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Robin Aldwinckle, B.M.B.S., F.R.C.A.
Professor
Ambulatory Anesthesiology and Perioperative Pain Medicine
Director, Same Day Surgery Center
Aldwinckle, B.M.B.S., F.R.C.A. is an attending anesthesiologist at UC Davis with clinical interests in regional anesthesia, acute pain medicine, and ambulatory anesthesia. He serves as Medical Director of the Same Day Surgery Center and has expertise in ultrasound-guided nerve blocks. Committed to individualized, evidence-based care, he emphasizes multimodal and regional analgesia to support enhanced recovery. His research focuses on perineural adjuncts to improve block efficacy and minimize side effects, as well as data-driven approaches to optimize perioperative outcomes..
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Ross Bakhtari, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Professor
Obstetric Anesthesiology
Chief, Obstetric Anesthesiology; Wellness Chair
Ross Bakhtari, M.D. is an anesthesiologist at UC Davis specializing in obstetric anesthesiology. He completed his medical degree at Oregon Health & Science University and residency at UC Davis Health, where he served as chief resident. In 2024, he was appointed Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology, overseeing around 2,200 high-risk deliveries annually. He played a key role in earning the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology’s Center of Excellence designation for UC Davis Health in two consecutive cycles. Dr. Bakhtari founded the high-risk obstetric anesthesia clinic and is committed to advancing maternal and women’s health through clinical innovation and academic leadership.
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Hannah Bechtold, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Critical Care Anesthesiology
Hannah Bechtold, M.D. is an anesthesiologist at UC Davis with fellowship training in critical care from Vanderbilt University. She is part of the obstetric anesthesia, critical care, and liver transplant anesthesia teams. Dr. Bechtold is actively involved in resident and fellow education, with a focus on advanced airway management. She also leads airway training for ICU fellows and teaches the airway skills station for ATLS certification courses.
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Nathaniel Calixto, M.D.
Assistant Professor
General Anesthesiology and Acute Pain
Nathaniel Calixto, M.D. is an anesthesiologist at UC Davis with clinical and research interests in regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine. He provides intraoperative care and uses advanced regional techniques to support perioperative and inpatient pain management. His research focuses on novel procedures and innovative applications of established techniques. Dr. Calixto is also dedicated to medical education and mentorship, supporting the development of students and trainees within and beyond the institution.
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Amy Chen, M.D.
Assistant Professor
General Anesthesiology and Perioperative Pain Medicine
Associate Program Director, Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management Fellowship
Amy Chen, M.D. is an anesthesiologist at UC Davis specializing in regional anesthesia, acute pain management, and obstetric anesthesia. She completed her residency at UC San Francisco and fellowship in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine at Stanford. She is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and is dedicated to providing compassionate, individualized, and evidence-based care. She is also actively involved in resident and fellow education and has published research on regional anesthesia and perioperative outcomes.
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Daniel Conti, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Obstetric Anesthesiology
Daniel Conti, M.D. is a fellowship-trained obstetric anesthesiologist and board-certified general anesthesiologist at UC Davis. He provides labor analgesia and peripartum care in collaboration with the birth center team, with a special focus on placenta accreta spectrum and fetal surgery. He also practices general anesthesia with an interest in liver transplantation. His research focuses on cesarean delivery pain prevention, postpartum hemorrhage treatment, and peripartum use of transthoracic echocardiography. He is actively involved in resident education and serves as point-of-care ultrasound faculty.
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Neal Fleming, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Cardiac Anesthesiology
Neal Fleming, M.D., Ph.D. is an emeritus faculty member in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. A cardiac anesthesiologist with extensive experience in caring for patients with complex cardiovascular and thoracic conditions, he continues to support departmental research efforts. His academic interests focus on advanced intraoperative monitoring and its impact on surgical outcomes. He also led the department’s international medical volunteer program, involving faculty, residents, and nurse anesthetists in global health initiatives.
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Austin Flores, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Austin Flores, M.D., is a pediatric anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. He provides anesthesia care for children undergoing surgery and other procedures, with a focus on congenital heart disease and acute pediatric pain management. In addition to his clinical work, Austin Flores, M.D., is dedicated to research on physician wellness and burnout, especially in the context of medical training programs.
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Michael Jung, M.D., M.B.A.
Associate Professor
General Anesthesiology and Chronic Pain Medicine
Associate Director, Pain Medicine Fellowship
Michael Jung, M.D., M.B.A., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. He specializes in pain management, anesthesiology, and perioperative care, with particular expertise in image-guided pain procedures. His approach emphasizes empathetic, comprehensive care aimed at improving patient function and health. Michael Jung, M.D., M.B.A., is also active in research, focusing on clinical trials, medical devices, and innovative strategies for managing complex pain conditions.
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Nisha Kumar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Nisha Kumar, M.D., is a pediatric anesthesiologist and Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. She completed her residency at Boston Medical Center and fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Her clinical interests include pediatric anesthesia, medical education, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare. Nisha Kumar, M.D., is also involved in academic research, with published work on ventilator management and maternal outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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James Littlejohn, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Critical Care Anesthesiology
Director, Liver Transplant Anesthesiology
James Littlejohn, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. He is Director of Liver Transplant Anesthesiology and Section Chief of Critical Care Anesthesiology. Board certified in anesthesiology and critical care, he completed his residency at Weill Cornell and fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. James Littlejohn, M.D., Ph.D., specializes in cardiothoracic surgical intensive care, ECMO, liver transplant anesthesia, and surgical critical care. His research focuses on preoperative coagulopathies and point-of-care testing.
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Gregory Peterfreund, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Professor
Anesthesiology
Gregory Peterfreund, M.D., Ph.D., is a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. He specializes in critical care medicine and provides anesthesia services with a focus on thoracic and vascular cases. He also serves in the cardiovascular ICU, where his expertise includes temporary circulatory support and point-of-care ultrasound. Gregory Peterfreund, M.D., Ph.D., is actively engaged in teaching and research, with academic interests centered on cardiopulmonary physiology and real-time clinical decision-making using ultrasound.
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Brian Pitts, M.D., M.S., M.Ed.
Clinical Professor
Anesthesiology
Brian Pitts, M.D., is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. He provides anesthesia care for adult patients and is deeply involved in resident education. He holds a Master’s in Education with a focus on Online Learning from Johns Hopkins University and specializes in curriculum design, competency assessment, and educational innovation. Brian Pitts, M.D., studies effective teaching strategies, including flipped classroom methods, to enhance learning and improve patient care across all levels of medical training.
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Jenny Ringqvist, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Critical Care Medicine
Jenny Ringqvist, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. She is a general anesthesiologist and intensivist with clinical expertise in cardiothoracic intensive care, mechanical circulatory support, early mobility and rehabilitation in the ICU, point-of-care ultrasonography, and liver transplant anesthesiology. Jenny Ringqvist, M.D., is committed to providing compassionate, respectful, and individualized, evidence-based care.
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Usha Saldanha, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Program Director, Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management Fellowship
Usha Saldanha, M.D., is an Assistant Professor and Fellowship Director for Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. She is board certified in anesthesiology and provides care across hospital and ambulatory settings, with clinical expertise in regional anesthesia, acute pain medicine, and multimodal analgesia. Usha Saldanha, M.D., is actively involved in resident and fellow education and has published on innovative pain management techniques. Her academic interests include expanding acute pain services and enhancing patient outcomes through evidence-based practices.
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Chinar Sanghvi, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Pain Medicine
Associate Director, Pain Medicine Fellowship
Chinar Daivesh Sanghvi, M.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis, specializing in pain medicine and anesthesiology. She provides comprehensive, opioid-sparing treatment for chronic pain, including ultrasound- and fluoroscopy-guided procedures and neuromodulation. Chinar Sanghvi, M.D., is passionate about improving quality of life through compassionate, individualized care. Her academic interests include novel interventional pain techniques and advancing pain education.
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Naileshni Singh, M.D.
Professor
Chronic Pain Medicine
Director, Medical Education
Naileshni Singh, M.D., is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis, specializing in pain medicine. She provides comprehensive, evidence-based, and innovative pain care as a board-certified anesthesiologist and neuromodulation specialist. Her clinical work spans inpatient and outpatient settings, and she is actively involved in education, research, and administrative leadership. Naileshni Singh, M.D., has academic interests in interventional procedures, simulation-based training, and virtual reality in pain education, and has been nationally recognized for her contributions to patient care and medical education.
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Nicole Weiss, M.D.
Associate Professor
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Resident Rotation Director
Nicole Weiss, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at UC Davis. She completed her anesthesiology residency at Tulane University and a fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesiology at Duke University. Nicole Weiss, M.D., holds advanced certification in transesophageal echocardiography and serves as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Her academic interests include anesthesia for complex vascular procedures, high-risk cardiac obstetric patients, and electrophysiology.
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Aubrey Yao, M.D.
Professor
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Section Head
Pending speaker bio
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