Anthony Avellino
Anthony M. Avellino is a highly regarded pediatric neurosurgeon, experienced healthcare administrator, and endurance ultra-runner. In October 2019 and January 2021, Avellino was fortunate to be a deckhand on the F/V Saga, a commercial crab fishing boat, profiled on the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. The communication and teamwork lessons he learned on these expeditions were surprisingly translatable to healthcare and inspired his commitment to help others achieve a healthier, more purposeful life with optimum performance in mind, body, and spirit. He built his career caring for young people and their families, including a deliberate focus on creating support systems that emphasize performance, health, wellness, and safety. He started his pediatric neurosurgery career at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, where he was privileged to be Dr. Ben Carson’s partner. He is currently professor and Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine / Banner University Medical Center and Group - Tucson. He was the Michigan State University assistant vice president for health sciences, chief clinical and medical officer, and interim director of athletic medicine from 2018 to 2021. He also served as chief executive officer for OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute from 2014 to 2018.
