Anthony S. Rinella, MD • GSO Board President

Dr. Rinella is a board-certified, fellowship-trained spine surgeon. His practice is a referral center for complex adult and pediatric procedures, including scoliosis and revision procedures. He has a special interest in the cervical spine, and minimally invasive procedures. Dr. Rinella is the founder of his private practice, Illinois Spine and Scoliosis Center. Dr. Rinella received the De La Salle Award from Lewis University for “his exceptional dedication to the children of the world afflicted with spinal deformities, and his tireless humanitarian efforts to ease their suffering and offer them lives of hope.” Dr. Rinella received the Walter P. Blount Humanitarian Award in 2013, the highest humanitarian honor awarded by the Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Rinella is dedicated to educating medical teams world-wide and does so through his medical missions and international lectures. He has published numerous articles on adult and pediatric scoliosis, cervical and lumbar disc replacements, among other topics.

Jeremy Longhurst • GSO Board Secretary

Jeremy Longhurst brings more than 20 years of experience in the field of medical education overseeing the development of various medical education organizations in the US, Europe, and Asia. After working in micro-finance in developing nations in the early 1990s, Jeremy moved back to the medical field, and was the Executive Director of various medical societies and foundations in the US and Europe. In 2000, Jeremy founded BroadWater, Inc. The company provided medical education services through medical meetings, online, and in print. In 2007, BroadWater was acquired by Vertical Health, LLC a medical media company. Jeremy assumed the role of President, Medical Education for VH, and also sat on its Board of Directors. In May, 2013 Jeremy re-acquired BroadWater, and continues to direct its growth.

Pat Kostial • GSO Board Treasurer

Pat Kostial is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Nursing. She served as Orthopedic Service Coordinator in the operating room at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Pat experienced the transition of spine implants from Harrington rods to the first generation of complex segmental spinal instrumentation. Pat accepted the position of Spine Service Coordinator at St. Louis University Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery under Behrooz A. Akbarnia, MD from 1987-1990 and then as Spine Service Coordinator under the Department of Neuroscience at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, MO, a level one trauma center, from 1990-2000.  She then rejoined Dr. Akbarnia in San Diego, CA as Nurse Manager at the San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders.  During that time, Pat also served as a volunteer part-time administrator for both San Diego Spine Foundation (SDSF) and Growing Spine Foundation (GSF until 2012) until she became SDSF’s full-time Executive Director.  Pat has been an Associate Member of the Scoliosis Research Society since 1995. She and her husband Michael reside on Lake Fork, Texas and are blessed with 9 grandchildren as well as Michael’s 4 children.

Greg Mundis, Jr., MD • GSO Board Member

Dr. Mundis specializes in spinal deformities of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine for pediatric and adult patients. Dr. Mundis is heavily involved in research and education. He currently is the co-director of the San Diego Spine Fellowships, which trains two new spine surgeons every year. In addition, he serves on the Board for both San Diego Spine Foundation and Spine Research Society. His research is focused on minimally invasive reconstruction for scoliosis and the treatment of children with severe deformities. He is a member of the International Spine Study Group (ISSG), the largest multicenter study group, dedicated to prospective research relating to adults with spinal deformities. Dr. Mundis is particularly passionate about his efforts in global outreach. He takes numerous trips every year to underserved areas around the world. Dr. Mundis is frequently joined by his wife and family on these trips as testament to their dedication to serving their community both locally and internationally. Dr. Mundis believes strongly that his patients are an extension of his family. As a father of four children, and the son of a missionary family, he believes that every encounter matters and that all patients deserve to have their story heard.

Lawrence G. Lenke, MD • GSO Board Member

Dr. Lenke is the is Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center College of Physicians and Surgeons, Surgeon-in-Chief at the Spine Hospital at New York-Presbyterian/Allen. Dr. Lenke is world-renowned for the surgical treatment of pediatric and adult patients with various forms of spinal deformity, with an expertise in the most complex types of cases. He is a leading authority on spinal deformities including scoliosis, kyphosis, flat-back syndrome, high-grade spondylolisthesis, and major truncal imbalances due to various spinal deformities. He is generally regarded as the premier spinal deformity surgeon in the world, having developed the classification system for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) to which his name is now attached. Dr. Lenke was honored with the North American Spine Society’s 2013 Leon Wiltse Award for excellence in leadership and/or clinical research in spine care. He served as President of the Scoliosis Research Society from 2010-2011 and is actively involved with the North American Spine Society, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Lenke’s prolific academic career includes writing over 360 published peer-reviewed manuscripts, editing 5 textbooks on Spinal Surgery, writing more than 125 textbook chapters, chairing over 100 Spinal Surgery meetings and having been an invited Visiting Professor domestically and internationally over 100 times. Dr. Lenke has also served as chairman at over 80 spinal surgery courses worldwide leading to innovative treatments for his patients and many others globally. Dr. Lenke can offer the latest and safest techniques for surgical correction of even the most severe spinal deformities.

John Mikulski • GSO Board Member

John Mikulski is a Business Owner/Importer with over 30 years of business experience focusing on strong, productive relationships. He has a keen insight for creating connections and orchestrating partnerships. John has a thorough knowledge of importing and conducting business in a global economy. His work ethic and energy fills an important role on the GSO board. He works tirelessly to create alliances between private corporations and Global Spine Outreach. His understanding of diverse business transactions allows him to help both groups to realize their objectives and create valuable relationships.

Jahangir Asghar • GSO Board Member

Dr. Jahangir “John” Asghar is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon specializing in the research, education, and clinical studies of pediatric, adolescent, and adult scoliosis. Dr. Asghar’s forward-thinking approach is responsible for his development of many groundbreaking minimally-invasive, “ultrasonic” techniques, in the surgical treatment of problematic conditions associated with previously-treated scoliosis (revisions) and spinal deformities. A central focus of his research is preserving the normal development and function of the spine, from infancy through the later years of his patient’s lives. Dr. Asghar’s unique perspective is instrumental in the development of a comprehensive whole-body approach, and patient-specific perioperative risk mitigation program, designed for optimal long-term outcomes. Dr. Asghar is passionate about affecting positive change in the field and giving back both at home and abroad. His charitable work in spinal deformity stretches the globe, including service-based trips to Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Dr. Asghar spent eight years at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (formerly, Miami Children’s Hospital) and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Spine Surgery at Shriner’s Hospital for Children (Philadelphia). He publishes extensively and presents around the world on the subject of scoliosis and the treatment of complex pediatric spinal deformities.

Burt Yaszay, MD, FDOA • GSO Board Member

Dr. Yaszay is a Stanford University alumni and completed his internship and residency at the University of WA. This was followed by a fellowship in Pediatric and Adult Spine at NYU Hospital for Join Diseases. Dr. Yaszay then furthered his training in Pediatric Orthopedics at Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego - where he resided for 14 years.

Burt Yaszay, MD is currently the Chief of the Division of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine.  He is board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and a fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association. His clinical interests include all areas of the spine.  He has extensive experience in adolescent and neuromuscular scoliosis, early onset scoliosis and the cervical spine. While focused on pediatric patients, his training in the adult spine ensures that any recommendations incorporate the long-term effects of the disease and its treatment.