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, with top 20 rankings in the past five years.
Heart Institute Leadership
Dr. Knott-Craig is the co-director of the Heart Institute, professor and chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and The Susan and Alan Graf Endowed Chair in Pediatric Heart Surgery at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. 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. Dr. 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 serves as executive co-director of Le Bonheur’s Heart Institute, chief of Pediatric Cardiology for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr Towbin is also medical director of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, mechanical circulatory support (ventricular assist devices [VADs]), cardio-oncology, cardio-hematology and heart transplant at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Dr. 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, which has generated over 580 published manuscripts, is internationally known, and he is widely considered a leader in pediatric cardiology specifically in the area of cardiomyopathy care for children. Dr. Towbin is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty.
Cardiology
Dr. Absi is a dual-specialty trained pediatric cardiologist and cardiac intensive care physician who trained at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. More recently, he received expert training in cardiomyopathy and mechanical circulation support (ventricular assist devices; VADs) 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, which includes ventricular assist devices (VADs), at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Dr. Amin is a pediatric cardiologist with expertise in cardiac imaging in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Bhimani is a pediatric cardiologist with special expertise in advanced cardiac imaging. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic and in Advanced Cardiac Imaging at the University of Florida. Dr. Bhimani is a member of the American Society of Echocardiography, Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Fetal Heart Society and American Heart Association.
Dr. Guerrier is director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) Program and also directs the cardiac rhythm device management, pacemakers and automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at Le Bonheur. She also is an interventional electrophysiologist with advanced training in this subspecialty. 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 and the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Heart Institute. He completed a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital followed by a fellowship in Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the Ohio State University Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty, by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a cardiology subspecialty and by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a subspecialty in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
Dr. Johnson is the associate chief of Cardiology in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital 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 are non-invasive imaging including advanced echocardiography, fetal cardiology and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). Dr. Johnson is also the director of the cMRI program at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Dr. Joshi is medical director of Noninvasive Cardiology in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 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 cardiac imaging, echocardiography and sports-related cardiology.
Dr. Martinez is a specially-trained cardiologist in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and an associate professor in Pediatric Cardiology and Genetics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Martinez completed his Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Riley Children's Hospital at Indiana University and received advanced specialty training in cardiomyopathy, heart failure, mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He is currently the medical director of the Cardiovascular Genetics service in Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Heart Institute 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, heart failure, cardio-genetics and cardio-oncology.
Dr. Merlocco is a pediatric cardiologist with expertise in pediatric cardiac imaging and special training in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). He completed his Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital at Harvard Medical School and his advanced Cardiac Imaging and cMRI fellowship subspecialty training at Children's National Medical Center at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. Dr. Merlocco is also an associate professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
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. Dr. Naik completed his Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital and his Advanced Imaging in Cardiac MRI (cMRI) in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. He specializes in non-invasive imaging including cMRI, fetal echocardiography, advanced echocardiography and stress echocardiography.
Dr. Parashar is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He completed his Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Dr. Ranjit Philip is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Philip completed his fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He has expertise in general pediatric cardiology and non-invasive imaging and serves as director of the Pediatric Cardiology Outpatient Clinic in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Dr. Philip is also team cardiologist for the University of Memphis.
Dr. Rebolledo has expertise in general pediatric cardiology and non-invasive imaging, including transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal echocardiography. He is an associate professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. Dr. Rebolledo is the director of the Pediatric Fellowship Office at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Dr. Ryan is a specially-trained pediatric cardiologist with advanced training in cardiomyopathy, heart failure and heart transplant care. She completed her fellowship training in Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Heart Institute. She is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty.
Dr. Sathanandam is the director of Cardiac Catheterization and Cardiac Intervention in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. He specializes in interventional cardiology, and he developed transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) at the bedside in extremely low birthweight premature infants. He also has expertise in heart valve implantation and catheter-based interventions for complex congenital heart disease. Dr. Sathanandam is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Surendran is a member of the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital with expertise in general pediatric cardiology and non-invasive imaging and 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. Swaminathan is a member of the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital with expertise in general pediatric cardiology and non-invasive imaging and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty. Prior to joining the Heart Institute faculty, Dr. Swaminathan completed her Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Tailor is a pediatric cardiologist with specialty training in cardiac catheterization and intervention and is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Tailor completed his fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital before doing his specialty training in Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
Dr. Waller is the medical director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) within the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and is dual certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty and an ACHD specialty. Dr. Waller also specializes in interventional pediatric cardiology. He is a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Yohannan specializes in general pediatric cardiology and non-invasive imaging. Dr. Yohannan is the medical director of inpatient pediatric cardiology within the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the director of the pediatric cardiology fellowship for the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He 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.
Pediatric Cardiac Intensivists
Dr. Briceno-Medina is a pediatric cardiac intensivist in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and is interim co-director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, and is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Briceno-Medina completed his Pediatric Cardiology fellowship and advanced specialty training in Cardiac Intensive care at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Dr. Kramer is an interim co-director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. She is a dual-trained, triple-boarded cardiac critical care intensivist who is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics, with a cardiology subspecialty and a critical care subspecialty. Dr. Kramer completed fellowships in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Pediatric Cardiology at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland before joining the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Dr. Anton-Martin is a cardiac critical care intensivist. She completed her Pediatric Critical Care fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Anton-Martin completed her Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care and Mechanical Circulatory Support fellowship at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, United Kingdom. She also received fellowship specialty training in Neonatology in Spain. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a pediatric critical care specialty. Dr. Anton-Martin is an assistant professor with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Karki is a dual-trained, double-boarded pediatric cardiac critical care intensivist and assistant professor of Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He completed his Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital before joining the Le Bonheur Children's Heart Institute. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and 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 pediatric cardiac critical care intensivist. She completed her Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois and her Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with a cardiology subspecialty.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Boston is the surgical director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program, as well as surgical director of Le Bonheur's Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program, within the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. He specializes in the surgical care of infants, children and young adults with complex congenital heart disease and in mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation of infants, children and young adults with all forms of heart failure, whether caused by heart muscle disease or complex congenital heart disease. Dr. Boston is a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Ramakrishnan is a cardiovascular surgeon in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital with special training in congenital heart surgery. He specializes in neonatal cardiac surgery, heart transplantation and ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation. He is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistant
Lindsey Bird is a doctor of Nursing Practice and an acute care nurse practitioner in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. She is board certified in Pediatric Acute Care and is a certified nurse educator. Lindsey earned a Master of Science from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (with highest honors) and a post-Master's certificate in Pediatric Acute Care from Vanderbilt University. She earned her doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University.
Ryan Stephens is a nurse practitioner for the Adolescent-Adult Congenital Heart Disease (AACHD) Program at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and a faculty member of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing. Stephens is also the primary nurse practitioner for Adolescent Cardiology, Sports and Exercise Cardiology and directs the Transition Education Clinic (TEC) for patients moving from pediatric cardiac care to adult congenital cardiac care.
Jenny Strelsin is a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner in the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital with clinical expertise in the care of infants, children, teens and young adults with cardiomyopathy, heart failure, mechanical circulatory support/ventricular assist devices (MCS/VADs) and heart transplantation. Streslin is an associate instructor at the University of Tennessee Health Science College of Nursing. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing and Pediatric Acute Care -BC from the University of South Alabama.
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