Heather Spader, MD

As a pediatric neurosurgeon, Heather Stevens Spader, MD, has expertise in evaluating and treating a wide spectrum of childhood neurosurgical conditions.

With a compassionate approach and extensive clinical experience, Dr. Spader focuses on enhancing the lives of young patients facing complex challenges such as brain and spinal cord tumors, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, Chiari malformations, and more.

Dr. Spader believes in a holistic approach to pediatric neurosurgery. She assembles interdisciplinary teams, working closely with fellow medical professionals and involving patients and their families in the decision-making process. This collaborative effort ensures that each child receives a personalized treatment plan tailored to their unique needs.

Drawing from her personal experiences as a patient and family member, Dr. Spader is committed to providing the highest quality of care. She understands the challenges and anxieties that come with having a child facing neurosurgical issues, and she strives to offer the same level of care she would expect for her own family.

Dr. Spader earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Political and Social Thought. After working for the Advisory Board Foundation in the Philippines for two years, she decided to attend medical school and obtained her medical degree from the University of South Dakota.

She completed her general surgery internship and neurosurgery residency at Brown University. She further honed her expertise through a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Utah.

Prior to joining UVA Health in 2023, she was Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dr. Spader has a strong background in research, with a focus on advancing our understanding of pediatric neurosurgical conditions.