Title(s)
- Director, Critical Care Continuous EEG Monitoring
- Consultant, UPMC Sleep Medicine Center
- Neurology Consultant, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Chair, Neurology Wellness Committee
Dr. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, MD, FAAN, FAES is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in Sleep Medicine and Epilepsy. She is nationally recognized as a physician leader and advocate for brain health and sleep health, turning scientific discoveries into clinical excellence, public education, and health policy reform.
Clinical Leadership
Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse provides expert care for individuals with epilepsy, including those undergoing surgical evaluation for drug-resistant seizures, and treats patients with a wide spectrum of sleep disorders. She directs the Critical Care Continuous EEG Monitoring Service across eight UPMC hospitals, ensuring timely neurological monitoring for critically ill patients. Her dedication to compassionate, patient-centered care has earned her UPMC’s Excellence in Patient Experience Award and recognition as a Pittsburgh Magazine Best Doctor (2019–2024).
National Leadership & Committees
Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse serves on multiple national committees shaping the future of neurology, sleep medicine, and sports medicine:
- American Academy of Neurology (AAN): Health Policy Subcommittee; participant in Neurology on the Hill, Off the Hill, Legislative Summit, and Brain Health Summit.
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM): Advocacy Committee
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): Advocacy Committee and Health & Science Policy Committee.
- Pennsylvania Neurological Society: Board Member and representative to the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
- Epilepsy Association of Western & Central PA: Physician Advisory Committee.
- Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern PA: Professional Advisory Board.
- International Consensus Conference on Concussion in First Responders: Member of the Return-to-Duty Workgroup, developing evidence-based recommendations for when first responders can safely return to duty after concussion.
She also chairs the UPMC Neurology Wellness Committee and contributes to numerous institutional leadership initiatives at UPMC and Pitt Neurology.
Leadership Training
Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse is a graduate of the American Academy of Neurology’s Women Leading in Neurology (WLN) Program and the Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum (PALF), both competitive national leadership programs. At UPMC, she completed the Physician Leadership Essentials Program and the Peer Coaching Program, experiences that reflect her commitment to leadership development, mentorship, and advancing physician wellness.
Media Appearances
A sought-after expert, Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse frequently provides commentary on sleep, epilepsy, and brain health in high-profile outlets. She has appeared on the Associated Press, Fox News Radio, NPR/WESA, WPXI, WTAE, KDKA TV and Radio, and Star 100.7 FM, among others.
She has been a guest on national podcasts including Kennedy Saves the World (Fox News Radio), the Brain & Life Podcast, and Sleep is My Waking Passion.
National Publications
Her expertise has been featured widely in national and international media:
- The Wall Street Journal – Combat the Sleep Problems that Hits in Middle Age: Aging messes with our sleep sooner than we might expect.
- PBS News – Daylight saving time and early school start times cost billions in lost productivity and health care expenses
- Allure – Everything You Need to Know About Sleep Debt
- Associated Press – Is your teen sleep-deprived? These expert bedtime tips could help
- Science – Does daylight saving time make sense? Scientists debate pros and cons
- SELF – Got Insomnia? These Exercises are Proven to Help
Advocacy & Public Education
Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse is a nationally recognized advocate for healthy sleep and brain health. She has testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, collaborated with state legislators to introduce bills on later school start times and permanent standard time, and represented professional societies in both state and federal advocacy.
Her community outreach extends to school districts, athletic organizations, first responders, and public transportation professionals, helping groups at every level harness the power of sleep to improve learning, performance, safety, and resilience. She also serves as a neurology consultant to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Education & Training
- Fellowship – Sleep Medicine, Cleveland Clinic
- Fellowship – Epilepsy, Cleveland Clinic
- Residency – Neurology & Preliminary Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic
- MD – The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- BA – Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley
Specialized Areas of Interest
- Clinical: Sleep Medicine, Epilepsy, Critical Care EEG, Quantitative EEG
- Educational: EEG Curriculum Development; Sleep Health Education for healthcare workers (trainees, physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, technicians, and healthcare leadership)
- Advocacy: Sleep Health Policy, Adolescent School Start Times, Permanent Standard Times, Sports Neurology, Epilepsy Care (seizure first aid, seizure rescue medication)
Board Certifications
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Neurology
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Clinical Neurophysiology
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Sleep Medicine
Professional Organization Membership
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Epilepsy Society
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Honors & Awards
- Medical Alumni Society Funding
- Neurology Clerkship Award
- American Neurological Association Travel Award
- Excellence in Patient Experience Award – Top UPMC Provider
- Pittsburgh Magazine “Best Doctors” yearly since 2019
Selected Publications
Fong JS, Hantus S, Erbayat Altay E, Tuxhorn I. De novo sustained refractory status epilepticus and encephalopathy: a retrospective case series. J Child Neurol. 2010 Dec;25(12):1535-8. doi: 10.1177/0883073810376442. PMID: 21148451.
Joanna S. Fong, Lara Jehi, Imad Najm, Richard A. Prayson, William Bingaman. Surgical Outcome and Prognostic Factors Following Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery in Patients with Non-lesional MRI. Epilepsia 2011 Aug;52(8):1393-401.
Joanna S. Fong, Andreas V. Alexopoulos, William E. Bingaman, Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, Richard A. Prayson. Pathological Findings Associated with Invasive EEG Monitoring for Medically Intractable Epilepsy. Am J Clin Pathol 2012 Oct;138(4):506-510.
Joanna S. Fong, Zahreddin Alsheikhtaha, Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer. Chapter 31: Sleep and Epilepsy. Review of Sleep Medicine. Saunders (Elsevier Inc.), Philadelphia, PA (2011).
Joanna S. Fong, Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer. Chapter: Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep (PLMS). Encyclopedia of Neurological Sciences 2nd edition. Elsevier Inc, Oxford University Press, USA (2013).
