Faculty
Connect with renowned cardiovascular leaders delivering practical insights, emerging research, and real-world clinical expertise.
Register NowMeet Our Program Chairs
Our program chairs are distinguished cardiology experts driving innovation in cardiovascular care.
J. Fernando Triana, MD, FACC is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology and Nuclear Cardiology. He is a co-founder of the groundbreaking Cardio-Hospitalist Program at Methodist Hospital and the driving force behind a number of other important innovations.
J. Fernando Triana, MD, FACC
Chandra Kunavarapu, MD is the Medical Director of the Methodist Heart and Lung Institute | Heart Failure and Transplant Center in San Antonio, Texas, and among the first physicians Board Certified in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology. His expertise spans heart failure and transplant care, device therapy, pulmonary hypertension, cell-based therapies, and pharmacogenomics of heart failure.
Chandra Kunavarapu, MD, FACC
S Hinan Ahmed, MD, MBA, FACC, FSCAI, FSVM is a board certified Interventional Cardiologist with Methodist Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio. He is also the Medical Director, Methodist Heart Institute | Vascular Center.
S. Hinan Ahmed, MD, FACC, FSCAI
2026 Program Directors
Jorge
Alvarez,
MD, FACC, FSCAI
Director, Methodist Structural Heart Program
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Javier
Amione-Guerra,
MD
Advance Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiologist
Methodist Hospital
Allen
Anderson,
MD
Methodist Heart Failure and Transplant Program
Methodist Hospital
Alison
L
Bailey,
MD, FACC
Professor and Vice-Chair
West Virginia University
Celestina
Bryson,
DNP, MSN, MBA, ACNP-BC, CCNS, CCRN
Assistant Chief Nursing Officer
Methodist Hospital
Nilto
Carias
De Oliveira,
MD
Surgical Director, Lung Transplant Program
Methodist Heart and Lung Institute Vascular Center
Yissela
Escobedo,
MD, MS
Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Chelsea
King,
BSN, RN
ECMO Coordinator
Methodist Hospital
Michael
Kwan,
MD
Program Director, Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program
Methodist Hospital
Abelardo
Martinez-Rumayor,
MD, FACC
Interventional Cardiologist
Methodist Hospital
Sumeru
Mehta,
MD, MPH
Medical Director, Adult Emergency Department
Methodist Hospital
David
Pederson,
MD
Director of Electrophysiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Mahek
Shah,
MD
Heart Failure Cardiologist
Methodist Heart and Lung Institute, Heat Failure and Transplant Clinic
Furqan
Shah,
MD
Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Mahesh
Sharma,
MD
Chief of Congenital Cardiac Surgery and Executive Co-Director Methodist Congenital Heart Institute
Methodist – HCA Healthcare
Nandish
Thukral,
MD, FSCAI
Medical Director, Cardiac Cath Lab; Medical Director, Complex PCI Program; Co-Director, Shock Program
Methodist Heart Hospital
Taylor
Triana,
MD, MBA, FACC
Director of Noninvasive Cardiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Andrew
Unzeitig,
MD
Director for Vascular Services
Methodist Hospital
Randal
White,
MD, FACC
Director of Nuclear Cardiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Jonathan
Yang,
MD, MPH, FACS
Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Methodist Healthcare
2026 Guest Faculty
Tayo
Addo,
MD
Program Director
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Karim
Mohamed
Al-Azizi,
MD, FACC, FSCAI, FESC
Interventional Cardiologist
Baylor Scott & White – The Heart Hospital Plano
Alison
L
Bailey,
MD, FACC
Professor and Vice-Chair
West Virginia University
Kunjan
Bhatt,
MD
Director of Clinical Research
Austin Heart
Arvind
Bhimaraj,
MD, MPH, FACC, FHFSA
Associate Professor
Houston Methodist Hospital
Bruce
Bowers,
MD
Medical Director, Dallas Valve Institute
Texas Cardiovascular Specialists, PLLC
Kristofer
M
Charlton-Ouw,
MD
HCA Gulf Coast Division Medical Director, Vascular Surgery
HCA Healthcare | Gulf Coast Vascular
John
D.
Day,
MD
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Heart Center at St. Mark’s
Todd
Dewey,
MD, MBA, MS
National Physician Director for Cardiothoracic Surgery HCA
Southwest Cardiothoracic Surgeons
Cameron
Dezfulian,
MD, FAHA, FACC
Senior Faculty
Baylor College of Medicine
Kimberly
DiMaria,
DNP, CPNP-AC, CCRN
Administrative Director
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children
Gregory
Fontana,
MD
Director, Cardiovascular Institute
HCA Healthcare
Marat
Fudim,
MD, MHS
Associate Professor of Medicine
Duke University and Duke University Health System
Shinichi
Fukuhara,
MD
G. Michael Deeb, MD, and Nancy Deeb Research Professor, Cardiac Surgery
University of Michigan Medical School
Hemal
Gada,
MD, MBA
Structural Interventional Cardiologist
Cardiology Associates of Altoona
Enrique
Garcia-Sayan,
MD, FACC, FASE
Medical Director
The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Jeffrey
Geske,
MD
Consultant, Division of Structural Heart Disease, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Joshua
Grimm,
MD
Co-Director Thoracic Aortic Surgery
Dell Medical School
Shelley
Hall,
MD, FACC, FHFSA, FAST
Chief, Transplant Cardiology, MCS and Advance Heart Failure
Baylor Scott & White
Ishan
Kamat,
MD
Cardiologist
Austin Heart
Saibal
Kar,
MD
Director Structural Heart Disease Interventions & Clinical Research
HCA Healthcare
Mahwash
Kassi,
MD
Cardiologist
Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiology Associates
Faraz
Kerendi,
MD
Cardiologist and Thoracic Surgeon
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons
Morton
J
Kern,
MD
Professor of Medicine
VA Long Beach and Univ Calif Irivine
Charles
Klodell,
MD
National Physician Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery
HCA Healthcare Florida North
Dhanunjaya
Lakkireddy,
MD, MBA
Executive Medical Director
Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute
Victor
Y.
Levy,
MD
Division Chief Pediatric Cardiology
The Children’s Hospital at TriStar Centennial
Bruno
Bezerra
Lima,
MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Vanderbilt University
Steven
V.
Manoukian,
MD, FAHA, FACC, FSCAI
Senior Vice President
HCA Healthcare
Purav
Mody,
MD
Director, Non Invasive Cardiology Lab/Structural Imaging
Baylor Scott & White Health
Sandhya
Murthy,
MD
Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist
Montefiore Einstein
Andrea
Natale,
MD
Executive Medical Director
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center
Andrei
Pop,
MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Alexian Brothers Medical Center
J. Eduardo
Rame,
MD, M.Phil, FAHA, FESC
System Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Recovery
PRISMA HEALTH
V.
Seenu
Reddy,
MD, MBA, FACS, FACC
Director of Cardiac Surgery
HCA TriStar Centennial Medical Center
William
R.
Rice,
MD
SVP Clinical Innovation
Digital Transformation, HCA Healthcare
Kevin
Rixmann,
RN
Clinical Supervisor/ Operations Coordinator
University of Minnesota
Charles
B.
Ross,
MD, FACS, DFSVS
Vascular/Endovascular Surgeon
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
Sandeep
Sahay,
MD, MSc
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center
Houston Methodist Hospital
Sameh
M.
Said,
MBBCh, MD, MBA
Chief, Division of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery
WMCHealth and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
Shyam
Santhanandam,
MD
Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, Executive Co-Director of the Heart Institute, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, Florida International University (FIU)Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute
Hiroo
Takayama,
MD, PhD
Vice Chair of Surgery
Columbia University
Justin
T.
Tretter,
MD
Co-Director Congenital Valve Procedural Planning Program, Director Advanced Cardiac Imaging, Director Cardiac Morphology
Cleveland Clinic
Jai
Udassi,
MD
Chief
West Virginia University Children’s Hospital
Craig
Walker,
MD, FACC, FACP, FACA
Medical Director/Founder/President
Cardiovascular Institute of the South
2026 Local Faculty
Adesola
Adenegan,
MD, FACC
Interventional Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Oluwaseun
Adeola,
MD, MPH, FACC, FHRS
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
S
Hinan
Ahmed,
MD, FACC, FSCAI
Director, Vascular Services
Methodist Hospital
Allen
Anderson,
MD
Methodist Heart Failure and Transplant Program
Methodist Hospital
R
Allen
Baum,
MD
Immediate Past President Cardiology Clinic San Antonio
HCA Healthcare
Lee
Birnbaum,
MD, MS
Medical Director Neuroendovascular Services & Neurology Medical Director
Methodist Hospital & Texas Neuroscience Institute
Nilto
Carias
De Oliveira,
MD
Surgical Director, Lung Transplant Program
Methodist Heart and Lung Institute Vascular Center
Jeffrey
DellaVolpe,
MD
Medical Director, Adult ECMO Program
Texas IPS
Sarah
Dominguez,
APRN, CPNP-AC, RNFA
Congenital Heart Surgery Nurse Practitioner
Methodist Healthcare
Daniel
Donovan,
MD
Director of Mitral Valve Program
HCA Healthcare
Yissela
Escobedo,
MD, MS
Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Veronica
Gonzalez-Brown,
MD
Maternal Medical Director, Methodist Childrens Hospital and Women’s Services
San Antonio Perinatal Physicians
Stephen
Harper,
MD
EMS Medical Director
UTHealth San Antonio/Wilson County ESD 4
Timothy
Hudson,
DO
Medical Director of Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology
Methodist Children’s Hospital
Jennifer
Johnson,
DO
Director of Perinatal Cardiology
Methodist Pediatric Cardiology Associates
Pooja
Kashyap,
MD
Director Adult Congenital Transition Program
University Medicine Associates
Alexander
Kryszuk,
MD
Vascular Surgeon
Methodist Hospital
Chandra
Kunavarapu,
MD, FACC
Medical Director
Methodist Heart and Lung Institute
Michael
Lane,
MD, FACR
Methodist Healthcare System Board of Govenors
Methodist Healthcare System
Sunil
P.
Malhotra,
MD
Congenital Cardiac Surgeon
Methodist Congenital Heart Institute
Abelardo
Martinez-Rumayor,
MD, FACC
Interventional Cardiologist
Methodist Hospital
Yuichi
Matsuzaki,
MD, PhD
Surgical Director of Heart Transplant and MCS
Methodist Hospital
Jarrett
T.
McGehee,
MD
Partner
Methodist Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Keith
Nguyen,
MD, FSCAI
Interventional Cardiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Devang
Patel,
FACC, FSCAI, FAHA
Medical Director for Cardiovascular Research
Methodist Healthcare System
David
Pederson,
MD
Director of Electrophysiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Jason
Phillips,
MD
Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
UT Health San Antonio
Adam
Price,
MD
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Daniel
Ranch,
MD, MBA
Clinical Professor
UT Health San Antonio
Juan
Simon
Rico-Mesa,
MD
Structural Interventional Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Sachin
Saboo,
MD, FRCR, FSCMR
Cardiothoracic and Body Radiologist
South Texas Radiology Group, P.A. San Antonio, TX
Furqan
Shah,
MD
Cardiologist
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Mahek
Shah,
MD
Heart Failure Cardiologist
Methodist Heart and Lung Institute, Heat Failure and Transplant Clinic
Mahesh
Sharma,
MD
Director, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Executive Co-Director Methodist Congenital Heart Institute
Methodist Congenital Heart Institute
Steven
Shroyer,
MD
Clinical Investigator
Methodist Hospital
Matthew
Sideman,
MD
Professor and Chief
UT Health San Antonio
Kristie
Steffens,
CCP, LP, FPP
Pediatric Perfusionist
EVT
Nassir
Thalji,
MD, PhD
Abdominal Transplant Surgeon
Methodist Hospital
Nandish
Thukral,
MD, FSCAI
Medical Director, Cardiac Cath Lab; Medical Director, Complex PCI Program; Co-Director, Shock Program
Methodist Heart Hospital
Taylor
Triana,
MD, MBA, FACC
Director of Noninvasive Cardiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
J.
Fernando
Triana,
MD , FACC , FASPC
CV Physician Director
Methodist Hospital
Andrew
Unzeitig,
MD
Director for Vascular Services
Methodist Hospital
Alejandro
Velasco,
MD, FACC, CCDS
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Cardiology Clinic San Antonio
Alexis
Wahlen,
NP
Nurse Practitioner
Methodist Hospital
Randal
White,
MD, FACC
Director of Nuclear Cardiology
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio
Jonathan
Yang,
MD, MPH, FACS
Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Methodist Healthcare
Thomas
Zgonis,
DPM
Director, Diabetic Foot and Ankle Institute (DFAI); Fellowship Director, Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Surgery Fellowship
Methodist Hospital
