Washoe County Medical Society Leadership / Board of Directors
2026 President
Lali Sekhon, M.D.,
Lali Sekhon, M.D.,-Lali Sekhon, M.D., PhD., M.B.A is a board certified (FRACS) and double-fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery who joined Reno Orthopedic Center in 2019. Dr Sekhon completed his residency in Sydney, Australia with fellowships at the Mayo Clinic and in Toronto Canada. He also completed a PhD from the University of Sydney and an MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno.He has worked in Reno since 2005 and has been a practicing physician for 37 years, 26 of those as a neurosurgeon. Dr. Sekhon is clinical associate professor, at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine in Reno. He has received countless awards and recognition with over 100 peer-reviewed publications to his name. Dr Sekhon is passionate about patient care, advocacy, education and leadership. Dr. Sekhon founded ThinkFirst of Northern Nevada in 2011, a not-for-profit organization that teaches high school children head and spinal cord injury prevention throughout the Northern Nevada. He is on the board of several not-for profit boards and has taken leadership roles locally and nationally.
Imm. Past President
John Hardwick M.D.
Dr. John Hardwick was born and raised in Reno, Nevada and is proud to serve as President of the Washoe County Medical Society. He is a board-certified emergency physician who returned home in 2017 to join Western Emergency Physicians, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. Dr. Hardwick completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon, graduating cum laude, before earning his medical doctorate from Oregon Health & Science University. He completed his emergency medicine residency at the storied Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He serves as the current President of the Nevada Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and joint faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, where he chairs adult emergency medicine education. Dr. Hardwick is also the Medical Director for the City of Sparks Fire Department and regularly lectures at EMS and critical care conferences across the region. He has served on the board for Nevada POLST, advocating for thoughtful end-of-life planning and patient autonomy. Outside of medicine, Dr. Hardwick is a dedicated husband to his best friend Angela and a proud father to two young boys, Donovan and Brooks, who remain the center of his world. He writes and records music, plays guitar and sings, and stays active by hiking, golfing, playing basketball, and—most of all—goofing around with his kids.
Secretary/Treasurer
Tim O’Mara
Dr. Timothy O’Mara received his medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He completed his Orthopedic Trauma Fellowship at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in 2006 and his Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship in Sydney, Australia in 2007.
He also completed a third Orthopedic Fellowship in Hip and Knee Replacement at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles. Subspecialty trained in trauma, pediatric care, and hip and knee replacement, Dr. O’Mara is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.
Dr. O'Mara joined the Reno Orthopedic Center in August 2007.
President-Elect
Ali Nairizi, M.D.
Dr. Ali Nairizi, is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain specialist. He offers immediate relief to patients struggling with pain, without the use of opioids. He is the president and founder of United Pain Urgent Care, a pioneering pain-centric urgent care, and Reno Tahoe Pain Associates. He has felt the heartache of watching patients trapped in the grip of opioid dependency and addiction. It's a pain that cuts deep, knowing that behind every statistic lies a person—a son, a daughter, a loved one—whose life has been shattered by this crisis. During his pain medicine fellowship, He stood witness to the silent suffering of countless individuals who found themselves ensnared in a cycle of opioid reliance. Despite their best efforts, the conventional approach of prescribing opioids for acute injuries proved not only ineffective but destructive. It was a wake-up call that reverberated within him, igniting a fierce determination to forge a new path forward. He offers patients a beacon of hope of immediate relief without the shackles of opioids. He believes in a future where pain is met with compassion, not judgment; where every person, regardless of their circumstances, receives the care and support they deserve. He provides same-day interventional procedures for acute pain and injuries, a service unavailable at most urgent cares or ERs, where treatment delays can stretch for weeks potentially leading to opioid use and addiction. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Nairizi is actively involved in medical research and education. He has published numerous articles in prestigious medical journals and is recognized for his contributions to the field. As a respected mentor and educator, he is committed to shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals. His Mission is to offer a sanctuary for patients overwhelmed by pain—a place where pain gives way to healing, and despair yields to hope and to stand as beacons of light in the darkest of nights, guiding those in need towards a brighter tomorrow.
Delegation Chairman
Ron Smith, M.D.
The experience of undergoing early innovative heart surgery at age seven led a young Ronnie Smith to aspire to become a doctor. After attaining undergraduate degrees in Biology and German, he began studies at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. He developed additional interests in medical research and earned Masters and PhD degrees in Anatomy/Neuroscience. That accomplishment led to the unique opportunity of serving as a Neurobiologist for NASA at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. There Dr. Smith was involved with analysis of the last Apollo animal missions, as well as physiologic studies related to improving the functional abilities of the first Space Shuttle astronauts. Electing to return to medical studies, he taught Anatomy in the PhD to MD program in El Paso/Juarez where he earned his MD degree before beginning his Internal Medicine residency at the University of South Dakota. That was a very hands-on experience which provided training in all levels of Internal Medicine, including cardiac and GI invasive procedures that he was able to later apply in his practice.
Dr. Smith began his medical practice in Reno in 1980 and has been a long-time active member of the Washoe County Medical Society. He joined a multi-specialty internal medicine group with Cardiology, Pulmonary, Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine specialists. As the group grew and then evolved into separate groups, Dr. Smith became a solo-practice internist, still caring for some patients who have been in the practice since 1976. This increasingly unique practice model has been very gratifying for patients and doctor alike. For many years Dr. Smith took ER call and admitted patients at both St. Mary’s and Washoe, now Renown, medical centers, providing care at all levels, including intensive care management until Reno attracted more specialists who assumed much of the higher levels of care. With the changes brought about by the Covid epidemic, he then turned his hospital practice over to the hospitalist services. He knows his office patients and many of their extended family members quite well, always taking whatever amount of time is needed in their care, still doing house calls when necessary. Medical students from the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine have always been welcomed into Dr. Smith’s office to receive exposure to clinical applications of the knowledge that they are receiving in their didactic classes, and for the past two years Dr. Smith has been assisting in teaching the Neuroanatomy laboratory course at the medical school.
Dr. Smith has witnessed the value of the Washoe County Medical Society in our medical community and recognized the importance of political involvement to both protect the practice of medicine and to further the health of Nevadans. Inspired by older members of the Society, Dr. Smith has assumed leadership roles in both the Governmental Affairs Commission and the all-important Medical PAC that supports our representation in the legislature in Carson City. He currently serves as WCMS Delegation Chair for the upcoming NSMA annual meeting. Having received several previous awards for his service to organized medicine, Dr. Smith is now being honored with our Lifetime Achievement Award.
Director
Julia Cook Beresford, MD
Dr. Cook Beresford grew up in the Chicagoland area. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of New Mexico and then returned to the Midwest to earn her medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Indiana University, where she found a passion for hand and extremity reconstruction, including microvascular reconstruction. She then pursued these interests and completed her hand surgery fellowship at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Cook Beresford specializes in the management of the hand, wrist, and forearm, including fracture management and mass and tumor excision. She has special interests in arthritis including joint replacements, tendon reconstruction, nerve disorders, and soft tissue reconstruction. Dr. Cook Beresford believes in using operative and non-operative treatment options to improve her patients’ quality of life and optimize their function. She enjoys working collaboratively with patients to help them return to a good quality of life after surgery.
Director
Timothy Grunert, M.D
As a home-grown Nevadan physician, I’m proud to have stayed local and to serve the community that has given me everything! I was born and raised in Carson City; I moved to Reno where I completed my undergraduate degree, medical school, master’s degree of public health, and family medicine residency at UNR. I work for Renown Health in family medicine and am a Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at UNR Med.
Family medicine embodies my personality. I love puzzle solving, starting from scratch with my patients, working to find diagnoses over time, and developing the lasting relationships that are central to my patients’ health as well as my own. It is so rewarding working side by side with patients and the community to improve individual and public health over the lifespan.
I have had endless opportunities in Washoe County for work in health policy and leadership. In addition to the Washoe County Medical Society Board, I am active in the Nevada Academy of Family Physicians on their executive board as well as in the American Academy of Family Physicians. I currently serve as the chair of the NAFP Governmental Affairs Committee, I have served on multiple AAFP commissions, represented Nevada to the resident congress and the National Conference of Constituency Leaders, and I currently sit on the FamMedPAC Advisory Board. I am passionate about engaging with leadership and legislators to advocate for our patients, our physicians, and our learners.
At the medical school, I direct two blocks for the first and second year medical students, and I manage and participate in a new mentorship program for first and second year medical students to connect them with early career physicians. I lead two scholarly concentrations with Dr. Dan Spogen: one in family medicine, and another in health policy and advocacy, helping guide scholarly projects and developing programming to engage students in these areas. I helped develop and implement a training track on health policy and advocacy to provide opportunities for advocacy and leadership engagement for our residents.
I am beyond grateful for the opportunities our community has provided me, and I am so proud to give back to my colleagues and patients and to pay it forward to new students and residents to come!
Director
Pierce Johnson, MD
Dr. Pierce Johnson completed his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, followed by his orthopedic surgical residency at the University of Arizona in Phoenix. He completed his orthopedic trauma fellowship at Reno Orthopedic Clinic. His practice is centered on orthopedic trauma and fracture care of both adult and pediatric patients. His focus includes pelvic and acetabular surgery, periarticular fractures, nonunion and malunion surgeries.
Dr. Johnson has a deep interest in teaching and is currently an active faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. He enjoys orthopedic-based research and has presented at numerous national and international conferences around the world.
Director
Samantha Schneider, M.D.
Samantha Schneider, M.D., I am a board-certified dermatologist and a fellowship-trained and board-certified Mohs micrographic surgeon. My clinical focus is delivering high-quality patient-centric care, patient safety and lifelong learning. Outside of clinical practice, I have an interest in medical advocacy at the local, state and federal levels. On a national level, I am an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) and the American College of Mohs Surgery where I currently serve on committees within each of those organizations (SkinPAC Committee (AAD), Federal Affairs Committee (ASDS), Professional Conduct Committee (ASDS) and Tromovitch Award Committee (ACMS)). Locally, I am a committee member of the Nevada State Medical Association’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, and I am a member of the Washoe County Medical Society. I am also a member of the Nevada Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery and served on the 2022 annual meeting planning committee. I am looking to make an impact on our local medical community by serving on the Board of Directors for the Washoe County Medical Society. I care deeply about our community and want to help all of us achieve a healthier Nevada. Thank you in advance for your support.
Director
Colin West, M.D.
Colin West, M.D., board certified in emergency medicine, he practices at Renown Regional Medical Center. Dr. West grew up in the Pacific Northwest and earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. Dr. West is a 2012 graduate of the University of Reno School of Medicine.
He enjoys fly fishing, trail running and biking in this beautiful area. He and his family are happy to be back in the mountains and near water. His wife, Kelsey, is on the faculty at the UNR Family Medicine program. They have two young boys.
Director
Andrew Tomlinson, M.D.
Dr. Andrew Tomlinson grew up in the Tahoe area. He attended college at Brown University where he majored in French. Dr. Tomlinson attended the University of Nevada, Reno for medical school where he was elected president of his class. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of New Mexico, followed by a fellowship in Rhinology and Advanced Sinus Surgery at the California Sinus Centers in the Bay Area.
Dr. Tomlinson practiced for three years in San Francisco before choosing to move home to Reno with his wife and two children. He treats the highest level of rhinologic conditions such as chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, nasal obstruction, allergic rhinitis, sinus barotrauma, CSF leaks, pituitary tumors and sinus tumors. He is skilled in rhinoplasty, thyroid and parathyroid surgery and neck tumors. He Dr. Tomlinson is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, the American Rhinologic Society, and the Nevada Medical Association. He helped start the Endocrine Surgery Journal Club and the Head & Neck Cancer Tumor Board in Reno, and serves on the Medical Executive Committee at Sierra Hospital.
In his spare time, Dr. Tomlinson loves being with his family, snow and water skiing, biking, golfing, camping, cooking, going to museums, and being outdoors.
Director
Catherine McCarthy, M.D.
Dr. Catherine McCarthy is a professor of family medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.
She is a past-president of the Nevada Academy of Family Physicians and serves on the NAFP foundation board. She has served as a Nevada delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians and on the AAFP Commission of Health of the Public and Science. With over 20 years of experience in family medicine with obstetrics, she is passionate about women’s health and advancing care in underserved and rural communities. Dr. McCarthy leads a women's clinic in Yerington, Nevada, offering essential maternity and contraceptive care to women with limited access. She is an advocate for Centering Parenting group visits, promoting a collaborative, community-focused approach to child and family health. A committed educator, she finds joy in mentoring medical students and residents, sharing with them the rewards of family medicine.