Honored Guests
Honored Neurosurgery Guest
Marjorie C. Wang, MD, MPH, FAANS
Marjorie C. Wang, MD, MPH is a Tenured Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations and Quality in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin. A highly accomplished academic and administrative leader, she served as the inaugural Chief Clinical Transformation Officer for Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. After earning her MD from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine and completing her residency at the University of Colorado, Dr. Wang pursued advanced public health training as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the University of Washington. Dr. Wang’s national leadership is exceptional. She was recently selected as the interim (2024) and permanent (2025) Executive Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) and was the second woman to serve as Chair of the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. Her research, supported by a three-year Robert Wood Johnson Physician Faculty Scholars Award, focuses on spine, patient-reported outcomes, quality of care, and health services, with a particular interest in cervical spinal disorders.
Honored Orthopaedic Guest
Serena Hu, MD
Serena S. Hu, MD is a Professor and Chief of the Spine Surgery Service in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and (by courtesy) Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Before joining Stanford in 2013, she served as Chief of the Spine Service at UCSF. Dr. Hu is a groundbreaking leader and educator, achieving the distinction of being the first woman president of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) in 2021 and the first woman president of the prestigious Scoliosis Research Society in 2022. She received her medical degree from McGill University and completed her spine fellowship at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center. Dr. Hu’s clinical expertise is in spinal deformity surgery, and her research focuses on decreasing complications after spine surgery, the effect of spinal tumors and the cost-effectiveness of various spine treatments.
Honored Peripheral Nerve Guest
Lynda J.S. Yang, MD, PhD, FAANS | awarded posthumously, accepted by Whitney Muhlestein, MD
Dr. Lynda J. S. Yang was a preeminent neurosurgeon, academic leader and world-renowned expert in peripheral nerve surgery. A highly accomplished scholar, she received her MD and PhD through the Medical Scientist Training Program at Johns Hopkins University, followed by neurosurgery residency at the University of Michigan. Dr. Yang furthered her specialization with extensive international training, including a peripheral nerve fellowship in the United Kingdom and studies with leading surgeons in the Netherlands and the US.
Returning to Michigan, she established and directed the Multidisciplinary Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Program, which earned the Health System’s Clinical Program of the Year award in 2009 and saw its clinical volume grow by 300%. Dr. Yang was deeply committed to advancing her field, serving as Chairperson of the FDA Neurological Devices Advisory Committee and Chair of the Division of Peripheral Nerves for the AANS/CNS. Her scholarly output includes over 110 peer-reviewed publications, three edited books and three US patents. Beyond her surgical excellence, Dr. Yang’s lasting legacy is her unwavering passion for teaching and mentorship, having trained the next generation of peripheral nerve surgeons with her characteristic guidance and expertise.
Meritorious Award
Domagoj Coric, MD, FAANS
Dr. Dom Coric is a renowned neurosurgical spine surgeon and academic leader. He currently serves as the Jerry and Audrey Petty Endowed Professor of Spine Surgery at Atrium Health/Wake Forest University, Vice-Dean for Professional Advancement at the Wake Forest-Charlotte Medical School, and Director of the Atrium Health Southeast Spine Center of Excellence. Dr. Coric spent 25 years practicing at Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates and served 13 years as Chief, Department of Neurosurgery at Carolinas Medical Center/Atrium Health. He is a recognized leader in his field, having served as President of both the Southern Neurosurgical Society (SNS) and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), as well as holding positions on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). His extensive research includes over 170 peer-reviewed articles and serving as Principal Investigator in 24 clinical trials for spinal surgery innovations.