Honored Guests
Meritorious Award
Langston Holly, MD, FAANS
Dr. Holly is executive vice chair and professor of neurosurgery and orthopaedics at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, where he serves as chief of the Neurosurgery Spine Division and co-director of the Neurosurgery Spine Surgery Fellowship Program. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, he completed neurosurgery residency training at UCLA and a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Holly specializes in cervical myelopathy, minimally invasive spine surgery, Chiari malformation and spinal cord tumors. An NIH-funded investigator since 2009, he is co-principal Investigator of the NIH/NINDS Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program, supporting the development of future neurosurgical researchers.
A recognized leader in organized neurosurgery, Dr. Holly serves as treasurer of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and is an associate editor for Neurosurgery. He also serves as a mentor for the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons and the Women in Neurosurgery mentorship programs. He is committed to mentorship, leadership development and advancing excellence and inclusion within the neurosurgical community.
One of his proudest achievements is throwing out the first pitch at the Jackie Robinson 75th Anniversary Ceremony at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2022.
Neurosurgery Honored Guest
Michael Wang, MD, MBA, FAANS
Dr. Wang is chief of neurosurgery at University of Miami Hospital, spine neurosurgery fellowship director, and a tenured professor in the departments of neurological surgery and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he holds the Robert M. Buck Professorship.
Dr. Wang earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Southern California (USC)–LA County General Hospital. He completed a spine fellowship at the University of Miami and previously served as spine program director and spine fellowship director at USC before returning to South Florida in 2007.
A longtime leader in organized neurosurgery, Dr. Wang has held senior leadership roles with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, including Annual Meeting chair and member of the Board of Directors. He is the current Chair of the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation. Dr. Wang has also served in leadership positions with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the North American Spine Society, and multiple international spine organizations.
His clinical and research interests include minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal deformity, robotics, enhanced recovery protocols, and spinal cord injury biomarkers. He has authored more than 900 publications, edited 15 textbooks, and delivered more than 1,200 invited lectures worldwide.
Orthopaedic Honored Guest
Neel Anand, MD
Dr. Anand is an internationally recognized spine surgeon, educator and researcher known for pioneering minimally invasive techniques for complex spinal disorders and adult spinal deformity. He is Medical Director of the Departments of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Anand has become a global leader in minimally invasive spine surgery, particularly circumferential minimally invasive surgery for adult spinal deformity. He trained in India, the United Kingdom and the United States, completing fellowships at Hospital for Special Surgery and the University of Florida before joining Cedars-Sinai in 2000.
Dr. Anand has led research in spinal deformity correction, motion preservation and advanced reconstruction, serving as principal investigator on numerous FDA, IDE and NIH-supported studies. He is President of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in 2026 and serves in leadership roles with the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. He has contributed more than 500 publications and presentations and is a sought-after international lecturer.
Peripheral Nerve Honored Guest
Chris Winfree, MD, PhD, FAANS
Dr. Winfree is an associate professor of neurological surgery and neurosurgery residency associate program director at Columbia University in New York City. He specializes in peripheral nerve surgery and pain neurosurgery.
Dr. Winfree earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College and completed medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his neurosurgery residency at Columbia University, followed by fellowship training in peripheral nerve surgery in New Orleans and functional and stereotactic neurosurgery in Portland, Oregon.
His clinical and research interests include peripheral nerve disorders, pain neurosurgery, focused ultrasound applications, and the treatment of phrenic nerve disorders. He is also deeply committed to medical education, with academic interests focused on neurosurgery resident and medical student training.
In addition to his academic and clinical work, Dr. Winfree has a long-standing interest in scuba and cave diving. He previously participated in exploratory cave diving in the Bahamas and remains active in recreational diving.
Promises Kept Category: 2020 Orthopaedic Honored Guest*
Dan Riew, MD
Dr. Riew is a professor of orthopaedic surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and professor of orthopaedic surgery at Columbia University. He serves as co-director of the Och Spine program at Weill Cornell Medical Center and co-director of the Columbia University Spine Fellowship. His clinical practice is exclusively focused on the surgical treatment of cervical spine disorders.
Dr. Riew is an internationally recognized leader in spine surgery and research. He has authored nearly 450 peer-reviewed publications and has an h-index of 86. His work has been recognized with multiple outstanding research paper awards from the Cervical Spine Research Society, the North American Spine Society, and the Scoliosis Research Society.
A sought-after educator, Dr. Riew has delivered more than 110 named lectures, visiting professorships, and grand rounds presentations in more than 20 countries, in addition to hundreds of invited talks worldwide. He has served as president of both the Cervical Spine Research Society and AOSpine.
Dr. Riew also holds editorial leadership roles as a deputy or associate editor for several major journals, including Global Spine Journal, Spine, European Spine Journal, and Neurosurgery. His mentorship has helped shape the next generation of spine leaders, with multiple former fellows and trainees going on to serve as presidents of international spine societies.
*Travel restrictions affected attendance at the 2020 Spine Summit. Despite these challenges, Dr. Dan Riew honored his commitment and will be recognized in 2027 in a special “Promises Kept” category.