Prof. Kypros Nikolaides
MD, MBA, Professor of Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Surgeon Co-Director, Forward Pediatric Alliance, USA
MD, PhD, Deputy Director, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
MD, Assistant Professor, Consultant in Fetal and Paediatric Cardiology, UK, Greece
MD, MSc, PhD, UK CCT, Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology Specialist, Greece
MD, FACC, FASE, FSCMR, Professor of Pediatrics and Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of the Congenital Cardiac MRI Program, Co-Director of the Kawasaki Disease Follow-Up Program, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, New York, USA
MD, FAAP, FACC, FASE, Professor, Pediatrics, Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director, Fetal Cardiac Program, Director, Single Ventricle Program, University of Florida Congenital Heart Center, Gainesville, USA
MD, FAAP, FACC, FASE, The Van Metre Companies Endowed Chair of Fetal Cardiology, Medical Director of Prenatal Cardiology, Children’s National Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University, USA
MD, Division Chief Mass General Brigham, Co-Director Program for Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Program Director Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Brigham, USA
MD, MSc, PhD, FHFA, FESC, Assistant Professor in Cardiology, Second Cardiology Department, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
MD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Fetal Heart Program, Mount Sinai Children’s Heart Center, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, USA
MD, Professor of Pediatrics-Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
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DO, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Surgical Director of Heart Transplantation, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, USA
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MD, FASE, FACC, FAHA, Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Director of Echocardiography Laboratory, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA
MD, MSc, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Deputy Director, Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Surgery, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
MD, PhD, Consultant Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiology, Senior Consultant of Interventional Congenital Cardiology, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
Assistant Professor in Pediatrics-Pediatric Cardiology, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Hippokratio General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
MD, PhD, Pediatric cardiologist, Non-Invasive Imaging, Director of Fetal Cardiology, The Ward Family Heart Center, Professor of Pediatrics, SOM UMKC, Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City, MO, USA
MD, MSCR, Professor of Pediatrics Emory University, Staff Pediatric Cardiologist Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Cardiology, 1760 Haygood Drive, Health Sciences Research Bldg II, Atlanta, USA
MD, MSc, Pediatric Cardiology Attending, Fetal Echocardiography and Pediatric CMR Scientific Lead, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
MD, MSc, Director of Pediatric Cardiology Quality and Outcomes, Associate Professor in Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, Pediatric and Fetal Cardiologist, Quality and Outcomes Researcher, The Children’s Heart Center, USA
MD, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
MD, Adjoint Associate Professor, UT Health San Antonio, Texas, USA
Consultant Paediatric and fetal Cardiologist, Deputy Clinic Director of Congenital Heart Disease Department «Ygeia Hospital», Athens, Greece
MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Medical Director for the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Fetal Cardiovascular Program, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program Director, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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MD, Cardiology Consultant, CMR unit Clinical lead, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
MD, PhD, Director, Division of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
MD, FASE, FACC, Medical Director of Echocardiography, Texas Children’s Hospital, Associate Professor, Pediatric Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
MD, Chief, Division of Cardiac Imaging, Donald C. Fyler Chair in Pediatric Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Director, The Stella and Richard Van PraaghCardiac Registry, Departments of Cardiology, Pathology and Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA
MBBS, FACC, FHRS, CEPS, CCDS, Medical Director of Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
MD, MHS, Pediatric cardiologist, Director of Echocardiography, Co-Director of Non-invasive imaging, The Ward Family Heart Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City, Missouri, USA
MBBS MD, Prof of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, USA
MD, FASE, FAAP, FACC, System Director of Pediatric Cardiology, Robert Wood Jhonson Barnabas Health, Professor of Pediatrics, Rutgers Medical School, Associate Director Research Pediatric Clinical Research Center, USA
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MD (Res), PhD, MRCP, FRCPCH, Director, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, “HYGEIA” Hospital, Athens, Greece
MD, Division Chief, Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension Program, Federici-Smith Chair in Cardiology, Senior Associate Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
MD, PhD, Professor in Pediatric Cardiology, University of Ioannina, Greece
MD, PhD, EBIR, American Board of Radiology, Director of Radiology, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
MD, MBA, Professor of Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Surgeon Co-Director, Forward Pediatric Alliance, USA
Dr Petros V Anagnostopoulos, MD, MBA is the Chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at the American Family Children’s Hospital and Professor of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition, he serves as the Surgeon Co-Director for the Forward Pediatric Alliance, which is a Regional Congenital Program developed collaboratively by UW Health Kids and Children’s Wisconsin. His training as a Congenital Heart Surgery includes a Cardiothoracic Residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and a clinical Congenital Heart fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. After working as an attending surgeon at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix Arizona and an Assistant Professor at UCSF, Dr Anagnostopoulos joined the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics with the goal to build a thriving academic pediatric cardiothoracic surgery program in 2011. Since 2011 the Program in Madison has enjoyed significant growth, is performing over 340 total cases a year and has become a tertiary and quaternary referral center in the upper Midwest. The program has been ranked as a top 50 programs in the nation by US News and World Report for the last 6 consecutive years and since 2023 has expanded to include a Pediatric Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Program.
Dr Anagnostopoulos is a member of the Congenital Heart Surgeon’s Society (member of both the Research Committee and of the Quality and Outcomes Committee), the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (member of the Congenital Clinical Practice Standards Committee) and of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and of the American Academy of Pediatrics (member of the Section on Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery). He has co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed journals and 3 book chapters. He has given numerous local, regional, national and international oral presentations. He is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and of the World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery. He is an Ad-Hoc Reviewer for several scientific journals.
MD, Assistant Professor, Consultant in Fetal and Paediatric Cardiology, UK, Greece
Marietta Charakida is an Assistant Professor of Paediatrics–Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Head of the Preventive Cardiology Clinic and Senior Lecturer at King’s College London. She is a paediatric and fetal cardiologist with extensive clinical, academic, and research experience in the UK and Greece, having previously held an academic position at King’s College London and worked at leading UK centres in paediatric and fetal cardiovascular medicine.
Her research focuses on cardiovascular health across the life course, with particular interests in fetal and childhood cardiovascular development, pregnancy-related cardiometabolic disorders, vascular health, and the early origins and prevention of cardiovascular disease. A key focus of her work is understanding how pregnancy and early-life exposures influence cardiovascular structure and function and contribute to future cardiovascular risk.
She has authored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications and participates in national and international research collaborations in fetal medicine, paediatric cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, and preventive cardiology. She is also actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education, mentoring, and scientific peer review.
MD, MSc, PhD, UK CCT, Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology Specialist, Greece
Dafni Charisopoulou is a Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology specialist and holds a UK Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Paediatric Cardiology. She trained at leading paediatric cardiothoracic centres in London, including Evelina London Children’s Hospital, the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Through her paediatric cardiology training and subsequent fellowships at these institutions, she undertook subspecialty training in fetal cardiology and advanced cardiovascular imaging and gained further expertise in pulmonary hypertension and advanced heart failure.
She subsequently held Consultant positions at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, the Academic Centre for Congenital Heart Disease (Erasmus & Radboud University Hospitals) in the Netherlands, and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London. Following more than 15 years of clinical experience in Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology in the United Kingdom, she returned to Greece, where she was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Paediatric Cardiology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Dr Charisopoulou obtained her PhD in Cardiovascular Medicine from Umeå University, Sweden, with the thesis “Myocardial Electromechanical Function in Long QT Syndrome.” Her research focuses on myocardial mechanics and advanced cardiovascular imaging in inherited arrhythmia syndromes and congenital heart disease, as well as pulmonary hypertension, advanced heart failure, and transplantation.
MD, FACC, FASE, FSCMR, Professor of Pediatrics and Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of the Congenital Cardiac MRI Program, Co-Director of the Kawasaki Disease Follow-Up Program, Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital New York, USA
Dr. Choueiter is Professor of Pediatrics and Radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. She serves as Director of the Congenital Cardiac MRI Program, and Co-Director of the Kawasaki Disease Follow-Up Program.
Dr. Choueiter is an internationally recognized leader in pediatric and congenital cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), with expertise in advanced multimodality imaging, congenital heart disease, and Kawasaki disease. She has played a key role in advancing the use of CMR for complex congenital heart disease and has led numerous educational initiatives to standardize imaging protocols and reporting.
Dr. Choueiter’s Kawasaki disease research has focused on coronary artery imaging, long-term cardiovascular outcomes, thrombosis prevention, stress imaging, and transition of care into adulthood. She is an active investigator in the International Kawasaki Disease Registry (IKDR) and has served on the writing committee for the 2024 American Heart Association Scientific Statement on Kawasaki Disease. She has co-founded KAWARABI (Kawasaki Disease Arab Initiative), a multinational collaborative network dedicated to advancing research, education, and clinical care for Kawasaki disease across the Arab world.
Dr. Choueiter has delivered invited lectures and hands-on coronary artery imaging workshops throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She currently serves as Chair of the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Section of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR), where she leads initiatives in education, quality improvement, and congenital CMR standardization.
MD, FAAP, FACC, FASE, Professor, Pediatrics, Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director, Fetal Cardiac Program, Director, Single Ventricle Program, University of Florida Congenital Heart Center, Gainesville, USA
Dr. Jennifer Co-Vu, MD, FACC, FASE, FAAP is a Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Cardiologist at the University of Florida Congenital Heart Center (UF-CHC), with joint appointments in Radiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology. She serves as the Director of both the Fetal Cardiac Program and the Single Ventricle Program.
A core member of the UF-CHC Non-Invasive Imaging team, Dr. Co-Vu performs advanced cardiac imaging including cardiac MRI, cardiac CT, fetal echocardiography, transthoracic and transesophageal echo, and 3D/functional imaging. Her academic and clinical leadership extend nationally and internationally. She is the ACC Women in Cardiology Chair-Elect and previously chaired the ACC WIC Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Subcommittee. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Society of Pediatric Echocardiography, currently serving as Treasurer and on the presidential track. At the University of Florida, she serves as President of UF Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS).
Dr. Co-Vu is active in editorial leadership, serving as an Editorial Consultant for JACC: Advances, Section Editor for Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports, Associate Editor for the International Journal of Cardiology, and a member of the International Editorial Board for Cardiology in the Young.
She has been recognized with numerous honors, including multiple Exemplary Teacher Awards from the UF College of Medicine, induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, the Florida ACC Chapter Richard Conti Gifted Teacher Award, and selection to the highly competitive ACC Sandra J. Lewis Mid-Career Women’s Leadership Institute. Her research and programmatic leadership include cardiovascular imaging, fetal and single ventricular research, NIH/NHLBI-funded multi-center trials, telehealth innovation, and national advocacy efforts in pediatric cardiology.
MD, FAAP, FACC, FASE, The Van Metre Companies Endowed Chair of Fetal Cardiology, Medical Director of Prenatal Cardiology, Children’s National Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University, USA
Dr. Donofrio is a Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and the VanMetre Companies Endowed Chair of Fetal Cardiology and Medical Director of Prenatal Cardiology at Children’s National. She is the Founding President of the Fetal Heart Society and the co-Chair of the newly formed Global Affairs Committee expanding the collaborative reach of the Society internationally. Dr. Donofrio is an international expert in fetal cardiology and is known for her work in establishing multidisciplinary protocols for specialized delivery room management of babies diagnosed in utero with complex congenital heart disease which now are the basis of a training initiative for neonatologists through the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has published over 150 papers, including the American Heart Association Scientific Statement on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Fetal Cardiac Disease, the American Society of Echocardiography Guidelines and Recommendations for Performance of the Fetal Echocardiogram, and the Call to Action Report on Prioritizing Delivery Room Care for Neonates with Critical Congenital Heart Disease.
MD, Division Chief Mass General Brigham, Co-Director Program for Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Program Director Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Brigham, USA
Katherine Economy, MD is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School. She is the Division Chief for Maternal Fetal Medicine at Mass General Brigham and Co- Directs the Program for the Heart Disease in Pregnancy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. As a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist, Kathy is especially drawn to clinical challenges at the interface of obstetrics and internal medicine, with a focus on cardiovascular disease in pregnancy. Through the development of multidisciplinary clinical programs, educating fellows, and serving in national service roles, she has worked to enhance both individual patient care and broader clinical standards in her field. Kathy is especially passionate about monitoring and teaching the next generation of clinicians. Outside of work, Kathy enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
MD, MSc, PhD, FHFA, FESC, Assistant Professor in Cardiology, Second Cardiology Department, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
TRAINING
Cardiology Boards obtained in Athens. Supported by two grants, I worked in London UK as a clinical and research fellow in the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Dpt, Royal Brompton, London, UK.
Worked as a research and clinical fellow to professors WJ McKenna and Perry Elliott at St George’s Hospital, London, where I did research and clinical work.
CLINICAL RESEARCH WORK
Special interest and research in heart failure in congenital heart disease, pregnancy and heart disease, peripartum cardiomyopathy, inherited cardiomyopathies.
Currently, I am leading Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic and Inherited Cardiomyopathies Clinic at Second Cardiology Department, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens University.
TEACHING
Teaching Regularly Medical Students, Cardiology Fellows.
Supervised 3 PhDs and 5 MScs.
PUBLICATIONS
Author of more than 85 papers in peer reviewed journals, and multiple chapters in International and Greek International Cardiology Textbooks.
Reviewer in several international peer reviewed journals.
Current h-index=28 (Google scholar)
Co Editor:
Heart Failure in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Springer Series: Congenital Heart Disease in Adolescents and Adults.
CONGRESSES
Participated actively (speaker, chairperson, commentator) in more than 200 congresses and conferences in Greece, Europe and United States.
MEMBERSHIPS
Fellow: European Society of Cardiology
Fellow: ESC Heart Failure Association
Member of Study Group on Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (HFA) 2018-2024
National coordinator for the Registry of ESC <Pregnancy and Heart Disease> (ROPAC) for Greece.
Member of ESC working group on Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
Member of European association on Cardiovascular Imaging
Member of International Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Member: Hellenic Cardiac Society
Past President: Greek Working Group for Congenital Heart Disease (under the Hellenic Cardiac Society) 2012-2014
President: WG on Cardiac Imaging of the Hellenic College of Cardiology (2018-2020)
MD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Fetal Heart Program, Mount Sinai Children’s Heart Center, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, USA
Miwa Geiger is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Fetal Heart Program at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Heart Center. She holds joint appointments in Pediatric Cardiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Geiger specializes in diagnosing and managing fetal cardiovascular conditions, providing continuous care from prenatal detection through childhood. Her clinical and research interests focus on early fetal echocardiography, complex congenital heart disease, and enhancing family communication and support.
A New York City native, Dr. Geiger earned her MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, a pediatric cardiology fellowship at UCLA, and an advanced fetal echocardiography fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She returned to Mount Sinai in 2008 to dedicate her career to fetal and neonatal cardiovascular medicine.
MD, Professor of Pediatrics-Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
Professor of Paediatrics-Paediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece. Head of Pediatric Cardiology Unit, University Hospital Heraklion, Crete. Teaching and research interests include cardiac auscultation (computer-based applications, e-learning), school screening for CV disease, fetal cardiology, modern pediatric cardiology imaging and teaching.
Medical school studies in Kapodestrian Medical School Athens and pediatric fellowship program (Crete), training in Pediatric and Fetal Cardiology in Greece (Onassis Cardiac Centre, Athens), Germany (Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, University of Freiburg). Since 2004 elected Faculty Member of School of Medicine, University of Crete (Lecturer, Associate, Assistant, Professor position since 2024) . Sabbatical visits in Imperial College, Center of Fetal Care Hammersmith and Brompton Hospitals London (fetal cardiology -2007) and Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School (CHD cardiac CMR-2011). Member of AEPC, Greek and German Pediatric and Pediatric Cardiology Societies.
Serves as reviewer and Editor in medical Journals, organized awarded Erasmus Intensive Programmes in Pediatric Cardiology for European Medical Students, visiting Professor in European Medical Faculties and Lifelong learning programmes.
Language skills include English and German, hobbies include music, history and philosophy book reading, sailing and windsurfing.
MD, FASE, FACC, FAHA, Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Director of Echocardiography Laboratory, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA
Dr. Jone is a Professor of Pediatrics and the Medical Director of Echocardiography at Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She pioneered pediatric 3D echo guidance in cardiac cath lab to improve guidance and reduce patient radiation exposure. Her clinical interests and research projects encompass 3D echocardiography, Kawasaki Disease, and echo in Pulmonary hypertension, with over 100 peer reviewed publications and numerous chapters in reference textbooks. She is currently the principal investigator (PI) for 3D echocardiography multi-center trial and is the site PI for NIH funded clinical trials on multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID and Kawasaki Disease. She leads a team for innovative echocardiography probe and software development. She leads the AI workgroup at the American College of Cardiology and is the Chair for Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Council at the American Society of Echocardiography.
MD, MSc, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Deputy Director, Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Surgery, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
Meletios Kanakis works as a Deputy Director at the Onassis Hospital‘s Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Surgery.
He graduated from the University of Athens‘ Medical School in 2002 and went on to pursue postgraduate studies in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Surgery, and Telemedicine there in 2009. In 2010, he finished his PhD thesis at Athens Medical School, in collaboration with the experimental surgery department of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens.
In 2016, he joined the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center as a cardiothoracic surgical fellow specializing in congenital heart surgery. In 2017, he was awarded an Onassis Foundation scholarship and travelled to London’s internationally renowned Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children to further his training in the surgical management of complex congenital heart disease, congenital tracheobronchial anomalies, mechanical support for heart failure, and pediatric heart and lung transplantation. Since 2018, he has been employed at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, and now Onassis Hospital.
He is also the author of over 150 international publications in prestigious medical journals and has participated in 52 international and 162 national medical conferences. In addition, he reviews medical articles for internationally renowned journals and teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students at the School of Medicine of the University of Athens.
His research work focuses on the treatment of congenital heart disease, contemporary cardiac surgery, and vasculopathies and is carried out at the Onassis Hospital and the Medical School of the University of Athens.
M.D, PhD, Consultant Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiology, Senior Consultant of Interventional Congenital Cardiology, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
Currently serving as Associate Director of the Congenital Heart Disease Department at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center since February 2026, he brings extensive international leadership and clinical experience in congenital cardiology for both pediatric and adult patients. His previous professional background includes serving as Lead of the Congenital Catheterization Laboratory (Pediatric & Adult) at the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre (EMCHC), Leicester University Hospitals NHS Trust (2018–2026), Oberarzt Interventionist in Congenital Heart Disease at the Bad Oeynhausen Heart and Diabetes Center in Germany (2013–2018), and Consultant Interventionist in Pediatric Cardiology at National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2012–2013). He holds a Medical Degree (MD) from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, completed subspecialty training in Pediatrics at the General Regional University Hospital of Patras (Rio, Greece) and in Pediatric Cardiology at the Asklepios Clinic Sankt Augustin (Bonn, Germany), and earned a PhD from the University of Duisburg-Essen (NRW, Germany). His academic and research work is reflected in 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals indexed in PubMed and Google Scholar.
Assistant Professor in Pediatrics-Pediatric Cardiology, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Hippokratio General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
My name is Maria Kavga and currently I am working as an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Cardiology in Thessaloniki, having both clinical and academic duties. On one hand I am serving Greek Public Health System as a Pediatric Cardiologist, based at Hippokratio General Hospital and on the other hand I am teaching and doing research at the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Initially I have been specialized in Greece in General Pediatrics. Subsequently I was moved to the United Kingdom, where, after national interviews I got a training number in Pediatric Cardiology and I specialized in Pediatric Cardiology in the United Kingdom, holding a Formal Training Position at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. My special interest is both Fetal Cardiology and Advanced Imaging. Also, I hold the European Certification in Pediatric Cardiology. Moreover, I am a member of the European Society of Pediatric Cardiology (member of Fetal Group as well), the British Society of Congenital Heart Diseases, the Hellenic Society of Pediatric Cardiology and the Hellenic Society of Cardiology. Finally, I hold a PHD since 2013 from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the field of Pediatric Cardiology, which is mainly the area of my research interest. I have published so far papers in international peer-reviewed journals, while I have also participated as a speaker at international conferences.
MD, PhD, Pediatric cardiologist, Non-Invasive Imaging, Director of Fetal Cardiology, The Ward Family Heart Center, Professor of Pediatrics, SOM UMKC, Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City, MO, USA
Dr Maria Kiaffas is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the Director of Fetal Cardiology at Children’s Mercy Hospital (CMH), Kansas City MO. Dr Kiaffas, a native of Greece, after completing her studies at the Aristotelian University School of Medicine in Thessaloniki, pursued further training in the US. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut Medical School Pediatric Residency Program, followed by a Cardiac Pathology Fellowship with Drs Stella and Richard Van Praagh at Boston Children’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School. She did her core Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh – University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Following a short return to Greece and working at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center as a Non-invasive Imager and Pediatric Cardiac Intensivist, she came back to the US and completed a Cardiac MRI fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School. She then became staff at the Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiology Department at the Onassis Cardiac Center in Athens Greece, dividing her time between the general pediatric cardiology services, the pediatric echocardiography laboratory and leading the fetal cardiology program. During that time, she earned a PhD from the Kapodistrian University School of Medicine, magna cum laude, with her thesis focusing on Fetal Cardiology. Since 2016 she has been a faculty member at Children’s Mercy Hospital, member of the Non-invasive and Advanced Cardiac Imaging team, with her clinical and research interests focusing on Fetal Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiac Imaging (echocardiography, cardiac CT and MRI) and Pathology of Congenital Heart Disease.
MD, MSCR, Professor of Pediatrics Emory University, Staff Pediatric Cardiologist Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Cardiology, 1760 Haygood Drive, Health Sciences Research Bldg II, Atlanta, USA
Lazaros Kochilas, MD, MSCR, is Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He is an established investigator in congenital heart diseases, with expertise spanning clinical outcomes, population-based research, and translational cardiovascular science. He has held leadership roles in major collaborative networks, including the Pediatric Heart Network and Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium, and participated in industry-sponsored trials in pediatric heart failure (PANORAMA-HF) and anticoagulation (SAXOPHONE). He has led multicenter efforts linking clinical registries with national mortality, transplantation, and patient-reported outcomes to define the lifelong consequences of congenital heart diseases and their treatment. His research focuses on long-term outcomes after congenital heart surgery, single-ventricle and Fontan physiology, health-related quality of life, and the integration of clinical and genomic data to advance precision care.
MD, MSc, Pediatric Cardiology Attending, Fetal Echocardiography and Pediatric CMR Scientific Lead, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
Dr. Kourtidou is a USA-trained, board-certified Pediatric Cardiologist and Level III–certified Cardiovascular MRI imager (FSCMR) with over a decade of clinical, academic, and research experience.
She completed her Pediatric Residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, her Cardiology Fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and her Advanced Cardiac Imaging Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She previously served as academic Pediatric Cardiology faculty and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, before returning to her home country of Greece to join Onassis Hospital in Athens.
Dr. Kourtidou founded the Onassis Pediatric Cardiac MRI program and serves as leading consultant of the Onassis Fetal Cardiology Clinic. She is a Board Member of the Hellenic Association for Pediatric Cardiology and remains actively engaged in global health missions across Tanzania and Madagascar, as well as underserved-community outreach.
MD, MSc, Director of Pediatric Cardiology Quality and Outcomes, Associate Professor in Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, Pediatric and Fetal Cardiologist, Quality and Outcomes Researcher, The Children’s Heart Center, USA
Director of Heart Center Quality and Outcomes, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Northwell Health | Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Dr. Aparna Kulkarni is a pediatric cardiologist and physician scientist and quality improvement leader with subspecialty expertise in fetal echocardiography and non-invasive cardiac imaging. She serves as Director of Pediatric Cardiology Quality and Outcomes at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Northwell Health, where she leads a comprehensive quality and safety program spanning inpatient, ambulatory, surgical, and critical care settings, encompassing multi-registry participation, live quality dashboards, clinical pathway development, and safety event analysis.
Dr. Kulkarni’s clinical and research focus centers on the maternal-fetal axis, prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease, and the systematic sources of variation that affect diagnostic accuracy, timeliness, and equity in fetal cardiac care. She is an outcomes and health service researcher. Her work bridges rigorous clinical imaging expertise with a health systems science approach grounded in formal training. She holds an MSc in Health Economics, Outcomes, and Management in Cardiovascular Sciences from the London School of Economics, enabling her to translate evidence into durable, scalable improvement infrastructure.
Nationally, Dr. Kulkarni is a National Academy of Medicine Scholar in Diagnostic Excellence (2025–2026), leading an AHRQ-funded project on comprehensive needs identification and care coordination to improve diagnostic excellence and equitable access in fetal congenital heart disease echocardiography. This work directly informs her symposium presentations on sources of variation in prenatal CHD diagnosis and strategies for system-level improvement.
She is a member of the American College of Cardiology Heart PAC Executive Committee, Scientific Publications Committee, and the Sandra J. Lewis Mid-Career Women’s Leadership Program. She previously served as Contact Editor for the Cochrane Heart Collaborative and reviews for multiple high-impact cardiovascular journals. Her research spans health outcomes, health economics, health policy, and maternal-fetal cardiovascular investigations.
Certified Genetic Counselor, USA
Jennifer Kussmann, M.S., CGC has 20+ years of clinical genetic counseling experience. She worked for seven years at the University of Missouri in prenatal clinic, outreach clinics across the state, Huntington’s disease clinic and pediatric genetics clinic. Jennifer has spent the past 15 years at Children’s Mercy Hospital in a variety of subspecialty clinics. Her passion is providing care to patients who have complex needs in the Fetal Health Center.
MD, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
Dr. Irene Lytrivi graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 1993 and moved to the US for residency and fellowship training. She is a pediatric cardiologist with over 20 years of clinical experience and advanced training in cardiac imaging (Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine) and pediatric cardiomyopathy and heart transplantation (Children’s Hospital of Boston). Dr. Lytrivi has authored many peer-reviewed publications and actively collaborates in multi-center clinical trials as the site Principal Investigator. She was the Medical Director of Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplantation at Mount Sinai Medical Center until 2018 when she transferred to Columbia University. She is currently an Attending with the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
MD, Adjoint Associate Professor, UT Health San Antonio, Texas, USA
Eduardo Macias, MD, is an Adjoint Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric and Fetal cardiologist at UT Health San Antonio. He completed his pediatric residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Washington University in St. Louis and additional training in fetal cardiology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.
Since 2021, Dr. Macias has served as Director of Fetal Cardiology at UT Health San Antonio, where he has led significant growth and innovation in fetal cardiac care.
Dr. Macias is particularly interested in improving access to fetal and pediatric cardiac care in underserved and resource-limited settings. His academic work encompasses fetal echocardiography, congenital heart disease screening, global health, medical education, quality improvement, and the use of artificial intelligence to address disparities in cardiovascular care. He has presented his work nationally and internationally and has developed educational programs for physicians, fellows, residents, and sonographers.
Beyond his clinical and academic roles, Dr. Macias is active in the Fetal Heart Society, serving as Co-Chair of its Global Affairs Committee and participating in the Educational and Program Directors Committee. He is also actively involved with Empowering Hearts Globally, where he leads the organization’s general curriculum and the fetal cardiology module, helping develop educational resources to expand sustainable pediatric and fetal cardiology training globally. His work reflects a commitment to advancing fetal cardiology through clinical excellence, education, innovation, and global collaboration.
MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Medical Director for the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Fetal Cardiovascular Program, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program Director, University of California, San Francisco, USA
Dr. Anita Moon-Grady, director of the Fetal Cardiovascular Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, uses her training in pediatric cardiology and neonatal/perinatal medicine to raise awareness and increase detection of fetal heart problems. Working in concert with the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center she coordinates care for pregnancies affected by fetal heart disease or dysfunction, whether intervention is necessary before, during or immediately after birth. Her research focuses on non-invasive imaging modalities for investigation of normal and abnormal cardiac function in patients with congenital heart disease and fetuses with congenital heart disease and cardiac compromise, as well as fetuses with cardiac dysfunction due to non-cardiac causes.
Dr. Moon-Grady earned a medical degree from Stanford University, where she also earned a Dean’s Award for research in human genetics. At the UC Davis she completed a residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in neonatal/perinatal medicine. Her fellowship in pediatric cardiology was completed at UCSF. She is a member of the American Society of Echocardiography and the American Medical Association. She has been elected fellow of the American College of Cardiology, fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography and served on the Board for the Pediatric Council of the American Society of Echocardiography. She is also a founding member of the steering committee for the International Fetal Cardiac Intervention Registry and the UCSF steering committee representative to the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet).She is the Vice-President and a Board member of the non-profit Fetal Heart Society and Chair of the Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Committee for the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.
Education:
Stanford University School of Medicine – 1993
Residencies:
University of California Davis Medical Center, Pediatrics – 1996
Fellowships:
University of California Davis Medical Center, Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine – 1999
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Cardiology – 2002
Board Certification:
American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics – 1996
American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology – 2002, ongoing
Curriculum Vitae available upon request.
MD, Cardiology Consultant, CMR unit Clinical lead, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
Dr Eva Nyktari is a Cardiology Consultant working at Onasis Cardiosurgery Center with expertise in cardiovascular MRI covering the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.
She studied medicine at the University of Crete and did her postgraduate training initially in internal medicine (Crete) and then in cardiology in Sweden and University hospital of Crete. After finishing Cardiology training (2009) had worked as a consultant in the university hospital of Crete with a special interest in advanced cardiac imaging. She continued at the Royal Brompton Hospital (6 years) where she received level 3 accreditation from both the Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and the European Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and worked as a CMR Lead Consultant in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
Dr Nyktari is highly involved in clinical research in the field of arrhythmias, Congenital and inherited structural heart disease and Cardiovascular MR imaging.
MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
My name is Apurva K. Panchal. I am a well accomplished pediatric critical care physician currently serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Children’s Mercy Hospital (CMH) in Missouri, America. My extensive training began with an M.B.B.S. from N.H.L. Medical College in India. I completed a Pediatrics Residency at Columbia University, followed by a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. I also completed a Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. I hold board certifications in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.
With over a decade of experience in pediatric critical care and more than five years dedicated specifically to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), I bring clinical expertise to my practice. In my current faculty role at CMH, I provide comprehensive care for pediatric patients with complex cardiovascular conditions, including the postoperative management of congenital heart surgeries. My clinical proficiency includes the routine management of single-ventricle physiology and advanced utilization of various mechanical circulatory support modalities.
I have demonstrated a significant commitment to medical education by serving as a Residency Research Director and a Simulation Instructor. I have received multiple awards in teaching throughout my career.
I serve on national committees, including the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium Committee (PC4), the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program.
My scholarly activities are extensive, encompassing numerous peer-reviewed publications, case reports, and poster presentations. My research frequently explores post-operative care in pediatric cardiac intensive care units and pediatric sedation and pain.
When I am not in the ICU, I love to travel, explore photography, and challenge myself by learning to play different musical instruments.
MD, PhD, Director, Division of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
Dr. Papagiannis is an internationally trained leader in pediatric cardiology, electrophysiology, and adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), with over three decades of clinical and academic expertise. Recognized for pioneering work in cardiac rhythm management, Dr. Papagiannis’s research and clinical focus centers on the definitive treatment of supraventricular tachycardia in children using radiofrequency current, a subject on which he earned a PhD from the University of Patras.
Dr. Papagiannis’s extensive postgraduate foundations include a pediatric residency at Washington University’s St. Louis Children’s Hospital, followed by consecutive, specialized fellowships in pediatric cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at Duke University Medical Center, as well as cardiac pathology at Harvard Medical School. A highly credentialed expert, Dr. Papagiannis holds board certifications from the American Board of Pediatrics, the American Board of Internal Medicine in ACHD, and advanced clinical and device certifications from the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners.
Throughout a distinguished career spanning the United States and Greece, Dr. Papagiannis has directed major cardiovascular divisions and shaped international clinical practices. After directing pediatric electrophysiology units at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Dr. Papagiannis returned to Greece to lead departments at Mitera Children’s Hospital and the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center. Currently, Dr. Papagiannis serves as Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and as Director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in Athens. A dedicated researcher and contributor to global medical literature, Dr. Papagiannis has authored 7 book chapters and published 72 peer-reviewed articles indexed in PubMed.
MD, FASE, FACC, Medical Director of Echocardiography, Texas Children's Hospital, Associate Professor, Pediatric Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Dr Anitha Parthiban is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas and Medical Director of Echocardiography at Texas Children’s Hospital. Her clinical and research focus is on pediatric cardiac imaging, specifically transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography and fetal cardiology. She has expertise in and is passionate about 3D echocardiography in addition, she has received training in Quality Improvement and LEAN methodology and published work in this area as well.
MD, Chief, Division of Cardiac Imaging, Donald C. Fyler Chair in Pediatric Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Dr. Andrew Powell is a Senior Associate in Cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He graduated from Harvard Medical School followed by a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric cardiology, both at Boston Children’s Hospital. Afterward, he joined the staff there in the Department of Cardiology, where he is currently the Chief of the Cardiac Imaging Division. In 2019 he served as the President of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR). Dr. Powell specializes in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography. His research has focused on the development of quantitative MRI methods to guide therapy and predict outcomes of congenital and pediatric heart disease.
MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Director, The Stella and Richard Van PraaghCardiac Registry, Departments of Cardiology, Pathology and Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA
Dr. Sanders attended Georgetown University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. He received his MD degree from the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center. He completed Pediatric residency at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center and Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. He was Director of the Cardiac Noninvasive Laboratory at Boston Children’s Hospital from 1983 until 1994, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Duke University for seven years and Chair of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome, Italy for 5 years. In 2010 he became director of the Cardiac Registry at Boston Children’s Hospital, a collection of 4000 catalogued heart specimens. His primary interests include the embryology and morphology of congenital heart defects and anatomy-imaging correlation. He has extensive experience with the pathology of childhood heart disease, analysis of materials used in cardiac surgery, and creation of 3D models from CT and MRI images of heart specimens.
MBBS, FACC, FHRS, CCDS, CEPS, Director, Cardiac Electrophysiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Professor of Pediatrics (Pediatric Cardiology), Perelman SOM, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Dr. Maully Shah is the medical director of cardiac electrophysiology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) , director of the electrophysiology fellowship program, Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She is the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of the Cardiac Center at CHOP. She completed her medical school training from the University of Gujarat in India and her pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut Combined residency Program in Farmington , CT. She completed her Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship as well as her Pediatric Electrophysiology Fellowship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is past President of the Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES) from 2019-2020 and served on its executive committee from 2016-2021. She also served as PACES vice president of Research from 2016-2017. She is the chair of the 2021 PACES Expert Consensus Statement Consensus Statement on the Indications and Management of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices in Pediatric Patients . She is associate editor for Journal of American College of Cardiology and. JACC Electrophysiology journals. She also serves as committee member section in the American College of Cardiology’s IMPACT research and publications committee and the Heart Rhythm Society’s Scientific Clinical Documents and Guidelines committee. She has is the senior editor for the text book entitled “Pacing and Defibrillation in Pediatrics and Congenital Heart Disease” (Wiley publishers, UK) and co-editor of the recent Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics Review entitled “Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices in Congenital Heart Disease (Elsevier, USA). She has co-authored over 100 peer reviewed publications, over 100 abstracts presented at international and national scientific meetings. She has been invited as faculty to speak and chair sessions at numerous scientific conferences. Dr. Shah’s clinical interests include diagnosis and management of patients with arrhythmias, sports cardiology, prevention of sudden cardiac death and interventional electrophysiology procedures. Her research interests are complex catheter ablations, electroanatomic mapping and imaging of congenital heart disease for electrophysiology procedures, and novel cardiac implantable electronic device implantation.
MD, MHS, Pediatric cardiologist, Director of Echocardiography, Co-Director of Non-invasive imaging, The Ward Family Heart Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Sanket Shah is currently a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and Medical Director of Echocardiography and cross-sectional imaging at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City MO. My clinical and research focus in pediatric cardiac imaging, specifically transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography, and Cardiac MRI/CT.
After medical degree in India, I pursued Masters of Health Science at the School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, USA. I completed General Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology training in the State of Michigan and since 2010 have been a faculty member at Children’s Mercy Hospital, an affiliate of University of Missouri in Kansas City.
MBBS MD, Prof of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, USA
Dr. Shardha Srinivasan is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin. Her clinical and academic interests focus on multimodality imaging and the management of complex congenital cardiac disease in children and fetuses.
During her tenure at UW Health Children’s Hospital, she has served in several leadership roles, including Director of Pediatric Echocardiography and Director of Fetal Cardiology. She currently leads the programs in three-dimensional echocardiography and multidisciplinary Fontan care.
Dr. Srinivasan is passionate about advancing cardiovascular imaging through education, innovation, and collaboration. Her current interests include simulation-based education, three-dimensional echocardiography and animation, multimodality imaging for complex congenital heart disease, fetal arrhythmias, and quality and safety in cardiac imaging. She is also a strong advocate for family-centered care and supporting children and their families throughout the congenital heart disease journey.
MD, FASE, FAAP, FACC, System Director of Pediatric Cardiology, Robert Wood Jhonson Barnabas Health, Professor of Pediatrics, Rutgers Medical School, Associate Director Research Pediatric Clinical Research Center, USA
Dr. Shubhika Srivastava is a distinguished Pediatric Cardiologist and national leader recognized for her strategic vision in developing high-quality clinical programs. A cornerstone of her career is dedication to education and mentoring the next generation of specialists. Dr. Srivastava’s clinical leadership is backed by an elite academic foundation, having trained at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (Residency/Chief Residency), and the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine (Fellowship). She translates this expertise into global impact as aco-founder of Empowering Hearts Globally, where she chairs the curriculum committee to build sustainable cardiac capacity worldwide.
Her influence is further solidified through extensive academic contributions. Dr.Srivastava holds significant leadership roles within the American College of Cardiology (ACPC QNet Steering Committee), the American Society of Echocardiography, and the Fetal Heart Society. With over 100 peer-reviewed publications and roles on prestigious editorial boards, she continues to drive the national standards for excellence in pediatric
cardiology.
MD (Res), PhD, MRCP, FRCPCH, Director, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease, “HYGEIA” Hospital, Athens, Greece
Dr. Aphrodite Tzifa MD (Res), PhD, MRCP, FRCPCH is a Pediatric Cardiologist and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Specialist. She serves as Director of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease at “HYGEIA” Hospital.
She studied Medicine at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and subsequently moved to England in 1996, where she specialized in Pediatrics and later in Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease. She specialized in interventional cardiology for congenital heart defects in children and adults, both in England and in Boston, where she was trained in the applications of interventional cardiology in fetal life.
She has worked across all fields relating to the care of pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease, including intensive care units and perioperative care for infants, children, and adults with congenital heart disease, with over 22 years of experience. She has a particular interest in perioperative imaging via transesophageal and epicardial echocardiography and has performed in total more than 25,000 transthoracic echocardiograms and 2,500 cardiac catheterizations in children and adults.
Dr. Tzifa has additionally trained in cardiac MRI for congenital heart disease and performs hybrid cardiac catheterizations combined with MRI. In December 2009, she led a research program that resulted in the world’s first interventional catheterization performed purely under MRI guidance.
She has served as Special Secretary of the Hellenic Society of Pediatric Cardiology, as well as President of the Working Group on Pulmonary Hypertension, Congenital Heart Defects, and Valvular Disease of the Hellenic Society of Cardiology. She represents Greece in the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC) and is a member of its Adult Congenital Heart Disease Working Group. She has an extensive record of publications and research work, alongside a strong interest and active involvement in the training of younger colleagues.
MD, Division Chief, Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension Program, Federici-Smith Chair in Cardiology, Senior Associate Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Anne Marie Valente, MD is a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She received a B.S. from Boston College and M.D. from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She completed residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, followed by fellowships in Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Cardiovascular Disease, with advanced training in cardiac imaging at Duke University Medical Center.
In her role as Division Chief of the Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) Program, she established the BACH Scholars Program and developed professional development initiatives to foster collaboration and multigenerational mentorship.
Her research focuses on improving outcomes for adults with congenital heart disease, particularly those with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). She co-founded the international INDICATOR registry of TOF patients and co-chaired the 2020 Appropriate Use Criteria for Non-Invasive Multimodality Imaging in congenital heart disease. Dr. Valente has contributed to numerous guidelines from the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the European Society of Cardiology. Since 2021, she has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
MD, PhD, Professor in Pediatric Cardiology, University of Ioannina, Greece
Current Position
Professor of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Ioannina
Education
Academic Career in Greece
Scientific Interests leading to corresponding publications
MD, PhD, EBIR, American Board of Radiology, Director of Radiology, Onassis Hospital, Athens, Greece
Thomas Vrachliotis is Head of Radiology at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in Athens, Greece. He is board certified by the Hellenic Board of Radiology and the American Board of Radiology. Dr. Vrachliotis completed Radiology residencies at Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, and OSU Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio. He is fellowship trained in Body CT at Beth Israel Hospital, Cardiovascular MRI at William Beaumont Hospital, and Cardiovascular-Interventional Radiology at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School. His research interests are in Cardiovascular Imaging and Interventional Radiology. Dr. Vrachliotis has authored 45 scientific articles and 15 book chapters and is an active reviewer for CVIR, JVIR, Radiology, and RadioGraphics. He is Associate Editor in Radiographics.