Find a Top Neurosurgeon Near Me in Thousand Oaks, CA – Book an Appointment Instantly

Katherine Wagner, MD, is one of the skilled neurosurgeons serving patients at Venutra Neurosurgery in Ventura, California. She moved to Ventura in 2022 and has privileges at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, and St. John Regional in Oxnard.

Dr. Wagner completed her undergraduate degree at Wellesley College, where she majored in chemistry. Her undergraduate research focused on utilizing nanoparticles to remove metal ions from water and other solutions. She earned her medical degree at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, where she helped manage a student-run clinic and provided medical care at a homeless shelter. The New Jersey Medical School Alumni Association awarded her scholarships during her second, third, and fourth years.

Dr. Wagner completed her neurosurgery residency at Hofstra/Northwell Health in Long Island, New York. She spent a year in a neuro-oncology fellowship that focused primarily on surgery for brain tumors, along with techniques like laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). As a senior resident, she developed a strong interest in spine surgery, including neuro-navigation, exoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, and spinal instrumentation. After finishing her residency, she moved to California for a fellowship in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery at Stanford University. She moved to Ventura to start her practice after finishing that fellowship.

In her leisure time, Dr. Wagner enjoys hiking, gardening, boating, and traveling.

David Westra, MD, is an expert neurosurgeon who serves his patients at Ventura Neurosurgery in Ventura, California. He was raised in Tucson, Arizona, as well as Houston, Texas. He also spent a significant portion of his youth in Santiago, Chile, where he became fluent in Spanish. Dr. Westra is board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Westra attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned a degree with honors in chemical engineering. He then enrolled in the University of Texas at Houston Medical School, where he received a Doctor of Medicine with highest honors as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. During this time, Dr. Westra spent a significant amount of time among the neurosurgeons at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. It was this experience that led him to pursue a career in neurosurgery.

After completing his medical degree, Dr. Westra enrolled in the Loma Linda University Medical Center residency program for neurosurgery. While at LLU Medical Center, he gained extensive experience in minimally invasive spine surgery as well as all aspects of cerebrovascular and neuro-oncologic surgery. Dr. Westra also completed extensive research investigating the capacity for hyperbaric oxygen therapy to reduce surgically-induced brain injuries.

Dr. Westra completed his chief residency year and enrolled in a minimally invasive neurosurgery fellowship at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle, Washington. While there, he gained extensive experience working alongside leaders in the fields of pituitary surgery, cerebrovascular surgery, endoscopic neurosurgery, functional neurosurgery, and complex spinal surgery — including minimally invasive spine surgery.

In 2010, Dr. Westra joined the Ventura County Neurosurgical Associates in 2010 and became involved at the Community Memorial Hospital, where he currently serves on the surgery committee. He is an active member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the Western Neurosurgical Association, the California Association of Neurological Surgeons, and the Ventura County Medical Association. In his spare time, Dr. Westra enjoys spending time with his wife, Reimee, and his two children, Thomas and Olivia. He also loves travel, music, playing guitar, and everything to do with the ocean.

Board-certified neurosurgeon Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, specializes in the treatment of spinal and neurological conditions. He is fellowship-trained in complex spinal surgery and has been practicing for well over a decade.

At The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles, patients benefit from his extensive experience treating complex brain and spine problems with minimally invasive techniques, and traditional surgery.  Working with new techniques such as neuro navigation, spinal endoscopy, and also providing direct patient care with a physician, Dr. Gantwerker makes the patient paramount.

Well-respected in his field, Dr. Gantwerker has authored several book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. He has also appeared on podcasts, television, and radio interviews and has instructed undergraduates, medical students, and residents in various neurosurgical topics.

A Chicago native, Dr. Gantwerker earned a degree with honors in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to receive his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago, where he focused on peripheral nerve regeneration research.

After completing his neurosurgical residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland / Case Western, Dr. Gantwerker studied spinal cord regeneration with stem cells at Case Western School of Medicine. He completed a complex spine fellowship at the world-renowned Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr. Gantwerker is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key honor societies. He is an active member of key esteemed professional organizations, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS),  and the North American Spine Society (NASS).  He’s also a board member of the California Association of Neurological Surgeons (CANS). Dr. Gantwerker is a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS). 

About Dr. Farin

Azadeh Farin, MD, FAANS, FACS, is a fellowship-trained and board-certified neurosurgeon at FARINeurosurgery, with experience in a wide range of neurosurgical procedures. She provides expert care in Los Angeles and Orange countries to patients in and around Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Hermosa, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Huntington Beach and Torrance, CA. Dr. Farin is proud to be among only 200 female neurosurgeons in the United States.

After graduating as high school valedictorian from her class of 700 students, Dr. Farin attended Yale University, where she double-majored in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry and Economics. Azadeh then won the title of Miss Greater Los Angeles USA and was a Finalist at the Miss California USA Pageant. 

Azadeh then worked at McKinsey & Co., an international management consulting firm, traveling worldwide to develop corporate strategy for CEOs. She earned her MD from the University of California San Diego, where she won the Whipple Memorial Endowed Scholarship and presented her research nationally. Her research continued at Columbia University where she investigated brain tumor growth patterns and established a model for testing anti-tumor drugs. 

Her research has earned her lead authorship for several manuscripts published in prominent medical journals. She completed her internship in General Surgery and residency in Neurosurgery at the University of Southern California (USC). She was the first woman in over 25 years to graduate from USC Neurosurgery. She served as Clinical Instructor of Neurosurgery at Keck School of Medicine at USC and LA County-USC Medical Center. Dr. Farin completed a fellowship in complex spine surgery and spinal deformity/tumors at UCSF, receiving the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Spine Research Award, granted to only one fellow in the US. 

In 2010, Dr. Farin won the Avicenna Award of Excellence. She has guest reviewed for the journal Neurosurgery and consulted for Grey’s Anatomy. She was recently granted a full patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office for her spinal device invention. Dr. Farin has published several dozen manuscripts, articles, and book chapters. 

Outside the hospital, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.

Board-certified neurosurgeon Ali H. Mesiwala, MD, FAANS, takes a solution-based approach to determine anatomic and functional abnormalities and then treats them with leading-edge technologies and integrative medicine.

At his four offices in Newport Beach, Marina del Rey, and Rancho Cucamonga, California, he focuses on helping all of their patients return to their normal lives, getting back into motion as quickly as possible.

The team treats a vast array of neurological conditions. After intensive neurological exams and diagnostic testing, they recommend the best nonsurgical treatments for each person's unique health care needs. They recommend surgery when symptoms are severe or persist despite conservative care.

Patients seek Dr. Mesiwala for his expertise in brain and spine surgery, as well as peripheral nerve surgery and artificial disc replacement surgery. 

He's an expert in complex brain and skull base surgeries, and he has the most experience in artificial disc replacements on the West Coast, including multi-level operations and all types of spinal decompressions.

Dr. Mesiwala is a leader in the field of minimally invasive sacroiliac (SI) joint surgery and has performed endoscopic cranial and spinal surgery since 2004. No matter where pain originates, patients get relief after he performs neuromodulation surgery.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering and electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Mesiwala received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. 

Then he finished his neurological surgery residency at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.

He completed his skull base and cerebrovascular fellowships at the University of Washington, International Neuroscience Institute in Hannover, Germany, and the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As a respected researcher specializing in the development of novel technologies and minimally invasive techniques for brain and spine surgery, Dr. Mesiwala holds multiple patents for medical devices used in spinal surgery. 

In addition to his private practice, Dr. Mesiwala is the faculty surgeon for various artificial disc operations and spinal fusion operations with innovative techniques. He's a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS).

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Abraham Rayhaun, MD, FACS, is a board-certified neurosurgeon and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a proud member of Coast Neurosurgical Associates, a neurosurgery practice in Long Beach, California. He treats a broad spectrum of neurological disorders utilizing the latest technical modalities including neuronavigational tools, stereotaxis, and microneurosurgery.

He is particularly interested in treating patients with cerebrovascular disease and brain tumors using conservative approaches with a combination of stereotactic radiosurgery and cyberknife as well as open microsurgical techniques when necessary. Dr. Rayhaun is also specialty trained in treating complex spinal conditions with minimally invasive approaches or with instrumented fusion when required.

His undergraduate studies began at the University of California, Davis (UCD) where he conducted clinical research on aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages of the brain. He then attended medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York, where he was awarded a full scholarship and researched the molecular biology of the articular cartilage. He graduated from medical school with honors and was recognized for high educational achievements by Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.  From there he moved to Michigan to start his neurosurgical residency under the mentorship of Dr. James Ausman and Dr. Mark Rosenblum at Henry Ford Hospital, where he focused on neurovascular disorders, brain tumors, and stereotactic procedures. After completing his chief residency year, Dr. Rayhaun spent a year focusing his attention on specialty training in complex disorders of the spine and was involved with clinical research related to treating cervical disc disease.

Dr. Rayhaun is a member of the Physicians Excellence Committee at Long Beach Memorial medical center and a member of the Peer Review Committee at Los Alamitos Medical Center. These committees oversee issues related to quality of patient care at the respective hospitals. Dr. Rayhaun has served as the director of Neurosurgery at Fountain Valley Hospital, and as the chief of the Department of Neurosurgery at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.  He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, as well as a member of the brain tumor section.

While priding himself in being at the cutting edge of neurosurgery, his greatest interest remains treating the individual patient with empathy, expertise and professionalism.

Hooshang Pak, MD, FACS, is a board-certified neurosurgeon at Coast Neurosurgical Associates in Long Beach, California. 

A graduate of Tehran University, Dr. Pak began his postgraduate training in New York City, where he completed his surgical internship at Saint Vincent Medical Center of Staten Island. He then moved to Michigan and undertook a neurosurgery residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. He also completed a year of fellowship training in microneurosurgery of cerebral vascular diseases under the supervision of James Ausman, MD, PhD.

Dr. Pak has been a diplomat of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has published numerous scientific papers in neurosurgical journals and textbooks and presented papers and scientific exhibits at national and international medical meetings. Dr. Pak has also been a member of the editorial board of the international neurosurgical journal, Surgical Neurology.

Dr. Pak has been selected by his peers since 1996 as one of The Best Doctors in America, a list that contains the top five percent of the American doctors.