“Anatomy is destiny.”
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst
Team Biographies
Meet our Team
The Washington Neuroscience Institute team of physicians and specialists is led by Medical Director David Vossler, MD, a nationally-renowned pioneer in epilepsy research and technique studied by physicians across the nation.
In the creation of the WNI, Dr. Vossler has brought together a team of multi-disciplinary neuroscience and orthopedic specialists to offer the most exceptional and comprehensive care available.
David Vossler, MD, Medical Director
Dr. David Vossler holds his Doctor of Medicine degree, cum laude from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and Bachelor or Arts, magna cum laude from University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He completed his Neurology Residency at Boston University in 1987. He completed an additional Fellowship in Clinical Neuro-physiology in 1989 at University of Washington. Dr. Vossler is a national authority on Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. He has authored over 50 scientific articles and has served on journal editorial boards and boards of national neurology organizations. Dr. Vossler treats people with seizure disorders using standard medical and surgical techniques, and conducts ongoing research.
Peter Balousek, MD,
Medical Director, Stroke Center
Dr. Balousek graduated from Kalamazoo College in 1985 with a BA in philosophy and biology and from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1990. He completed a residency in neurosurgery at the University of California, Irvine, and a fellowship in interventional neuroradiology at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was an assistant clinical professor of radiology before entering private practice.
Dr. Balousek is the only neurosurgeon in Seattle with training and expertise in general and endovascular neurosurgery and radio surgery. His interests include treatment of cerebral aneurysms, AVMs, and cerebrovascular disease/stroke, as well as treatment of brain tumors by both open surgery and with Valley's BrainLab radiosurgery unit.
Aaron
Heide, MD
Dr. Heide earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Washington. He completed his neurology residency at Tufts University in Boston and a fellowship in acute stroke management at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Diana
Kraemer, MD
Diana Abson Kraemer, MD, received her undergraduate degree and medical degrees from the University of California. She performed her Neurosurgery residency at Duke University and performed an Epilepsy Surgery Fellowship at Yale University. In her practice, she is a specialist in epilepsy surgery. She is involved in national research studies and international educational activities to promote the teaching of epilepsy to third world countries. She spends her free time with her husband the their three sons.
Daniel Melber, MD
Dr. Melber received a BA from the University of Michigan, an MD from the University of Illinois and did an internship at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He served as commissioned medical officer for two years and then completed a three year residency in neurology at Boston University. He is board certified in neurology and has subspecialty certification in EMG (electrical testing of nerves). He is a clinical assistant professor in the department of neurology at the University of Washington. He has been an active medical staff member of Valley Medical Center, seeing a broad range of neurological problems. Dr. Melber is married, has grown children and likes art and fly-fishing. Dr. Melber can be reached at 425.235.4560.
Cynthia
Murphy, MD
Cynthia Murphy bio to be added.
Mark
Piker, MD
Born and raised in the former Soviet Union, Republic of Lithuania,
Dr. Mark Piker moved to the United States in 1991, where he earned
his undergraduate degree at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
He received medical degree at University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ,
in 2002.
Dr. Piker finished his Neurology residency training at University of
Washington in Seattle, WA, in 2006. He then completed a year-long
fellowship training, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of
headaches. He joined WNI/VMC in late 2007 as the Medical Director of
the Headache Clinic.
Dr. Piker’s firm belief is that while genuine physiological factors
affect the frequency and severity of the headaches, lifestyle
choices are also contributing factors. Treating just one side of the
equation may not be adequate. His other subspecialty interest
includes multiple sclerosis. He enjoys outdoor activities, travel,
and throwing his two sons at a local judo dojo.
Mark Remington, MD,
PhD
Dr. Mark Remington is a spine surgeon specializing in degenerative and traumatic conditions of the spine. He believes spine surgery can be very effective in alleviating pain and significantly improving quality of life. However, Dr. Remington appreciates the success of any surgery depends on determining if surgery is actually needed and, if it is, choosing the most appropriate and reliable procedure. He understands in most cases surgery should only be considered after thorough non-operative treatments have been attempted, such as medications, physical therapy and spinal injections. Dr. Remington practices at Valley Orthopedic Associates' Renton clinic.
Christopher Smythies, MD
Dr. Christopher Smythies was born and raised in England and immigrated to this country in 1974 when he was seventeen. After he completed his neurosurgical training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, he volunteered for the U.S. Army and was stationed in Landstuhl, Germany. In 1990 he was deployed to the Saudi Arabian desert and served as Chief of Neurosurgery at the 12th Evac Hospital during the Gulf War. In 1993 he moved to Washington and has worked in private practice ever since. In 1998 he founded and served as the first president of Neurosurgical Consultants of Washington, the largest group of private neurosurgeons in the state. He is board certified in neurological surgery, a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and enjoys doing the full range of neurosurgical cases. In his free time he writes novels (check out The Hall Chair, A Satirical Novel on the Medical Malpractice Crisis in America on Amazon.com), chases solar eclipses and deals in Persian rugs. He and his wife, Elisabetta, are raising five children and live in Bellevue.
Jason Thompson, MD
Dr. Thompson performed his undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University and received his medical degree from the University of Miami. Residency and fellowship training brought him to the University of Washington and, having fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest, he has chosen to stay and practice in this area. His interests include care of the spine across many ages and diagnoses but he is particularly interested in deformity such as scoliosis and spondylolisthesis.
Yahua Yu, MD
Dr. Yu is a board certified general Neurologist who completed her
residency at the University of Washington. She graduated from Tongji
Medical University in Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Dr. Yu practices the entire range of Neurology and has professional
interests in Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG, EMG), treatment of
headaches, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and
stroke care.
Joy Zhao, MD
Dr. Zhao received her medical degree from the Capital University of
Medical Sciences in Beijing, China. She completed a residency in
Neurology at Albany Medical Center in New York, and then completed a
fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at the State University of
New York at Buffalo. She is board certified in Neurology and
Neurophysiology. Dr. Zhao
practices general Neurology including epilepsy, peripheral
neuropathy, radiculopathy, stroke, CNS tumor, multiple sclerosis and
all the other central and peripheral nervous system diseases
including brain and spine diseases. In addition, she practices
Neurophysiology including EMG, EEG and Long Term Video Epilepsy
Monitoring.
Other Interests: Dr. Zhao also believes acupuncture serves as
a good alternative treatment option for many neurological symptoms.
She received acupuncture training at UCLA and Beijing, China.
Tony Bell, R. EEG/EP T., CNIM.
Anthony Bell received his undergraduate degree from the University
of British Columbia. He attended the British Columbia Institute of
Technology and received an Honours Diploma of Technology in
Electroneurophysiology. Anthony began working in the field of
Electroneurodiagnostic(END) Technology at Harborview Medical Center
at the Regional Epilepsy Center, specializing in EEG and long-term
monitoring for epilepsy. After several years, he moved on to the
University of Washington Medical Center to further specialize in
epilepsy monitoring, evoked potentials and intraoperative monitoring
of various neurosurgical procedures. Anthony has multiple
credentials in END from the American Board of Registration of
Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists.
Shannon
Campbell, MsN. ARNP, Stroke Program Nurse Manager
Shannon Campbell bio to be added.
Zoe Goldeshtein, R. EEG/EP T.
Zoë Goldeshtein specialized in Long Term Monitoring for epilepsy, EEG
including critical care in-patients, evoked potentials and various intraoperative
monitoring procedures. She formerly worked at Harborview Medical Center for 14 years
in the Regional Epilepsy Center. She has also worked at Pacific Medical Center in
their EEG and polysomnography lab. Goldeshtein is registered with the American Board
of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists.