Amy Amara, MD, PhD

Professor of Neurology
Head, Movement Disorders Section
she/her/hers

I earned my MD and PhD, with distinction, at the Medical College of Georgia and completed neurology residency and fellowship in both Movement Disorders and Sleep Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I treat patients with movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease and other forms of Parkinsonism. I also treat sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, REM sleep behavior disorders, restless leg syndrome, and idiopathic hypersomnia. My research interests include non-pharmacological interventions such as exercise for sleep disorders and cognitive dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease. I am funded by the NIH and have served as a site investigator on several multi-site trials.

Sana Aslam, DO

Assistant Professor of Neurology
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified neurologist who specializes in movement disorders at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. I completed my undergraduate education at Wellesley College and medical school at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Following medical school, I completed Neurology training and a Movement Disorders and Deep Brain Stimulation Fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute.

My research interests include Parkinson’s disease and DBS as well as exercise in patients with Parkinson’s disease. I provide treatment and care for patients with Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonism, tremor, dystonia, ataxia, chorea, tics, and restless leg syndrome. I also perform botulinum toxin injections for dystonia, spasticity, and other neurological conditions, as well as deep brain stimulation programming for Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. I see patients at the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Alexander Baumgartner, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery
he/him/his

I am a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in movement disorders and a particular focus on deep brain stimulation (DBS). I obtained my medical degree at Brown University and completed my internship and residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, where I served as chief resident in my final year. I completed my movement disorders fellowship at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

My clinical expertise includes the management of movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonism, tremor, ataxia, dystonia, chorea, tics/Tourette syndrome, restless leg syndrome, and myoclonus. I perform procedures including botulinum toxin injection and DBS programming. I also perform electrophysiological monitoring and intraoperative assessments during DBS surgery. My research interest is in non-motor Parkinson disease symptoms, with a particular interest in how these symptoms might be affected by advanced therapies, including DBS. I am a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society, and the Society for Neuroscience.

I see patients at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and UCHealth Lone Tree Medical Center.

Jeanne Feuerstein, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurologist specializing in Movement Disorders. My research focuses on non-motor features of dystonia, essential tremor, and Parkinson's disease. I am particularly interested in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and PTSD. The majority of my clinical practice is at the Eastern Colorado VA Medical Center, although I also see patients at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Emily Forbes, DO, MS

Assistant Professor of Neurology
Director, HDSA Center of Excellence at the University of Colorado Movement Disorders Center
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in movement disorders. I attended medical school at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. During my time in medical school, I was awarded an Academic Medicine Scholarship and earned a Master's Degree in addition to a Medical Degree. I went on to complete an internship in medicine and a residency in neurology at the University of Colorado Hospital. I then completed a two-year fellowship at The University of Pennsylvania Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center (PDMDC) and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC).

During my fellowship training, I developed clinical expertise in movement disorders, as well as expertise in performing procedures including botulinum toxin injections for dystonia and spasticity. My clinical interests include Parkinson's disease, atypical parkinsonism, ataxia, balance disorders, chorea, dystonia, and genetic causes of neurologic diseases. I also program deep brain stimulators for Parkinson's disease, Essential Tremor, and Dystonia.

My research interests include understanding factors that affect the progression of Parkinson's disease, cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease, and understanding the genetic basis of neurologic diseases. I am a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society.

Michelle Fullard, MD, MSCE

Assistant Professor of Neurology
Director of Research, Movement Disorders Center
Director, Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified neurologist who specializes in Movement Disorders at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. I completed undergraduate and medical school education at Vanderbilt University. Following medical school, I completed neurology training at the University of Virginia and movement disorders training at they University of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pennsylvania, I also obtained a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology. My research focuses on disparities in outcomes and care for patients with Parkinson's disease. I provide treatment and care for patients with Parkinson's disease, atypical Parkinsonism, dystonia, ataxia, chorea, tics, restless leg syndrome, and myoclonus. I also perform botulinum toxin injections for dystonia, spasticity, and other neurologic conditions, as well as deep brain stimulation programming for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. I see patients at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Trevor Hawkins, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology
Director, Movement Disorders Fellowship Program
Director, National Ataxia Foundation Center of Excellence
he/him/his

I am a board-certified neurologist with subspeciality expertise in movement disorders. I provide treatment and care for patients with Parkinson's disease, Parkinson plus syndromes, Lewy Body disease, Huntington's disease, dystonia, Tourette, tics, chorea, ataxia, Restless Leg Syndrome, myoclonus, drug-induced movement disorders, Essential Tremor, and tremor. In addition, I perform botulinum toxin injections for neurological disorders and have expertise in deep brain stimulation for movement disorders. I have particular research interests in genetic and clinical causes of ataxia as well as Huntington's Disease. I currently see patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and the VA Medical Center.

Drew Kern, MD, MS, FAAN

Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery
Co-director, Advanced Therapies for Movement Disorders Program
he/him/his

I am a board-certified and fellowship-trained movement disorders neurologist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. I completed my neurology residency at the University of Colorado. I then completed my clinical fellowship in movement disorders under the mentorship of Dr. Anthony Lang and my deep brain stimulation training under the supervision of Dr. Alfonso Fasano at the Toronto Western Hospital.

My research is focused on advanced treatment options for movement disorders. I study novel drug delivery systems, improving the targeting of DBS, optimizing DBS programming, identifying potential gender discrepancies in DBS, and improving our understanding of neuropathological circuitry.

Michael Korsmo, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology
he/him/his

I am a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in movement disorders. I received my medical degree from Tulane University and completed my residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I completed my fellowship in movement disorders at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

I see patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, UCHealth Boulder Health Center, and Denver Health.

Jessica Barr, PA-C

Senior Instructor, Neurology
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified Physician Assistant who graduated from the University of Colorado Physician Assistant Program. I specialize in Movement Disorders. I see patients with a variety of movement disorders at UCHealth at the Anschutz Medical Campus and in Boulder. I work with deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor. I also work with the Duopa program for Parkinson's disease. I help facilitate and run the Parkinson's Disease Interdisciplinary Clinic, including an evaluation with PT/OT/ST. I established and run the Newly Diagnosed Parkinson's Disease Education visits. My research is focused on Parkinson's disease.

Dorothy Mathiesen, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Senior Instructor of Neurology
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who graduated from Regis University. I completed my graduate education with a Master of Leadership in Health Care Systems and a certificate in Health Care Education. I returned to accomplish a post-masters certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner. I am especially interested in treating patients with movement disorders holistically. I currently see patients at UCHealth at Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and the UCHealth Lone Tree Medical Center. 

Marrisa Lafreniere, MS, CGC

Instructor of Neurology
she/her/hers

I became a board-certified genetic counselor and joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Neurology Department. Upon completing my rare disease fellowship program, I have embraced and improved clinical care and the education of trainees and faculty. I led didactic lectures for faculty and neurology trainees and implemented quality improvement measures that have increased the efficiency of clinical genetic testing procedures. I presented an abstract and poster 'The Changing Natural History of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): Perspectives from Young Adults and Their Caregivers," at the 2021 Colorado Genetic Counseling Symposium and National CureSMA Research and Clinical Care Conference. I am currently participating in a clinical research project investigating and documenting genetic phenotypes of ALS, which also led to a Grand Rounds Presentation at Children's Colorado Genetics Department. With Dr. Forbes, I have also started and bolstered a novel and robust adult genetic counseling telehealth clinic, designed to provide specialized genetic counseling appointments to patients and families who cannot attend in-person clinics. I have presented an abstract to the International Movement Disorders Society about the genetic landscape of Parkinson's disease. I also was an author of the publication "Periodic Alternating Nystagmus, Ataxia, and Spasticity: A Unique Presentation of Spastic Paraplegia 7-Related Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia," which was published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice Journal in 2023. I have also developed and cultivated a formal rotation for the genetic counseling students at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to provide training and education for adult neurology genetic counseling. I am also a former lecturer for genetic counseling students and present the "Huntington's Disease, the PRedictive Testing Protocol and Genetic Counseling in Adult Neurology" lecture to second-year students. I have also provided a lecture with Dr. Forbes on FMR1 Premutaion disorders to local genetic counselors at the Colorado Genetic Counselor Symposium. I continue to present case reports, including Carrell-Krusen Neuromuscular Symposium and the American Academy of Neurology.

Ece Bayram, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Neurology
she/her/hers

Born and raised in the hometown of Kebabs, Adana in Turkey, I earned my MD and PhD at Ankara University in Turkey. I completed research fellowships at Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas and the University of California San Diego. As a clinical researcher, I am committed to research, education, and outreach in the field of Parkinsonian disorders, to raise awareness and support the community and trainees. My research is focused on sex, gender, ethnicity, and race differences in Parkinsonian disorders and is funded by the NIH and Lewy Body Dementia Association. I have served in leadership roles at professional societies including International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society, Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Lewy Body Dementias Professional Interest Area, and Lewy Body Dementia Association. I also volunteer for several local and international outreach and education programs to support underserved populations, provide education, and improve representation in science.

Isabelle Buard, PhD

Assistant Research Professor, Neurology
Associate Director of Research, Movement Disorders
she/her/hers

I am a neurophysiologist with a unique scientific trajectory from lab bench to pre-clinical and clinical research. I have studied brain correlates of motor development, function, and dysfunction using diverse models, ranging from single brain cells to neuronal networks, in both animals and humans with or without neurological disorders. 

The focus of my current research is on the neurophysiology of motor dysfunction in movement disorders, particularly understanding the underlying neuropathophysiology and testing novel treatment approaches using diverse brain imaging techniques such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). I am also investigating the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a tool to modulate brain network dynamics and assess excitation/inhibition (im)balance in cortical regions. Finally, I am integrating these state-of-the-art techniques with experimental paradigms relying on the neurophysiological analysis of sensorimotor control to provide an inclusive view of the neural control of movement.

Heather Baer, MD

Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
she/her/hers

I am a neuro-rehabilitation expert physiatrist with additional fellowship training in movement disorders. I see a diverse group of patients with impairments and disabilities that result from central and peripheral nervous system dysfunctions, including all forms of movement disorders. I see patients at UCHealth at the Anschutz Medical Campus and UCHealth in Boulder.

Samantha Holden, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Neurology (Behavioral Neurology & Movement Disorders)
she/her/hers

I am a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in Movement Disorders and Behavioral Neurology which were both completed at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. I am interested in conditions that present with symptoms affecting both cognition and movement, such as Parkinson's disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease with Parkinsonism.

Daniel Kramer, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
he/him/his

I grew up in Chicago before attending Northwestern University for undergraduate and the University of Pennsylvania for medical school.  I completed my neurosurgical training at the University of Southern California, then attended Stanford University for a fellowship in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.

I have a clinical interest in surgical treatments for movement disorders, epilepsy, and facial pain.  I have a particular interest in resections for epilepsy, laser therapy, responsive neural stimulators, MR-guided focused ultrasound treatments, new applications for deep brain stimulation, and microvascular decompressions for disorders like trigeminal neuralgia.

My research areas are focused on the interpretation of neural signals and the communication between brain areas, particularly to produce movement and somatosensation.  I spent a dedicated research year under an NIH grant at CalTech, working on a brain-computer interface, where the human brain interfaces directly with machines to restore motor and sensory function to paralyzed individuals, and went on to continue this type of work at Stanford.  I am currently collaborating to develop a brain-computer interface program at CU.

In my free time, I enjoy ultra-running, concerts, and finding an excuse to be outdoors.

Steven Ojemann, MD

Professor, Neurosurgery
Director, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery
Co-director, Deep Brain Stimulation Program
he/him/his

I am interested in the surgical treatment of movement disorders and chronic pain disorders, epilepsy surgery, and functional and stereotactic radiosurgery.

Victoria Pelak, MD

Professor of Neurology & Ophthalmology
Director, Neuro-ophthalmology Fellowship
she/her/hers

I specialize in visual changes with neurodegeneration. I believe in patient-centered care, which means the patient's needs are at the center of the visit.

I attended medical school at Wayne State University School of Medicine. I completed my residency and fellowship at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Antonia Pusso, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Neuro-palliative Care)
she/her/hers

I obtained my bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at the University of Virginia. I then went to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD for two years before medical school. Then I returned to Virginia where I completed medical school at the University of Virginia. I completed her medical internship and neurology residency in Boston at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where I served as Chief Resident in her final year. I completed a two-year fellowship in movement disorders and then a fellowship in palliative care at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Christina Vaughan, MD, MHS, MS

Associate Professor of Neurology (Neuro-palliative Care)
she/her/hers

I joined the Neuropalliative team in August 2017. I took over as the program director in July 2019. I am a board-certified neurologist and am fellowship-trained in Movement Disorders and Palliative care. I practiced as a Movement Disorders specialist for several years before deciding to practice more comprehensively. I completed a year-long fellowship in Palliative medicine and gained more in-depth experience in the management of physical, psychological, spiritual, and social symptoms to optimize the quality of life for patients and families. 

I am particularly interested in self-image in the face of illness and knowing patients in the context of their lives. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to combine my passion for neurology with the palliative care approach and grateful to be working with an outstanding team. A native of Buffalo, NY, I am no stranger to winter weather and have been enjoying exploring the beautiful outdoors of Colorado.