PHOENIX (Oct. 2, 2025) — Nicholas Theodore, MD, MS, a nationally recognized expert in brain and spinal cord injury has been appointed chairman of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix’s department of neurosurgery at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.
Dr. Theodore, who will also serve as physician executive of the neurosciences service line at Banner Health, assumed the role Oct. 1.
Also acknowledged as a leader in minimally invasive spine surgeries and robotics, Dr. Theodore arrives in Phoenix after serving as the director of the Johns Hopkins Neurosurgical Spine Center in Baltimore.
“Dr. Theodore has led a long and distinguished career. His appointment as chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix will propel the college’s research mission and further establish our campus as a premier institution in the field of neurosciences,” said Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, dean of the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix.
A graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., Dr. Theodore completed both a residency in neurosurgery and a fellowship in spinal surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix in 2001. Following his fellowship training, he served in the U.S. Navy. He returned to Barrow and ultimately became director of the neurotrauma and spine programs. He left Phoenix after being recruited to Johns Hopkins in 2016 as a professor of neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and biomedical engineering.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Theodore back to the Valley and as chair of our department of neurosurgery,” said Daniel Post, chief executive officer of Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. “His leadership and experience will be instrumental in our delivery of world-class neuroscience care at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.”
Dr. Theodore has treated patients with a variety of spinal disorders — including trauma, Chiari malformations, spinal deformities, degenerative spine conditions, and spinal cord tumors. He has written or co-authored 75 book chapters and more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles and is a co-holder of over 30 patents for medical devices and procedures.
He has served in numerous capacities at Johns Hopkins, including as director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center and founder of the HEPIUS Innovation Lab, which was funded by DARPA. In addition, he has worked with several professional sports teams and leagues, including serving as Chairman of the National Football League’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee. He has also served as a neurosurgeon for both the Arizona Cardinals and the Phoenix Coyotes.
About Banner Health
Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country and a leader in provider-sponsored health insurance serving 3.5 million people annually across six states. With 33 hospitals and more than 450 additional care sites, Banner’s array of services includes a health insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division, and a nursing registry. Through its longstanding, innovative relationship with the University of Arizona, Banner’s academic medicine division provides ground-breaking clinical discoveries, advanced life-saving care and educates 1,300 physicians annually. Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center treats more than 103,000 patients a year. Banner Plans and Networks offers Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health coverage to more than 1.2 million members. In 2024, Banner Health provided $1 billion worth of community benefits to assist those in need through a range of programs. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
About the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. By cultivating collaborative research locally and globally, the college accelerates discovery in a number of critical areas — including cancer, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cardiovascular disease. Championed as a student-centric campus, the college has graduated more than 800 physicians, all of whom received exceptional training from nine clinical partners and more than 2,700 diverse faculty members. As the anchor to the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, which is projected to have an economic impact of $3.1 billion by 2025, the college prides itself on engaging with the community, fostering education, inclusion, access and advocacy. For more information, please visitphoenixmed.arizona.edu. (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram)
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