Neurosurgery Residents 2024-25

Michael Ohene-Adjei
PGY I

Undergrad: Dartmouth College
Med School: Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Interests in NSG: functional, spine, vascular
Hobbies: Running, lifting, video games, film, fantasy and sci-fi novels

Paymon Rezaii
PGY I

Undergrad: UCLA
Med School: Tulane University
Interests in NSG: Spine, Functional, Artificial Intelligence
Hobbies outside of NSURG: Basketball, comedy, traveling, spending time with family and friends

Mohamed Salem
PGY I

Undergrad: Alexandria University
Med School: Alexandria University
Masters: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Interests in NSG: Vascular, skull base, spine
Hobbies outside of NSURG: ping pong, soccer, watching sports, reading, hiking

John Butterfield
PGY II

Undergrad: University of Minnesota
Med School: University of Minnesota
Hobbies: fly fishing, hiking, cooking, eating breakfast burritos with Eric Montgomery

Eric Montgomery
PGY II

Undergrad: Pomona College
Med School: University of Texas Southwestern
Hobbies: backpacking, all Chicago food especially Italian beef, reading in the park, eating breakfast burritos with Jack Butterfield

Matthew Svalina
PGY II

Undergrad: University of Illinois- Chicago
Med School: University of Colorado SOM
Hobbies: running, skiing, wellness, spending time with family

Keshari Shrestha, MD
PGY III

Undergrad: University of Florida
Med school: University of Colorado SOM
Interests: vascular, tumor
Hobbies: rock climbing, hiking, watching tv

Reinier Alvarez, MD
PGY IV

Undergrad: Florida International University
Med school: Florida International University - Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Interests: Skull base
Hobbies: comedy, raising my puppy, wine, photography

Ahmed Helal, MD
PGY IV

Undergrad: Alexandria University
Med School: Alexandria University
Fellowship: International NSURG Fellowship- Mayo Clinic & Pediatric NSURG Fellowship- OHSU
Interests: Vascular and Epilepsy
Hobbies: Spending time with family, Weightlifting, sitcoms, watching basketball and soccer, non-fiction reading

William Harris, MD
PGY IV

Undergrad: Colorado College
Med school: University of Hawaii
Interests: Pediatrics, functional
Hobbies: Running, soccer, skiiing, surfing, trying new restaurants

Julia Pazniokas, MD
PGY V

Undergrad: Boston College
Med school: New York Medical College
Interests: pediatrics
Hobbies: baking, arts&crafts, exercise, paddle boarding

Lindsey Freeman, MD
PGY VI

Undergrad: The Ohio State University
Med school: Case Western Reserve University
Interests: cranial, spine, pediatrics, general
Hobbies: talking to sister on the phone, hiking, biking, reading

Ashkaun Razmara, MD
PGY VI

Undergrad: UC Berkeley
Masters: Johns Hopkins 
Med school: Frank Netter SOM
Interests: Functional, Brain-Computer Interface 
Hobbies: Music, film, sports, physical endurance, spaceflight

Jessa Hoffman, MD
Chief Resident
PGY VII

Undergrad: Middlebury College
Med school: New York Medical College
Interests: Vascular Neurosurgery
Hobbies: skiing, hiking, camping, walking my dog

Blake Wittenberg, MD
Chief Resident
PGY VII

Undergrad: CU Boulder
Med school: LSU New Orleans
Interests: Spine, Endoscopic Spine, General
Hobbies: Fishing, Cooking, Hanging out with family and dogs