Advanced Practice Symposium

The 2026 Pacific Northwest Symposium brought together leading experts in IBD and gut immunology for a comprehensive educational experience.

The program included in-depth discussions on the latest advancements in diagnosis, treatment strategies, and patient care in inflammatory bowel disease.

Faculty members consisted of experienced GI clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals who shared insights through presentations, case studies, and interactive sessions.

A detailed agenda covering all sessions, topics, and speaker timelines will be updated here shortly.

Advanced Practice Symposium

Dr. Mitra Barahimi – Moderator

Mitra Barahimi, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology at the University of Washington. Dr. Barahimi completed all of her medical training, including her gastroenterology fellowship, at the University of Washington. She aims to provide evidence-based care individualized to the needs of each patient. She educates her patients to help them make informed decisions and empowers them to actively engage in their treatment plans. In her free time, she enjoys baking, running, playing outside with her German Shepherd, and planning her next travel adventure.

Dr. Nina Saxena – Speaker

Nina Saxena, MD, is an Associate Professor in the department of Gastroenterology at the University of Washington, where she specializes in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. She completed medical school at Columbia University, before moving to Seattle to complete her residency and fellowship at the University of Washington. She joined Kaiser Permanente, where she helped develop a comprehensive IBD program and served as the Associate Medical Director. She is very excited to have recently returned to the University of Washington’s IBD program. Dr. Saxena enjoys rowing, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her husband, toddler, and corgi.

Dr. Michael Dollinger – Speaker

Michael Dolinger, MD, MBA is the Director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Fellowship, the program director of the advanced pediatric IBD fellowship and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. His clinical and research interests include improving the quality of care and outcomes for children with IBD. He has led the adoption of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for children and adults with IBD, co-founding the Intestinal Ultrasound Group of the United States and Canada (iUSCAN). He now leads global training, education, and research efforts on the use IUS as a non-invasive monitoring tool in IBD care. He also focuses his research on the efficacy and safety of novel advanced therapies in children and adults with IBD.

Dr. Sarah Atkinson - Speaker

Sarah Atkinson, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgery with additional fellowship-trained expertise in colon and rectal surgery. Dr. Atkinson believes in a personalized approach to each patient’s care and the best patient outcomes are the result of combining the latest evidence-based medicine with the patient’s personal goals and beliefs. She completed medical school at the University of Illinois and then relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio for her general surgery residency. Most recently, she has completed her Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. Dr. Atkinson enjoys hiking, cooking, and skiing in her free time

Dr. Sarah Gunby – Speaker

Sarah Gunby, MD, is a gastroenterologist with expertise in inflammatory bowel disease. Her interests include research in the clinical applications of intestinal ultrasound, epidemiology, and medical education. Her clinical practice is based at Harborview Medical Center. Dr. Gunby also serves on the Education and Training Committee of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).

Kindra Clark-Snustad, DNP - Speaker

Kindra Clark-Snustad is a board certified nurse practitioner with a clinical focus on IBD. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Willamette University and completed her bachelor’s in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Washington, School of Nursing. She works at the University of Washington Digestive Health Center and IBD Clinic. She is also an investigator at the UW IBD Research Program, assisting with clinical trials and investigator-initiated studies. Kindra enjoys camping, hiking, and traveling, but she is currently prioritizing preparing the very frequent snacks required to keep two young children alive.

Allison Fairbanks, ARNP - Speaker

Allison Fairbanks is a nurse practitioner specializing in inflammatory bowel disease. She received a Master of Public Health focused on Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Oregon Health & Science University. She completed her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Washington. She has been working as a nurse practitioner in gastroenterology since 2015 and enjoys taking a team-based approach to patient care. Allison is originally from northwest Washington and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.