Meet the 2019 Program Planning Committee

CONGRESS CHAIR & AVLS: LIVE STEVE ELIAS, MD, FACS, FAVLS

Steve Elias, MD, FACS, FAVLS

Dr. Elias is director of the Center for Vein Disease at Englewood Hospital. He is board certified in venous and lymphatic medicine and in general surgery, and he completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at Englewood Hospital.

Dr. Elias’s clinical interests include all aspects of minimally invasive vein care; he is also committed to procedure development and teaching. He has lectured, written, and taught about vein disease both nationally and internationally. He has been principal investigator/investigator on numerous clinical trials and performed the first ClariVein procedure on a human. He has been director of the vascular vein programs at the Mount Sinai Vein Center and at Columbia University.

AVLS: LIVE ELLEN DILLAVOU, MD, FACS

Ellen Dillavou, MD, FACS

Dr. Ellen Dillavou is a vascular surgeon at Duke Regional Hospital and Duke University Hospital. She treats the full spectrum of vascular surgery disorders, and specializes in vein disease and vascular access. Drawn by the challenge of the vascular surgery, she has since dedicated herself to provide procedures best suited for patients. Dr. Dillavou has published various pieces focusing on vascular surgery dating back to 1997.

AVLS: INTERACTIVE & DEEP VEINS ANTONIO GASPARIS, MD

Antonio Gasparis, MD

Dr. Antonios Gasparis is a board-certified vascular surgeon and has been in practice for over 10 years. He is a leader in the field of vein disease, recognized for his work as a clinician, researcher, and educator. An active researcher, Dr. Gasparis is the author of 40 published papers and 5 book chapters on varicose veins, DVT, and pelvic vein disease. He teaches new techniques and technologies and has given over 100 presentations throughout the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Gasparis also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Phlebology. He has been cited as an “American Top Surgeon” for five years.

AVLS: INTERACTIVE PETER PAPPAS, MD

Peter Pappas, MD

Dr. Peter J. Pappas is a board certified General and Vascular Surgeon who graduated from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 1987. Dr. Pappas completed his General Surgery Residency at Cooper Hospital University Medical Center, a Robert Wood Johnson affiliate, in 1993. He is nationally recognized for his basic science and clinical research activities in venous disease. He was also the first recipient of the JOBST Research Fellowship in Venous and Lymphatic Disease of the American Venous Forum Foundation.

AVLS: EMERGING SCIENCE JOSEPH RAFFETTO, MD, FACS, FSVM

Joseph Raffetto, MD, FACS, FSVM

Dr. Joseph Raffetto, MD, FACS, FSVM, is a vascular surgeon in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Graduating from the Boston University School of Medicine in 1989, Dr. Raffetto has published publications focusing on chronic venous diseases, venous ulcers, vascular contraction, varicose veins, and lymphedema.

Dr. Raffetto has research interests in understanding the cellular mechanisms of vascular disease. As an expertise in the characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying the vein wall dysfunction, Dr. Raffetto has experience performing experiments on isolated vessels from animals and humans. His current research interest is in varicose vein pathophysiology, endothelial function with dilation and relaxation pathways, interaction of MMPs with vein wall pathways, and venous leg ulcer pathophysiology.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - ALLIED HEALTH SARAH WHITEHEAD, ARNP

Sarah Whitehead, ARNP

Sarah D. Whitehead, ARNP, works with surgical and nonsurgical vascular patients at the University of Washington Medical Center since 2008. Beginning as the clinic nurse and transitioning in 2012 as the advanced registered nurse practitioner, her interests include varicose veins, venous ulcerations, central venous stenosis, lymphedema, effort thrombosis, SVC syndrome, vascular malformations, MayThurner and Nutcracker Syndrome.

She has presented annually at the Pacific Northwest Endovascular Conference Nursing Session since 2013 on topics such as new DOAC management, venous ulcer wound care, and venous insufficiency.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - DEEP VEINS CARL BLACK, MD

Carl Black, MD

Dr. Carl M. Black is fellowship-trained and board certified in interventional radiology. His primary professional focus is in the comprehensive treatment of venous disease, including endovascular management of deep and superficial venous insufficiency, pelvic venous hypertension, vascular malformations, deep venous thrombosis and IVC filter management. His other areas of expertise include endovascular PE management, peripheral arterial disease, acute ischemic stroke treatment, chronic pain management, interventional oncology and multimodality vascular imaging. Dr. Black is an active researcher and has authored many peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters and has presented at numerous scientific meetings. He serves on the boards of the AVLS and the ABVLM and is an ABVLM diplomate.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - LYMPHEDEMA STEVEN DEAN, DO, FACP, RPVI

Steven Dean, DO, FACP, RPVI

Steven M. Dean, DO, FACP, RPVI, is the director of the Vascular Medicine Program, director of Cardiovascular Medicine’s Noninvasive Peripheral Vascular Laboratory, and professor of clinical medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Dr. Dean’s clinical expertise is the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of vascular diseases such as lymphedema, venous diseases, vasospastic diseases, unusual lower extremity ulcerations, enigmatic limb swelling and noninvasive imaging.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - LYMPHEDEMA HEATHER HETTRICK, PT, PHD, CWS, CLT, CLWT

Heather Hettrick, PT, PhD, CWS, CLT-LANA, CLWT

Dr. Hettrick has been a licensed physical therapist since 1995. She has dedicated her entire professional career to integumentary function and dysfunction, becoming a key opinion leader on integumentary function, repair and regeneration, as well as wound, lymphedema and burn management.

Dr. Hettrick’s diverse clinical background is complemented by experience in research, professional writing and publication, speaking on the national and international circuit, volunteering on professional board organizations, consulting, lobbying for legislative change on Capitol Hill, organizing humanitarian work in Haiti, and creating entrepreneurial endeavors focusing on experiential learning.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - PELVIC & WOMEN’S VEINS KATHLEEN GIBSON, MD

Kathleen Gibson, MD

Dr. Kathleen Gibson plays an active role in a range of venous and vascular societies, and is currently involved in developing standardization of definitions and tools for treating pelvic venous disease. Dr. Gibson serves on the American Vein & Lymphatic Society Board of Directors Executive Committee.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - PELVIC & WOMEN’S VEINS MARK MEISSNER, MD

Mark Meissner, MD

Mark Meissner earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1985. He then completed his residency, his fellowship in Vascular Surgery and his fellowship in Interventional Radiology at the University of Washington. His clinical interests are acute deep venous thrombosis, chronic venous disease and the management of pelvic venous reflux. Dr. Meissner serves on the American Vein & Lymhpatic Society Board of Directors Executive Committee.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - SUPERFICIAL VEINS NEIL KHILNANI, MD, FSIR, FAVLS

Neil Khilnani, MD, FSIR, FAVLS

Dr. Khilnani has been a member of the Division of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center since 1992. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. He is the past president for the American Vein & Lymphatic Society, Chairman of the Foundation for Venous & Lymphatic Disease, Venous Service Line Co-Chair for the Society of Interventional Radiology, and President-Elect of the Intersocietal Accredidation Commission for Vein Centers. The majority of Dr. Khilnani’s clinical practice is related to the care of patients with superficial venous insufficiency.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - SUPERFICIAL VEINS NICOS LABROPOULOS, PHD

Nicos Labropoulos, PhD

Dr. Nicos Labropoulos is currently a professor of Surgery and Radiology at Stony Brook University Hsopital, Long Island, NY. He is the director of the Vascular Laboratory and has a major interest in pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases. He completed his undergraduate training at the University of London and his PhD and Vascular Fellowship at St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, London, UK. Professor Labropoulos is on the editorial board of 11 journals and serves as a reviewer for over 20 medical and surgical journals.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - VASCULAR MEDICINE YUNG-WEI CHI, DO, FAHA, FSVM, FAVLS

Yung-Wei Chi, DO, FAHA, FSVM, FAVLS

Dr. Chi is a nationally recognized expert in vascular medicine with clinical expertise on venous, arterial, and lymphatic disorders. He has presented his research works and lectured at major national and international conferences. His research comprises aspects of vascular medicine, focusing on vascular ultrasound imaging, antithrombotic therapy, cellular based/angiogenesis therapy for peripheral arterial disease, and venous diseases and interventions. He serves on the American Vein & Lymphatic Society Board of Directors.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - VASCULAR MEDICINE JOHN BARTHOLOMEW, MD

John Bartholomew, MD

John R. Bartholomew, MD is former Section Head of Vascular Medicine and a staff physician in the Sydell and Arnold Family Heart & Vascular Institute. He is also a member of the Taussig Hematology and Oncology Institute. He is board-certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Vascular Medicine. He is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Bartholomew is the Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Thrombosis Center and is a former member of the Steering Committee for the National Quality Forum on Deep Vein Thrombosis. He is a Master of the Society for Vascular Medicine and is Past President for the Society.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - VASCULAR ULTRASOUND SARA SKJONSBERG, RVT, RPHS

Sara Skjonsberg, RVT, RPhS

Sara Skjonsberg, RPhS, RVT graduated from Seattle University’s Diagnostic Ultrasound program in 2013. Sara is currently a vascular sonographer at Oregon Vascular Specialists. Sara is especially interested in pelvic venous disorders and education of current and future sonographers. She is actively involved in the Seattle University and Bellevue College vascular ultrasound sections.

AVLS: PRACTICAL - WOUND CARE WILLIAM MARSTON, MD

William Marston, MD

William Marston, MD graduated from the University of Virgina in 1988. He specializes in endovascular surgery, limb preservation, would care, vein disorders, and dialysis access. He is currently the Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.