Our Team
Lauren Smith
Lauren Smith serves as Director of Medical Operations and Physician Services, working with all partner physicians and their staff to keep them informed of the status of their patients during the insurance approval process. In addition, she answers coding and billing questions, handles insurance pre-certifications/prior authorizations and manages daily operations.
Prior to joining Reed Migraine Centers, Lauren was hired as the first Insurance Coordinator for Ascendant Neuro, helping to shape the position and train all new Insurance Coordinators. She has a bachelors’ degree in Nutritional Sciences from Texas Tech University.
Lauren says the best thing about her job is watching someone at a seminar who is wearing dark glasses and can hardly hold their head up come back to the office after the permanent implant with the biggest smile on their face because they are pain free.
In her spare time, Lauren volunteers with Meals on Wheels, Food for the Poor and World Vision. She is married and enjoys spending time with her family, doing Bikram yoga and anything outdoors.
Kyndall Johnston
Kyndall Johnston is Director of Patient Coordination and serves as the initial and continual point-of-contact for patients at Reed Migraine Centers. She works closely with each patient to educate them about the Reed Procedure℠, answering questions and guiding them through the process from start to finish.
Prior to working at Reed Migraine Centers, Kyndall served as lead Patient Coordinator at Ascendant Neuro, developing the Patient Coordinator handbook and training materials. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from St. Edwards University.
She is a dedicated volunteer, offering her time to several organizations including: TAG (Think Ahead Group: Center for Brain Health), Meals on Wheels, Caritas of Austin, Mobile Loaves and Fishes and Make a Wish Foundation. She enjoys all outdoor activities, especially hiking and horseback riding.
Kyndall is passionate about giving back and helping people live better lives, so she feels very blessed to be part of the Reed Migraine Centers team.
Ann Lide
Ann Lide is Director of Clinical Services and serves as the lead nurse, and senior expert on coordinating insurance pre-certifications for trial and permanent implant procedures, while functioning as office manager and billing/collections coordinator at Reed Migraine Centers.
Ann has worked with Dr. Ken Reed since 1988, and has functioned in many different capacities during her tenure in pain management. She has assisted Dr. Reed in the operating room during spinal cord stimulator implant procedures, and was responsible for programming stimulators for the patient, while providing instruction to patients on the operation and use of these devices. Based on her broad experience, Ann is well-equipped to answer patient questions, and serves as a valuable resource to provide direction to the staff on all clinical and insurance aspects of stimulator implants for Reed Migraine. She spends most of her day in answering questions from patients and working to resolve insurance questions for Reed Migraine.
Ann earned a licensed vocational nursing (LVN) degree from El Centro College, and is a certified medical coder. In her spare time, Ann enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her grandchildren.
Kimberly Rutherford
Kimberly Rutherford is a Research Assistant and Patient Advocate at Reed Migraine Centers. She discovered Dr. Reed and the Reed Procedureâ„ while seeking relief from chronic head pain. Kimberly began suffering from migraines at age 12 and during her freshman year of college, her constant migraine caused her to take a medical leave from school. While looking for an answer to her head pain, she found Dr. Reed and decided the Reed Procedureâ„ was the right option for her. Almost instantly she began controlling her migraine pain and was able to return to school, earning a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas.
As a Research Assistant, Kimberly is the first point of contact for patients seeking information about Reed Migraine Centers and the Reed Procedureâ„ . She contacts and interviews potential patients to build a patient research database, and has structured and formatted processes for Reed Migraine Centers’ ongoing research.
As a Patient Advocate, Kimberly coordinates and regularly attends patient seminars. She enjoys any opportunity to help patients, whether it is at a seminar, through research papers or just as a support system while they learn about and experience the Reed Procedureâ„ . In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and golden retriever, practicing photography and participating in her many outdoor hobbies such as water skiing, hiking, scuba diving, snow skiing, rafting, camping and traveling.
Prior to working at Reed Migraine Centers, Kimberly worked as an intern at the UT Southwestern PsychoNeuroEndocrine Research Group and Ascendant Neuro.
Gary A. Pasternak
As financial advisor and business management consultant, Gary Pasternak is responsible for managing all accounting and financial activities for Reed Migraine Centers, while providing management and oversight of operations, staffing, personnel management, budgeting and fiscal planning.
In addition, Gary is a principal of Pasternak & Associates, P.C., a public accounting and management consulting firm founded in 1993. Gary holds bachelor’s degrees in systems engineering and applied mathematics from the University of Virginia as well as a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in finance and accounting. In addition to managing an active accounting and consulting practice, Gary has served as a business and financial consultant for Dr. Reed for the past twenty years.
In his spare time, Gary enjoys golfing, traveling, playing music with his children, and cooking for his lovely wife and partner of thirty three years.
Earl Young
Earl Young serves as physician liaison, establishing and maintaining positive business and professional relationships with the affiliated, partner physicians of Reed Migraine Centers and their medical practices. He is involved with the research, development and strategic planning essential to opening new markets for Reed Migraine Centers and is responsible for physician recruitment.
During the course of his very successful career, Earl has held numerous executive positions including President of Ascendant International, President and CEO of Madagascar World Voice (MWV) and Director of Corporate Council on Africa (CCA).
Earl’s business experience spans a number of Fortune 5000 companies and investment banking firms across the world.He has worked with presidents, cabinet ministers and ambassadors of many World Bank-approved countries of sub-Sahara and has led negotiations with OPIC, World Bank and USAID. While working with U.S. senators and congressmen, Earl secured representation for funding in the U.S. Appropriations Bills of 2007 and 2008.
In addition, Earl currently serves as Director of the American Studies Institute Advisory Board of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Some of his previous leadership roles include president of the U.S. Madagascar Business Council and president of the Madagascar Health and Education Foundation.
Earl graduated from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas with undergraduate degrees in business, history and religion, as well as graduate studies in business management.