Our Staff

Inland Northwest Spine has assembled a team of excellence to offer the best in Spine care. We take the same pride in our front office as we do in our surgical procedures.  Our Coeur d’Alene office team goals include facilitating prompt patient evaluations, maintaining effective communication with patients/referring physicians/case managers, as well as promoting the continuity of care from the initial evaluation to the completion of treatment. Our talented office staff is friendly, respectful, professional and knowledgeable. The entire team is dedicated to excellence.

Val Thomson, NP-C

Education:

• Associate of Science in Nursing – North Idaho College
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Lewis-Clark State College
• Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner - Indiana State University

Val was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene, ID, and brings an extensive and well-rounded background to Inland Northwest Spine and Neurosurgery. She has over 10 years of experience as an RN, working in numerous medical settings including Deaconess Medical Center, Kootenai Health, and Northwest Specialty Hospital. She initially joined Inland Northwest Spine and Neurosurgery in 2008 as a nurse, and ultimately as a Certified Nurse Practitioner in 2015. She brings over 10 years of experience working with spine patients to our practice. She lives in Rathdrum with her husband and two young children, and enjoys running, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Chase Kaufman, PA

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor in Chemistry – Rocky Mountain College
• Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies – Rocky Mountain College

Chase is originally from Billings, MT, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at Rocky Mountain College, graduating Cum Laude in 2015. He was a driven and talented student-athlete, playing 4 years of collegiate football for the Battlin’ Bears, while also working as a Cardiology Stress Test Technician. He used his ambition to continue his education at Rocky Mountain College, completing his Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2017. He joined our practice in 2020, bringing over 3 years of experience to Inland Northwest Spine. His previous work experience was focused in orthopedic surgery, including spine surgery, total joint replacement, sports medicine, and trauma surgery. He is a devoted husband to his wife Sarah, who is also devoted to the medical field, having a passion for surgical innovations. In his spare time, Chase is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys snowboarding, golfing, fishing, and spending time with his dog, Porter.