Jasjit Bhinder, MD

Heart Failure Physician

South Shore University Hospital

Assistant Professor, Cardiology

Dr. Rachel-Maria Brown Talaska earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History of Science, History of Medicine from Yale University.  After working as a researcher in the field of molecular biology, she earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine.  She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Following residency she completed her fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell in New York, NY and was appointed Chief Fellow during her final year of fellowship.  Dr. Brown Talaska joined the Cardiology faculty at Northwell Health- Lenox Hill Hospital as Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and has transitioned to Director of Inpatient Cardiac Services and Director of Consultative Cardiology. Additionally, Dr. Brown Talaska is the Lenox Hill Hospital Site Director for two NIH trials, TRANSFORM-HF and SPIRRIT-HFpEF.  She has completed the Six Sigma DMAIC program as a Black Belt and continues to apply her expertise working on various Cardiology quality improvement projects.

Jason Chinitz is a cardiac electrophysiologist, an Associate Professor of Cardiology for the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He serves as the Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at South Shore University Hospital, and the director of EP Quality for Northwell Health’s Eastern Region. He specializes in catheter ablation, left atrial appendage occlusion, and cardiac device implantation. He has research interests in improving outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation, and has been the PI on several Industry sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical trials. After completing medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, he completed a residency in Internal Medicine at NY Presbyterian-Weill Cornell, fellowship in cardiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and fellowship in Cardiac Electrophysiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Valerie Demekhin, PharmD, BCCCP, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Heart and Lung Transplant

North Shore University Hospital

James Gabriels, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiologist

North Shore University Hospital

Assistant Professor, Cardiology

Evelina Grayver, MD

Central Region Director

Katz Institute Women’s Heart Program

Co-Director, Cardio-Obstetrics Program

North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Assistant Professor, Cardiology

Matthew Griffin, MD

Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine

North Shore University Hospital

Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD

Heart Failure Physician

Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Associate Professor, Cardiology

Zachary Kon, MD

Surgical Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation

Northwell Health

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

As the Director of Structural Heart Echocardiography within the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health, Dr. Koss is responsible for providing clinical leadership and imaging expertise in structural echocardiography in our SHD program. Dr. Koss focuses on implementing a collaborative strategy across the health system to improve quality, identify and implement best practices, develop clinical protocols, and recruit new technologies in the SHD echocardiography program.

Dr. Koss has participated in multiple landmark TAVR trials (including EXPAND II), percutaneous mitral repair and replacement trials (COAPT, CLASP IID and IIF, Apollo), and tricuspid repair and replacement trials (Triluminate, CLASPII TR, TRISCEND).  Dr. Koss has particular interest and expertise in 3D echocardiography, structural heart imaging, and intra-operative and interventional transesophageal echocardiography.   She has provided intra-procedural guidance for the above procedures as well as alcohol septal ablation, percutaneous paravalvular leak closure and percutaneous PFO/ASD/VSD closure.

Dr. Koss is committed to helping advance patient care and outcomes in structural heart disease and helping to give patients the opportunity to benefit from cutting edge technologies.

Jeffrey T. Kuvin, MD is the Chair of the Department of Cardiology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Chief of Cardiology at North Shore University and Long Island Jewish Hospitals, Co-Director of the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital, and Senior Vice President of Cardiology at Northwell Health. Prior to his arrival to Northwell, Dr. Kuvin was Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. While at Dartmouth, he was instrumental in attracting key faculty recruits, building clinical efficiencies, developing new programs, and expanding regional cardiovascular care.

Clinically, Dr. Kuvin focuses on preventive cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, and adults with congenital heart disease. His research interests focus on the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vasomotor function. He has contributed to the literature in the fields of vascular function, echocardiography, preventive cardiology, and education. Dr. Kuvin was honored with the Career Award for Teaching at Tufts Medical Center and was inducted into the Geisel Academy of Master Educators at Dartmouth.

At the American College of Cardiology (ACC), Dr. Kuvin is Chair of the Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee which oversees all of ACC’s educational offerings. He was the Chair (2017, 2018) and Vice-Chair (2015, 2016) of ACC’s Annual Scientific Sessions. Dr. Kuvin was the lead developer and first Chair of the ACC fellowship In-training Examination and is the current Editor of ACC’s General Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (ACCSAP). Dr. Kuvin was recently elected to the ACC Board of Trustees.

Dr. Kuvin received his undergraduate degree in Near East and North African Studies at the University of Michigan, where he was a member of the varsity swimming team and a silver medalist at the 1985 World Maccabiah Games. Dr. Kuvin received his medical degree from Emory University and was an internal medicine house officer, chief medical resident, and cardiology fellow at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston. He joined the cardiology staff at Tufts Medical Center in 1999, and in 2016, rose to Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. At Tufts, Dr. Kuvin was the Associate Chief of Cardiology, Director of Cardiovascular Education and Fellowship Training, Director of Quality Improvement and Outcome Measures, and in 2011, became the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Graduate Medical Education providing oversight to all training programs.

Spencer Liu, MD

Interventional Heart Failure

Staten Island University Hospital

Kathryn Malhame, NP

Senior Nurse Practitioner

North Shore University Hospital

Jennifer H. Mieres MD, is the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and a professor of cardiology, at The Zucker School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Bennington College and Boston University School of Medicine; is a Fellow of The American Heart Association (AHA), American  College  of  Cardiology  (ACC),  and  Master of the  American  Society  of  Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) and served as the first female President of the ASNC in 2009.

Dr Mieres is a Senior Vice President of Northwell Health’s, Center for Equity of Care, and serves as the health system’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, with oversight of all diversity and health equity initiatives and is a member of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health.

Dr. Mieres’ clinical focus and research are centered on the elimination of health and gender disparities and cardiovascular disease in women.  She is a leading advocate for patient-centered healthcare and medical education reform and has authored/co-authored over 60 scientific and peer reviewed publications, including as lead author of the 2005 and 2014 AHA cardiac imaging guidelines for women. As an international speaker, she has presented her research as distinguished faculty at over 100 forums and conferences: both nationally and internationally including scientific sessions of the ACC, AHA, ASNC, the International Conference of Nuclear Cardiology and IHI/BMJ International Forum on Quality & Safety in Healthcare.  A true patient and community advocate; Dr. Mieres is actively involved in service and served as chair of several national AHA committees as well as the Scientific Advisory Board for WomenHeart. A prolific communicator; Mieres recently co-authored Heart Smart for Women: Six S.T.E.P.S IN Six Weeks to Heart-Healthy Living, published in October 2017 and the Spanish version of the book, Un Corazon Saludable Para La Mujer Moderna -Seis P.A.S.O.S en Seis Semanas Para Mantener La Salud Del Corazon published January 2019.Following her Emmy-nominated documentary A Woman’s Heart, (2001); her creative ingenuity has evolved as an executive producer of a two-part documentary series Rx:The Quiet Revolution and Doctors of Tomorrow, (2015).  The films have forged a change in narrative while garnering placement on national TV network PBS and in educational institutions. Dr Mieres also executive produced the award winning women’s health documentary ‘Ms.Diagnosed’, which premiered at the Cinequest film festival on March 7, 2020.

Louis H. Miller, MD, attended the George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he studied journalism, biology, public health and earned his medical degree. He then moved to New York City to complete his residency training in internal medicine at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Miller remained at NYU to complete fellowship training in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology and served as both the Senior Chief Resident of the internal medicine residency training program and as Chief Fellow of the cardiology fellowship there.

Upon completion of his training, Dr. Miller joined the faculty of NYU in the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology and became the Senior Associate Program Director of the NYU Internal Medicine Residency Training Program. His primary clinical responsibilities were centered at Bellevue Hospital Center, the oldest public hospital in the United States. His major areas of interest have included the use of direct observation in the assessment of trainees, teaching cost-conscious care, and the use of predictive analytics and natural language processing in trainee assessment and clinical reasoning.

In 2019, Dr. Miller joined the faculty of the Zucker School of Medicine where he serves as the Assistant Dean for Career Advisement. He practices general cardiology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and is the Director of Clinical Cardiology there. He also serves as the Associate Program Director of the Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at North Shore-LIJ.

Dr. Miller has been awarded Teacher of the Year at NYU by both the Department of Medicine and the Division of Cardiology, and at Northwell Health by the Department of Cardiology. In addition to his work in cardiology and medical education, Dr. Miller sits on the Board of Directors of the Ali Forney Center.

Matthew Pierce, MD, MBA is the Cardiology Critical Care Site Director at North Shore University Hospital and is Assistant Professor in Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He practices primarily in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit in the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital. Dr. Pierce received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine, graduating in 2011. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Morningside-West and fellowships in cardiovascular disease at Temple University Hospital and medical critical care at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Dr. Greta Piper is the Director of Critical Care at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital, Director of Organ Procurement, and Director of Thoracic Transplant for North Shore University Hospital. Dr. Piper oversees multiple teams that provide care for some of the most acute and complex cardiac patients in our health care system.

Dr. Piper previously served as the Co-Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, System Director of Organ Donation and Director of the Surgical Critical Care Program at New York University. She received her medical degree from Drexel University then completed fellowships in Acute Care Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Dr. Piper started her career as a trauma/acute care surgeon at Yale then moved to New York where she worked at New York University Hospital and Bellevue Hospital. During her time at NYU, she started the surgical critical care fellowship, built a team of ICU attendings and ACPs, and played a vital role in pioneering various innovative endeavors including face transplant, donation after circulatory death normothermic regional perfusion program, and xenotransplants. She was instrumental in starting NYC’s first donor care unit, working to change the culture of organ donation in New York. With almost 20 years of experience in the medical field, Dr. Piper has established herself as an esteemed and reputable clinician, teacher, and colleague.

Christine Portela, MS, ACSM-CEP

Senior Exercise Physiologist

North Shore University Hospital

Allison Provenzale, NP

Nurse Practitioner

Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant

North Shore University Hospital

NSUH/LIJMC Fellow 

Adjunct Therapies for HFrEF/HFpEF Case Presentation

Geurys Rojas-Marte, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.  He is an Advanced Heart Failure, Transplant Cardiology, and Pulmonary Hypertension specialist at Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell.

Dora Rossi, NP

Supervisor, Advanced Clinical Providers

North Shore University Hospital

Melissa Rudawski, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Lenox Hill Hospital

Christina Saikus, MD, PhD

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Assistant Professor, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Dr. Kristin Stawiarski completed her residency and general cardiology fellowship at Bridgeport Hospital as part of the Yale University training program. She went on to finish her advanced heart failure and transplant training at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Dr. Stawiarski joined the Northwell Advanced HF faculty in 2022.

Gerin Stevens, MD, PhD

Heart Failure Physician

Lenox Hill Hospital

Associate Professor, Cardiology

Internal Medicine Resident, Zucker School of Medicine at NSUH/LIJMC

Sirish Vullaganti, MD, MSc is the Director of Heart Failure at Lenox Hill Hospital. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Northwestern University and medical degree at the University of Alabama-Birmingham where he graduated with honors. He completed his medical residency at New York Presbyterian-Columbia and both Cardiology and Advanced Heart Failure fellowships at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

His clinical interests include management of heart failure across all spectrums of severity, LVAD and heart transplant care, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treatments, and the use of advanced imaging modalities in patients with heart failure. He is also passionate about education both at the medical trainee and patient levels.