Stanford Headache and Facial Pain Program Team
Robert P. Cowan, MD, FAAN, FAHS
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences and, by courtesy, Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
Dr. Robert Cowan is Professor of Neurology and Director of the Headache Program at Stanford University. Prior to joining Stanford he was the founding medical director of the Keeler Center for the Study of Headache (Ojai, CA) and senior clinical research scientist in molecular neurobiology at Huntington Medical Research Institutes (Pasadena, CA). Prior to that he founded and directed the Headache program at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.
Dr. Cowan attended University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, completed a residency program at USC Department of Neurology and served on faculty there until 2000. He is Board Certified in the areas of: Psychiatry and Neurology and Pain Medicine. He also holds subspecialty certification in Headache Medicine. Dr. Cowan is widely published in various scientific journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association, Cephalalgia, and Headache. In addition, Dr. Cowan holds several nationally elected positions, including chair of the section on Chronic Daily Headache for the American Headache Society. He is President of the Headache Cooperative of the Pacific a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. He sits on the board of the Alliance for Headache Diseases Advocacy and the American Headache and Migraine Association. He is an ad hoc reviewer for a variety of journals, and an associate editor for Headache Currents.
Sheena Aurora, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Sheena K. Aurora, MD, is Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Aurora is a board certified physician in neurology and headache specializing in headache disorders and novel treatments for migraine.
A national leader in headache research and treatment, she was the lead investigator for the PREEMPT1 trial which led to approval for BOTOX® for chronic migraine. She will be leading several clinical trials involving new drugs and novel use of alternative treatments such as transcranial magnetic brain stimulation for the treatment of headaches.
Dr. Aurora is active on several committees and boards at the American Academy of Neurology and serves as Chair of the Headache Science Working Group. Additionally, she is involved with the National Institute for Health Headache Research Planning, sits on the Migraine Research Foundation Medical Advisory Board, and the American Headache Society Board of Directors.
Dr. Aurora received her medical degree at Christian Medical College in Ludhiana, India and completed her internship at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She completed her residency in neurology and was fellowship trained in headache and neurophysiology at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
Nada Hindiyeh, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Nada Hindiyeh, M.D., is a board certified neurologist and a clinical assistant professor in the department of Neurology.
She was awarded the 2013 Clinical Research Fellowship in Neurotoxins by the American Academy of Neurology and under this scholarship is currently investigating a diagnostic screening protocol for chronic migraine. Other research interests include pathophysiology and novel treatments for migraine, the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in headache disorders, and participation in clinical trials for new headache therapeutics. She is currently a member of the American Headache Society as well as the International Headache Society.
Dr. Hindiyeh completed her medical degree at the University of Toledo College of Medicine in Toledo Ohio. Both her internship and neurology residency were completed at the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center, where she was chief resident. She completed her fellowship in headache and facial pain at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Carol A. Barch, MN, FNP-BC
Lead Advanced Practice Provider
Carol received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Wayne State University, and a master's and post-master's nursing degree from Emory University. She is a board-certified family nurse practitioner, has received national specialty certification in critical care nursing and neuroscience nursing, and a member of the American Headache Society.
Carol has been nationally recognized for her work in cerebrovascular disease. Over the years, she has made several national and local presentations, published multiple articles and consulted in North America on health care systems providing acute stroke care. Recently, Carol transitioned to bring her expertise to the Stanford Headache and Facial Pain clinic, expanding her scope of practice.
As a nurse practitioner on the team, she provides follow-up care to patients working to meet their goals in medication and lifestyle management for headache and facial pain. Her areas of interest include integrative medicine and patient education.
