Spine surgery continues to evolve as surgeons refine minimally invasive techniques, expand motion-preserving options and adopt new technologies while tackling increasingly complex spinal conditions.
The following 15 spine surgeons are advancing the specialty through clinical innovation, research, education and leadership.
Editor’s note: This is not a comprehensive or ranked list. Becker’s does not endorse any individual featured. To nominate a physician for a future list, please contact Sophie Eydis at seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
- Adedayo Ashana, MD. Restore Motion and Minimally Invasive Spine (Morrisville, N.C.): Dr. Ashana is an orthopedic spine surgeon whose practice focuses exclusively on minimally invasive spine surgery. His expertise includes endoscopic spine surgery, muscle-sparing tubular approaches, motion preservation, navigation and robotic-assisted surgery. He performed the first endoscopic spine surgery in North Carolina and teaches minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques to surgeons in the U.S. and internationally.
Dr. Ashana has authored peer-reviewed research and presents nationally and internationally on spine surgery. He also contributes to the development of next-generation spinal implants and surgical technologies and is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Jason Billinghurst, MD. IntegraMed Orthopedics, Spine & Wellness (Boynton Beach, Fla.): Dr. Billinghurst is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery and motion-preserving procedures. His expertise includes cervical and lumbar artificial disc replacement, minimally invasive spinal fusion and discectomy, spinal decompression and kyphoplasty.
Dr. Billinghurst has conducted research in spine surgery and biomechanics and is involved in developing new surgical technologies with medical device companies. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the North American Spine Society and J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society.
- Pat Bovonratwet, MD. Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston): Dr. Bovonratwet is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgery. His practice emphasizes motion- and tissue-sparing techniques designed to minimize postoperative pain and recovery time, alongside shared decision-making about surgical and nonsurgical treatment options.
Dr. Bovonratwet’s research focuses on minimally invasive spine surgery outcomes, the value of spine surgical treatments and comparative effectiveness. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and received honors from the North American Spine Society, including its Resident & Fellow Research Award and Outstanding Paper Award.
- Colin Haines, MD. Virginia Spine Institute (Reston): Dr. Haines is a spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques, including endoscopic surgery, robotic and augmented reality-guided procedures and disc replacement. He performed the world’s first combined endoscopic and robot-guided spine surgery and the first augmented reality-guided Bertolotti syndrome resection. He also leads the Mid-Atlantic region in prodisc L lumbar disc replacement procedures.
Dr. Haines serves as director of research at Virginia Spine Institute, where he leads and participates in studies focused on advancing spine care. His research includes FDA trials of cervical disc implants, studies of emerging surgical technologies and research on back pain in professional baseball players. He is also a frequent presenter at international conferences and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters.
- Mel Helgeson, MD. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Dr. Helgeson is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in degenerative and traumatic spinal conditions. His expertise includes minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery, cervical disc replacement, spinal deformity correction, spine reconstruction and spine tumor surgery. His research focuses on clinical outcomes and spinal biomechanics.
Before joining Mayo Clinic in 2024, Dr. Helgeson held several leadership roles at Bethesda, Md.-based Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, including chair of orthopedics and chief of spine surgery. He served as the White House’s primary orthopedic consultant from 2016 to 2024 and also consults for the FDA and NASA. Dr. Helgeson retired from the Army in 2024 after more than 20 years of service, including two deployments to Afghanistan.
- Kathryn McCarthy Mullooly, MD. Norton Leatherman Spine (Louisville, Ky.): Dr. McCarthy Mullooly is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, degenerative conditions and spinal trauma in adults and scoliosis in adolescents. Her practice emphasizes balancing surgical and nonsurgical approaches with individualized care.
Dr. McCarthy Mullooly’s research has examined spine surgery outcomes, lumbar and cervical degenerative disease, spinal deformity and pediatric spine trauma. She has authored peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and research presentations and is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Amy McIntosh, MD. Children’s Health (Dallas): Dr. McIntosh is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center specializing in spinal deformity and trauma. Her expertise includes scoliosis, kyphosis, spinal trauma and pediatric upper- and lower-extremity fractures.
Dr. McIntosh’s research has helped advance pediatric orthopedic care in areas including early-onset scoliosis, limb reconstruction, hip disorders and ankle fractures. She has held leadership roles with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Scoliosis Research Society and lectures on topics ranging from spine surgery to fracture healing.
- Matthew Morris, MD. MedStar Health (Columbia, Md.): Dr. Morris is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine disorders. He treats conditions ranging from degenerative disease and spinal cord compression to complex deformity and traumatic spinal cord injuries, with an emphasis on conservative care before surgery.
Dr. Morris has expertise in minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques, including lumbar laminectomy and microdiscectomy, cervical disc replacement, minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and anterior lumbar interbody fusion. He also performs cervical fusion and spinal deformity correction and emphasizes shared decision-making when developing treatment plans.
- Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD. Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care (Englewood, N.J.): Dr. Okubadejo is an orthopedic spine surgeon and founder and chief surgeon of the Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care, which has grown to seven locations across New Jersey and New York. He has more than 15 years of surgical experience and specializes in treating cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine conditions.
Dr. Okubadejo has published research in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques and American Journal of Orthopedics and has presented his work at spine conferences internationally. He is also the founder and CEO of 360 Dynamized Core, which developed a fitness device designed to strengthen the core while reducing stress on the lower back.
- Catherine Olinger, MD. University of Iowa Health Care (Iowa City): Dr. Olinger is an orthopedic spine surgeon and clinical assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Iowa. She treats orthopedic spine disorders with a particular focus on spine trauma and also educates orthopedic surgery residents on spinal pathology and surgical care.
Dr. Olinger’s research focuses on biomaterials, growth factors and spinal hardware development through the Bone Healing Research Lab and Iowa Spine Research Lab. Her research has also examined cervical spine motion, fracture treatment and complications associated with orthopedic trauma. She is a member of organizations including AO Spine, the North American Spine Society and the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
- Reginald Tall, MD. Orlando (Fla.) Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute: Dr. Tall is an orthopedic spine surgeon with 30 years of experience treating spinal conditions. His expertise includes adult and adolescent spinal deformity, degenerative spine conditions, lumbar disc surgery, spinal fusion and instrumentation. He practices with the Orlando Spine Center, a collaboration between Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute.
Dr. Tall emphasizes conservative treatment before surgery and incorporates rehabilitation and other nonsurgical approaches into spine care. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Scoliosis Research Society.
- Courtney Toombs, MD. Spine Medicine & Surgery of Long Island (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.): Dr. Toombs is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques. Her expertise includes robotic and endoscopic spine surgery, computer-guided navigation, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, lateral approaches, SI joint fusion and fusion alternatives for lumbar spinal stenosis.
Dr. Toombs has contributed to more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, with research focused on spinal deformity and adult spine surgery outcomes. She presents at national and international spine meetings and serves as an editorial reviewer for The Spine Journal and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. She was also recognized among the North American Spine Society’s “20 Under 40.”
- Michael Tseng, MD. Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.): Dr. Tseng is an orthopedic spine surgeon and spine section chief at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley. He treats spinal injuries and degenerative conditions with an emphasis on conservative care and motion-preserving surgery. His surgical expertise includes endoscopic and microsurgical decompression, laminoplasty, artificial disc replacement and minimally invasive lateral spinal fusion.
Dr. Tseng is a clinical faculty member in Stanford’s orthopedic surgery residency and orthopedic spine surgery fellowship programs. He has conducted basic science, biomechanical and clinical research, presented at national and international spine conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. He also serves as a reviewer for The Spine Journal and BMJ Best Practice.
- Christopher Yeung, MD. Desert Institute for Spine Care (Phoenix): Dr. Yeung is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, with particular expertise in endoscopic techniques and cervical artificial disc replacement. He has trained dozens of surgeons in endoscopic spine surgery and is a founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
Dr. Yeung has served as principal investigator for multiple FDA studies involving cervical and lumbar artificial discs and dynamic stabilization technology. He also serves as a team spine surgeon or consultant for several professional sports organizations, including the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks and the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
- Charles Yu, MD. Ochsner Health (New Orleans): Dr. Yu is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in comprehensive treatment of cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine disorders. His expertise includes adult and pediatric spinal deformity, degenerative disease, spinal tumors, fractures and infections, as well as minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery, disc replacement and spinal fusion.
Dr. Yu is a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland School of Medicine in Australia and was named Teacher of the Year by Ochsner’s orthopedic surgery residents. He has published multiple peer-reviewed studies and presented research at national and international orthopedic conferences. He is a fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society and an Emerging Leader of the American Orthopaedic Association.
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