Conference speakers

The HTA-CA Annual Conference brings together leading hand surgeons and expert hand therapists to share research, insights, and collaborative approaches that advance clinical practice and patient outcomes.
April 18–19, 2026
Grand Bay Hotel San Francisco, 223 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA
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Jennifer Chan, MS, OTR/L, HEC-C

Clinical Ethicist at Sutter Health | Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation
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Margaret Cooke, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
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Jared Vagy PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

Climbing Injury Expert and Movement Science Educator
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Dr. Richards

Orthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon
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Dr. Buntic

Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship Director at The Buncke Clinic.
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Dr. Anne Elizabeth Goldring

Sports and Spine Physiatrist at Stanford Medicine
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Dr. Tara Packham (ASHT)

Dr. Tara Packham, OTReg.(Ont.), PhD: Occupational therapist, researcher and educator
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Dr. Travis Miller

Clinical Assistant Professor, Surgery - Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
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Dr. Catherine Curtin

Professor of Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) and, by courtesy, of Orthopaedic Surgery
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Jennifer Chan, MS, OTR/L, HEC-C

Clinical Ethicist at Sutter Health | Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation

Jennifer transitioned her career into clinical ethics after pursing the Medical Ethics Fellowship at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, NY where she focused her interests on ethical issues in adolescent mental health. She studied bioethics at Hofstra University and earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University at Buffalo in New York. She has clinical experience working in both physical disability and mental health settings throughout the country. Jennifer brings direct patient care experience and a unique understanding of the intersectionality between biopsychosocial factors and their impact on health, illness, and healthcare delivery to her work.

Margaret Cooke, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Cooke is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. She has a strong clinical interest in hand, wrist, and elbow surgery for adult and pediatric patients. She is dual fellowship trained in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery and Pediatric & Congenital Hand Surgery.

As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Cooke’s goal is to alleviate pain and improve hand, wrist, and elbow function so that her patients can return to the activities they enjoy. Her primary clinical interests are nerve compression (carpal tunnel), nerve injuries (traumatic/lacerations), joint instability/arthritis (degenerative conditions of the hand wrist and elbow), sports/athletic injuries, fracture care, and pediatric & congenital conditions of the hand and upper extremity.

Dr. Cooke utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach in order to provide comprehensive care for each patient. She works closely with colleagues from oncology, radiology, physical therapy, and other specialties. Her team includes certified hand therapists, cast technicians, medical assistants, and patient care coordinators. Together, Dr. Cooke and her team are committed to providing the best possible care for patients.

She invites patient referrals as early as possible when an upper extremity problem is suspected. She ensures a trusting relationship with referring physicians (whether primary care providers or specialists) by staying in communication so they understand and are comfortable with her recommendations.

In addition to patient care, Dr. Cooke has enjoyed contributing to her field through research. Among Dr. Cooke’s clinical research interests is fracture healing, including gene expression following administration of medication to stimulate bone repair. She has authored articles on topics like infection prediction and pain management after surgical repair of fractures. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, Journal of Orthopaedic Research, Osteoarthritis & Cartilage, Spine, and Transplantation. She also co-wrote the chapter “The History of Carpal Tunnel” for the textbook Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Related Median Neuropathies.

Dr. Cooke’s honors include a Howard Hughes Research Fellowship, an Outstanding Chief Resident Research Award, and recognition for authoring one of the top ten Foot & Ankle research papers at the 2016 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons conference.

In addition to her practice in the U.S., Dr. Cooke has traveled abroad as a physician volunteer to provide surgical services in underserved areas where there is no access to hand surgery specialists. In partnership with the surgeon-founded nonprofit organization Touching Hands, she has performed hand surgeries on adult and pediatric patients in Honduras. Dr. Cooke also has traveled with Shriners Hospital to treat children in Davao, Philippines.

Jared Vagy PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

Climbing Injury Expert and Movement Science Educator

Jared Vagy is a Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Therapy in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Southern California. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from USC and completed a one-year residency in orthopedics followed by a one-year fellowship in movement science. He is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Dr. Vagy also serves as a mentor in both the Orthopedic Residency and the Upper Extremity Elite Athlete Fellowship programs.

He is considered an international authority on rock climbing injuries and is a peer-reviewed, published author in the field. He is the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling Climbing Injury-Free and the forthcoming book The Resilient Climber.

With over 15 years of clinical experience treating climbers of all levels, Dr. Vagy works with athletes ranging from beginners to many of the top climbers in the world. He is an accomplished rock climber, ice climber, and alpinist, and continues to pursue and explore the adventures these disciplines offer.

Dr. Richards

Orthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon

Dr. Richards is board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and has a Certified Additional Qualification for Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery. For over 15 years he has specialized in the treatment of ligamentous, joint, tendon, nerve and bone injuries of the Hand, Elbow, Wrist and Shoulder.

He has served the Bay Area community as a UCSF Assistant Professor as a volunteer educator at San Francisco General Hospital, by teaching and treating complex trauma at the Alameda County Level One Trauma Center-Highland Hospital, and through various volunteer roles on athletic fields around the Bay.

Dr. Richards obtained his Bachelors Degree in Neurobiology at Cornell University, his Masters of Public Health at Columbia University, and his Medical Degree at New York Medical College.

He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the San Francisco Orthopedic Residency Program. He then returned to Cornell University’s Hospital for Special Surgery to complete his fellowship training in hand, upper extremity, and microvascular surgery.

Until joining Stanford in 2023, he had been in private practice in the East Bay since 2006. He has volunteered locally in a variety of organizations and internationally on several continents.

Dr. Buntic

Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship Director at The Buncke Clinic.

Dr. Buntic is the Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship Director at The Buncke Clinic. He completed his post-graduate residency training in general and plastic surgery at Stanford University, followed by a fellowship in hand and microsurgery at Davies Medical Center in San Francisco under the mentorship of Drs. Harry and Gregory Buncke.

Dr. Buntic is board certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and holds additional board certification in the Subspecialty of Surgery of the Hand. He serves as an Associate Professor Affiliated in Plastic Surgery at Stanford University and is a member of the Clinical Faculty at the University of California.

He is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery. Dr. Buntic has authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters and has presented nationally on a wide range of topics in plastic, hand, and microsurgery.

Dr. Anne Elizabeth Goldring

Sports and Spine Physiatrist at Stanford Medicine

Dr. Goldring is a board-certified, fellowship-trained physiatrist with Stanford Health Care Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. She is clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Goldring completed a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency at Northwestern University in Chicago, followed by fellowship training in Sports and Spine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Dr. Goldring’s clinical practice focuses on the non-operative management of musculoskeletal injuries and spine disorders. She specializes in delivering comprehensive care for a range of conditions, including sports-related injuries, osteoarthritis, neck, and back pain. She is focused on optimizing patient function, with the goal of helping patients return to their desired activities and prevent future injury. She believes that movement is medicine and wants to help patients achieve active, healthy lifestyles. She provides guidance throughout a physical rehabilitation course with personalized physical therapy prescriptions and exercise plans. When necessary, she also offers more aggressive interventions like injection therapies or surgical referrals. Her practice includes the use of diagnostic electromyograms (EMGs), ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal injections, shockwave therapy, Ortho biologics, such as platelet rich plasma (PRP), and fluoroscopic-guided lumbosacral spine injections.

Dr. Goldring has published articles in PM&R, Journal of Surgical Research, and The Physician and Sportsmedicine. She has delivered presentations and lectures all over the nation, including in Chicago, New Orleans, and New York. Her research and presentations have covered topics ranging from women’s sports medicine, improving medical education curriculum, ergonomic interventions in the workplace, and the impact of intensive lifestyle medicine programs on musculoskeletal pain.

Dr. Goldring is a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Association of Academic Physiatrists, and Spine Intervention Society. She has provided sideline coverage at multiple athletic events, including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Long Island Nets basketball, and United Soccer League (USL) games.

Dr. Tara Packham (ASHT)

Dr. Tara Packham, OTReg.(Ont.), PhD: Occupational therapist, researcher and educator

Dr. Tara Packham, OTReg.(Ont.), PhD is an occupational therapist, researcher and educator in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario Canada.  She has over 25 years of clinical experience in hand therapy, and a passion for advancing care of painful hand conditions. Her research addresses clinical measurement and moving evidence into practice, often at the intersection of the topic areas of pain and upper extremity disorders. She has contributed to over 80 peer reviewed publications and several book chapters.  Tara is an active member of the Canadian Society of Hand Therapists and an officer of the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome special interest group at the International Association for the Study of Pain.  She is currently serving as Editor-in-Chief at Hand Therapy and as an editorial board member for the Journal of Hand Therapy.

Dr. Travis Miller

Clinical Assistant Professor, Surgery - Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Travis Miller is a fellowship-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Stanford Health Care. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Miller specializes in plastic surgery from head to toe with additional training in hand and microsurgery. He treats a multitude of conditions of the hand and upper extremity, including carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, hand and wrist fractures, wrist pain and instability, arthritis, cubital tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s, and brachial plexus injury. He specializes in complex reconstruction all over the body using both local tissues and free tissue transfer. He has a special interest in peripheral nerve surgery, including treating nerve compression syndromes, tumors, traumatic injuries, amputation pain, neuromas, and migraines. He also performs aesthetic surgery, and for all his patients he strives to achieve their functional and cosmetic goals.

Dr. Miller received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School where he graduated first in his class. He completed his residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery through Stanford University School of Medicine. Before pursuing a fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at the University of Washington, he also completed an in-residency fellowship at the Buncke Clinic in San Francisco, widely considered the birthplace of microsurgery.

Dr. Miller has an extensive research background. He collaborated with a team that invented and patented a medical device used for coiled surgical tools and catheters. In addition to book chapters and monographs, he has written numerous peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that have been published in journals such as The Journal of Hand Surgery, The Journal of Surgical Oncology, Microsurgery, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Miller has presented his research at regional, national, and international meetings.

Dr. Catherine Curtin

Professor of Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) and, by courtesy, of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Catherine Curtin is a plastic/hand surgeon. Her clinical focus is peripheral nerve surgery and upper limb reconstruction. She attended Wellesley college and Yale University for medical school. She did her residency at the University of Michigan and her hand fellowship at Stanford University. She completed the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Fellowship. Dr. Curtin has specialized in hand surgery and peripheral nerve surgery. She has a particular interest in improving the upper limb function for people with spinal cord injury. She is also interested in nerve pain and the role of surgery to help this pain. Her research focuses on both these areas: upper limb function for spinal cord injury and treatment of neuropathic pain.