan, MD, PhD
Adult Neuromuscular Fellow

Sophie obtained her undergraduate degree from Harvard in neurobiology and her medical degree from UCLA. While at UCLA, she also earned her PhD in neuroscience and studied neuromodulation of sensory neural circuits in C. elegans with Elissa Hallem. She completed her intern year at Olive View-UCLA and neurology residency at Stanford where she served as Education Chief Resident and researched pharmacologic treatments for stroke recovery.  Within neuromuscular neurology, she is interested in gene therapies for neuromuscular conditions, particularly for muscular dystrophies. She is passionate about translational and clinical research and is currently investigating a molecular signature for spinal muscular atrophy using transcriptomic and spatial proteomic approaches. 

Mark Keroles, MD
Neurophysiology/IOM Fellow

Dr. Mark Keroles is a clinical neurophysiology - intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) fellow at Stanford. He completed medical school at Thomas Jefferson University, followed by an internal medicine internship at Pennsylvania Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, and neurology residency at Stanford. While he was a medical student, he worked on multiple medical devices that focused on early detection of disease. During his residency, he completed multiple quality improvement projects that leveraged analysis of large-scale health record data to optimize operations in a health care setting and health leadership positions in the hospital clinical informatics resident interest group and resident safety council. His current interests include the use of consumer electronics for early detection of disease and exploring new uses for neurophysiology in the operating room setting.

Nicholas Meyers, MD
Neurophysiology/IOM Fellow

Nick earned his undergraduate degree from Central Washington University and subsequently worked in the biopharmaceutical industry at Dendreon and Amgen in Seattle. He then completed his MD at the Medical College of Wisconsin, receiving an Honors in Research distinction for his work on the effects of high glucose exposure on astrocytes. Dr. Meyers then finished his Child Neurology residency at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital. His research interests include the intersection of emerging technologies with neurology, particularly non-invasive modalities of neurologic monitoring and quantitative EEG. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family, hiking, and disc golfing.

Amine Awad, MBBCh
Vascular Neurology Fellow

Amine attended college at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, followed by medical school at the University of Oxford in the UK. After graduating, he worked as a junior doctor in internal medicine with the National Health Service (NHS) in London, UK, where he also earned Membership in the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP). He subsequently moved to Boston to complete his intern year and residency in adult neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital before joining Stanford. Amine’s research interests focus on systems of care to enhance access to acute stroke interventions. After completing his vascular neurology fellowship at Stanford, he plans to pursue a neuroendovascular surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Outside of work, Amine enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Gyda, traveling, and exploring new local cafes and eateries.

Pressley Chakales, MD
Vascular Neurology Fellow

Dr. Chakales is currently a vascular neurology fellow at Stanford. She is an Atlanta native who completed her undergraduate education as a Dean’s Scholar at University of Georgia, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology. She later earned her M.D. from the University of Central Florida where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Pressley then completed her neurology residency at Emory University. Her research interests include stroke prevention and quality improvement of stroke systems of care. In her free time, she loves listening to music and going to shows, riding horses, and exploring the outdoors. 

Roberto Chulluncuy-Rivas, MD
Vascular Neurology Fellow

Dr. Roberto Chulluncuy-Rivas is a Neurologist originally from Peru. He earned his medical degree from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas in Lima-Peru, and subsequently completed his Neurology residency at the University of Cincinnati.

Prior to his residency, he pursued his interest in Vascular Neurology through stroke rotations at the University of Miami and UCLA. During his residency at the University of Cincinnati, he was honored with induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and received the prestigious Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award.

Currently, Dr. Chulluncuy-Rivas is advancing his expertise in Vascular Neurology/Stroke as a Vascular Fellow at Stanford University.

Gregory J. Wong, MD
Vascular Neurology Fellow

Greg was born and raised in the Bay Area. He first became interested in stroke as an undergraduate student, and after college he stayed at UCLA as a clinical research associate with Sidney Starkman and Jeff Saver. He then completed his medical school and intern year training at Washington University in St. Louis before returning home to the Bay for Neurology residency at Stanford where he also served as a chief resident. Greg enjoys clinical research in vascular and interventional neurology and has published on ​MRI detection of distal emboli post-thrombectomy, feasibility of prehospital and acute concurrent clinical trial enrollment, and increasing awareness for interventional neurology training. He is passionate about educating his fellow medical students and residents. After his vascular neurology fellowship, he will complete neurointerventional radiology fellowship at UCLA. In his free time Greg loves rock climbing, exploring new food with friends, and spending time with his family in the area.