Meet Our Heart Institute Team
The Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital uses the combined expertise of an advanced pediatric cardiac team to provide specialized care and pediatric cardiac surgery for children with congenital heart disease. Pediatric cardiologists, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac intensivists, pediatric intensivists and anesthesiologists make up the Heart Institute. Advanced practice nurses, perfusionists, cardiac nurses, respiratory therapists and lab and imaging technicians are specially trained in pediatric cardiology care. Our pediatric cardiology specialists are specially trained, and Le Bonheur's Heart Institute is nationally recognized by "U.S. News & World Report" as a top pediatric cardiology program.
Heart Institute Leadership
Dr. Knott-Craig is the co-director of the Heart Institute and professor of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He is certified by the South African Medical & Dental Council in Cardiothoracic Surgery and specializes in minimally invasive valve surgery, infant cardiac surgery and has pioneered surgical treatments for Ebstein’s anomaly. Knott-Craig is a founding member of the World Society of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and recipient of South Africa's Officio tua Dilligmus Award for humanitarian service in the field of medicine.
Dr. Towbin is executive co-director of Le Bonheur’s Heart Institute, serves as chief of Pediatric Cardiology for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is medical director of cardiomyopathy, heart failure and heart transplant at Le Bonheur. Towbin specializes in diagnostic and therapeutic advances for cardiomyopathies (heart muscle disease), heart failure, heart transplantation and cardiovascular genetics. His research work and clinical expertise in pediatric heart failure is internationally known, and he is widely considered a leader in pediatric cardiology specifically in the area of cardiomyopathy care for children.
Cardiology
Dr. Absi is a dual-specialty trained cardiologist in Intensive Care and Cardiology with training at Le Bonheur. He also received training in cardiomyopathy and mechanical circulation support at Texas Children's Hospital. Dr. Absi is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Absi is medical director of Mechanical Circulatory Support at Le Bonheur.
Dr. Amin is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Guerrier is director of cardiac rhythm device management at Le Bonheur and is an interventional electrophysiologist with advanced training. She completed her training in pediatric cardiology and pediatric electrophysiology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Guerrier is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Hendrickson is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
Dr. Johnson is associate chief of Cardiology at Le Bonheur and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He is an associate professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. His areas of focus include non-invasive imaging including advanced echo, fetal cardiology and cardiac MRI.
Dr. Joshi is medical director of Noninvasive Cardiology, and a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and specializes in fetal cardiology and imaging, echocardiography and sports related cardiology.
Dr. Martinez is a specially-trained cardiologist at Le Bonheur and an associate professor in Pediatric Cardiology and Genetics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Martinez received advanced specialty training at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He is currently the medical director of the Cardiovascular Genetics service and serves as a consulting Cardio-Oncologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital participating in the development of clinical preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for children and adult patients with cancer who become susceptible to cardiovascular disease. His areas of focus include Pediatric Transplant Cardiology, Cardiomyopathies, Cardio-Genetics and Cardio-Oncology.
Dr. Briceno-Medina is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Merlocco is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He is an associate professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Naik is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty, is the director of the fetal cardiology program and is an Associate Professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in non-invasive imaging including cardiac MRI, fetal echocardiography, advanced echocardiography and stress echocardiography.
Dr. Parashar is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Ranjit Philip is an instructor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in telemedicine, 3-D echocardiography and non-invasive cardiology.
Dr. Rebolledo is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He is an associate professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal echocardiography, as well as congenital and acquired pediatric heart disease.
Dr. Ryan is a specially trained pediatric cardiologist with advanced training in cardiomyopathy, heart failure and heart transplant. She completed her fellowship in pediatric cardiology at Le Bonheur. She is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology.
Dr. Sathanandam is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in interventional cardiology, transcatheter valve implantation and catheter based intervention for complex congenital heart disease.
Dr. Surendran is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is an Assistant Professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Swaminathan is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Tailor is a cardiologist and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Waller is the medical director of cardio-imaging, certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and is a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in interventional pediatric cardiology, including therapeutic catheterizations for critically ill neonates, critically ill preoperative patients and complex cases of adults with congenital heart disease; transcatheter closure of intracardiac shunts.
Dr. Yohannan is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in non-invasive cardiology, preventive cardiology, cardiomyopathies, cardiac failure and cardiac transplantation.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Boston is the surgical director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Program at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and surgical director of Le Bonheur's Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program. He specializes in the transplantation of infants with complex congenital heart disease. Dr. Boston is actively involved in teaching and research in pediatrics and cardiothoracic surgery, and has published on many subject matters, including Ebstein's Anomaly and ventricular device support in the pediatric population. He is a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Ramakrishnan is a cardiovascular surgeon with special training in congenital heart surgery. He is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He specializes in neonatal cardiac surgery, heart transplant and ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation.
Cardiac Anesthesiology
Dr. Head is a Cardiac Anesthesiologist. He is the Medical Director of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Pediatric Cardiac Intensivists
Dr. Anton-Martin is a Cardiac Critical Care Intensivist. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Critical Care. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Karki is a cardiac critical care intensivist. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatric critical care medicine and is a member of the Pediatrics Cardiac Intensive Care Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Karikari is a cardiac critical care intensivist.
Dr. Kramer is a cardiac critical care intensivist.
Dr. Sandhu is a Critical Care Intensivist.
Dr. Shah is a Critical Care Intensivist.
Dr. Tadphale is a Cardiac Critical Care Intensivist.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistant
Ryan Stephens is a nurse practitioner for the Le Bonheur ACHD program. Stephens was born with tetralogy of Fallot and underwent surgical repair as a child. He now enjoys an active life with few limitations.
Strelsin is a cardiomyopathy and heart failure nurse practitioner with special training in mechanical circulatory support and cardiomyopathy.
Perfusionists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
Perfusionists
Jerry Allen, CCP, Chief Perfusionist
Eliot Paschalis, CCP
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
Gordon Corder, CRNA
Genevieve DuPuis, CRNA
Kim Graves, CRNA
Janet Sessums, CRNA
