About us
Photo from the first workgroup held at the 2023 51st Annual AAP Meeting.
The Native American Surgical Society was founded by three Native surgical residents and four attending surgeons of various subspecialties and tribes who recognized the urgent need for representation, mentorship, and resources for Native Americans in surgery. Inspired by discussions at the 51st and 52nd Annual Association of American Indian Physicians Meetings, the co-founders collaborated to develop actionable solutions to address the systemic underrepresentation of Native surgeons.
NASS Co-founders
Dr. Lyndsay Kandi, MD
Upper Cayuga Nation
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Lyndsay was born in western New York and grew up in a rural village on Lake Ontario before moving to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 12. She studied Biochemistry and Psychology at Arizona State University and spent 3 years post-graduation working in healthcare-related fields. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Lyndsay went to medical school at the University of Arizona (Tucson). She is now a PGY-3 in Integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center and hopes to provide reconstructive surgery to Natives.
Dr. Kirsten Concha-Moore, MD
Taos Pueblo
General Surgery
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Dr. J. Caleb Shahbandeh, MD MPH
Chickasaw Nation
General Surgery
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Dr. Lori Alvord, MD
Navajo Nation
General Surgery
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Dr. Tasce Bongiovanni, MD MPP MHS
Navajo Nation
Trauma/ACS
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Dr. Nizhoni Denipah, MD
Navajo / Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo /
Hopi / Assiniboine
ENT
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Dr. Vanessa Jensen, MD
Navajo Nation
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