NAVAPD Leadership

Joseph Abate, D.M.D.

President

Dr. Joseph Abate is a Supervisory Dentist at the Miami VA Healthcare System’s Broward Outpatient Clinic. His scope of duties there includes all phases of General Dentistry including Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Periodontics, Restorative Dentistry, identifying and managing mild to serious, acute to chronic medically compromised patients, performing simple and complex full mouth extractions, and pre-prosthetic surgery.

Walter Bukowski, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Bukowski is a Primary Care Provider at the Bill Kling Broward, Florida CBOC. While at Broward he earned the Director’s Coin for extraordinary service in a life-threatening event. He is currently active with patient care and teaching students at his clinic. He is also active in workplace improvement with Local & National VA Administration and Union Representatives.  Dr. Bukowski has been excited to offer his skills as a NAVAPD Board Member to help improve both Patient and Provider experiences at the VA.

Alina Gonzalez-Mayo, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Gonzalez-Mayo serves as the Section Chief for the Inpatient Unit and the Program Director for the Psychiatry Residency Program at Bay Pines VA with Nova Southeastern University as the sponsor. She also chairs the Public Psychiatry for the Florida Psychiatric Society.

Wayne Johnson, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Johnson is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with over 26 years of surgical experience and 34 years in medicine. He currently serves as Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, where he leads a subspecialized practice in knee and shoulder arthroscopy.

Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Clinical Professor for both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, where he mentors orthopaedic residents in urban and rural settings. He has held several leadership positions, including President of the Oklahoma State Orthopaedic Society and Chair of the AAOS Board of Councilors. Nationally, he currently serves as Chair of the AAOS Orthopaedic Political Action Committee (OrthoPAC) and Vice President of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society.

Throughout his career, Dr. Johnson has remained committed to advancing orthopaedic care, promoting diversity and inclusion, and mentoring the next generation of leaders. His work reflects a deep dedication to service, education, and advocacy at both the local and national levels.

Pamela Ellen Karasik, M.D.

Director

Dr. Pamela Karasik is Assistant Chief of Cardiology and Director of Clinical Electrophysiology at the Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She has been on staff for almost 16 years, since completing her Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Electrophysiology training in the Washington, DC area.

Ali Parand, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Ali Parand is a board-certified internist and has worked in the VA system since 2009. He started his VA career as a hospitalist and now practices as a primary care physician. He has worked at 18 different VA facilities, many as part of the VA's innovative Interim Staffing Program, which previously provided gap staffing coverage for facilities throughout the agency. He currently works as a primary care physician for the Palo Alto VA system. One of his main career interests is advocating for wise implementation of the VHA’s mission to provide sustainable high-quality cost-effective care to our Veterans.

Matthew Stevenson, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Stevenson is a primary care physician at VA Palo Alto and Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford School of Medicine, where he serves as a core faculty member in the internal medicine residency program. He directs several clinical education programs, including an award-winning preventive health outreach clinic, and received the 2025 Mentorship Award for Ambulatory Education. His interests span opioid deprescribing, advance care planning through patient narratives, and innovative workflows for preventive care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led key clinical and data initiatives, with his work presented at national and Stanford conferences.

Stephen A. Vaughn, M.D. PhD

Board Member

Dr. Stephen A. Vaughn is an Internal Medicine Physician at the VAMC in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a board certified internist with broad experience in basic and clinical sciences, ranging from primary care to intensive care. He is also an active Ambulatory Care representative to LGBTQ outpatient sponsorship of America’s veterans, and member Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee. He currently participates in preparing and implementing VA-specific planning and treatment for Veterans with COVID-19 and other health needs.

Dr. Samuel Spagnolo

Past President

Dr. Spagnolo is Professor Emeritus of Medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is the former Director of the Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences (1976-1993) and during this same period, he was also the Chief of the Pulmonary Section at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, DC.