Operative Summit: Orthopedics & Spine

Massimo M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, RVT, is a fellowship-trained vascular surgeon with more than 30 years of surgical experience and extensive expertise in vascular procedures and complex spine exposure. A longtime surgical leader at Hackensack University Medical Center, he has served as Chief of Vascular Surgery, Director of Vascular Services, and Chair of the Department of Surgery. Dr. Napolitano is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Now with University Spine Center, he brings a vascular surgeon's perspective to complex spine surgery, multidisciplinary care, and operative safety.

Heather D. Kooiker, DNP, MSN, RN, CNL, CNOR, CRNFA, CNMAP, has spent approximately 30 years caring for surgical patients and improving perioperative practice. She continues to work in the operating room as an RN first assistant, and her current clinical practice informs her teaching, research, and consulting.

Dr. Kooiker is an assistant professor of nursing at Davenport University, where she teaches research and oversees the Surgical Immersion Program. As founder of Best Practice Clinical Consultants, she provides independent nursing review for plaintiff and defense counsel and advises medical device companies on clinical evidence, product use, and patient safety. She previously served as director of global medical affairs for surgical and patient support solutions at Baxter.

Her publications and presentations address patient positioning, pressure injury prevention, surgical illumination, and communication in the operating room. She is named on several U.S. patents related to patient support and surgical care. Dr. Kooiker chairs the AORN Nursing Research Committee, serves as chair elect of its Nurse Scientist Specialty Assembly, and was peer nominated as a potential candidate for the 2027 AORN national ballot.

Kyle Walker, MD, MBA, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic oncologist and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Northern California. With a background spanning biological engineering, orthopedic research, clinical medicine, and business, his career has focused on the intersection of surgery and innovation. He completed orthopedic research training at Cleveland Clinic and a Sarcoma Advanced Research and Clinical Fellowship at UC Davis. His academic interests include patient-specific surgical planning, medical-device development, minimally invasive tumor treatment, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies in orthopedic surgery. Dr. Walker also serves as volunteer clinical faculty at UC Davis and is an inventor on technologies related to patient-specific orthopedic surgery.

Patti Owens, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, is a perioperative nurse and consultant specializing in medical laser and surgical smoke safety. She represents AORN on the ANSI SSC-3 committee for the Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care, is a past secretary of the ANSI Z136.3 committee, and serves on IEC TC 76 working groups. She was selected as a subject matter expert for AORN's Guideline for Laser Safety and Guideline for Surgical Smoke Safety. She received AORN's 2020 Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Nursing Practice award and was named a Fellow of AORN in 2026. Her career includes 15 years as Laser Manager at Providence St. Peter Hospital and more than a decade leading aesthetic laser programs in dermatology and plastic surgery. She is an instructor for Rockwell Laser Industries and OR Today.