Committee Overview

Budget and Finance

Prepare an annual budget and monitor the results of Chapter operations. Prepare and present monthly reports of the financial condition of the Chapter.

Cardio Oncology

To advance the science and clinical care of the evolving field of cardio-oncology through education, collaboration, and communication.

Certifications and Licensure

This committee is responsible for advocating for sensible state and Federal regulations and educating CA ACC members about the regulations and changes as they occur.

CMA Relations

Partner with the California Medical Association to advocating for physicians, nurses, and their patients.

Communications

The Public Relations Committee is charged with getting CA members involved, engaged and proud to be FACC. Get patients and public to realize the import and need for FACC.

CV Chapter Representatives

Provide a forum for interaction and education for Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Practitioners, Physican Assistants, Registered Nurses, PharmD’s, and other support team members.

Early Career

To identify needs of those new in practice and coordinate educational and networking events.

Exercise Health & Sports Cardiology

  1. To add value to our membership by educating our members in diagnosis and treatment of athletes.
  2. To raise the awareness of Exercise Health to the Californians thereby reducing and preventing Cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality.

FIT (Fellows In Training)

Provide quality education on topics not included in their training programs. Continue communicating with Program Directors throughout the state.

Foundation

To assist & support CA ACC in providing quality education to members & CA residents.

Geriatric

Government Relations

Monitor all legislation and actively lobby to defeat those bills which we consider adverse to the health interest of the people of California, as well as to support those bills which are in their best health interests. We will pursue our legislative programs at every possible stage of the legislative process.

Health Equality Committee

  1. Build a robust pipeline of medical students and internal medicine residents interested in cardiology
  2. Ensure diversity and inclusion in our training programs
  3. Provide leadership development opportunities

Innovation

Catalyzing innovation to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.

Israeli

  1. To add value to our membership by educating our members in diagnosis and treatment of athletes.
  2. To raise the awareness of Exercise Health to the Californians thereby reducing and preventing Cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality.

Nominations 

Recommend nominees for the 31 District Council positions and Governors. Solicit and certify all annual award recipients.

Prevention Committee

To reduce the number of Californians with heart and vascular diseases through education and promotion of optimal heart healthy lifestyles, risk factor control, and preventive therapies.

Political Action (PAC)

Contribute to the election of candidates whose political philosophies and values reflect those of cardiovascular specialists and who are in a position to further our goals of optimizing cardiovascular care for our patients. Encourage members to donate to allow CA ACC to represent cardiovascular interests in Sacramento. Membership in the PAC is voluntary.

Third Party Payers/CAC (Interventional & General Cardiology)

Monitor all issues dealing with quality of patient care and third party reimbursement, educate payors on issues, and keep the membership informed of ongoing changes.

Wellness

Helping Physicians avoid burnout by promoting intrinsic motivations and how what we DO at work aligns with our overall values and purpose in life.

Women In Cardiology

Provide mentors, targeted education and support for Women in Cardiology in the various phases of their careers. Encourage new women in Cardiology and those in the field to remain in the field.

Contact CAACC to join a committee.

Exercise Health & Sports Cardiology

  1. To add value to our membership by educating our members in diagnosis and treatment of athletes.
  2. To raise the awareness of Exercise Health to the Californians thereby reducing and preventing Cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality.
Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, MACC - Nominations; Cardio PAC

Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, MACC - Nominations; Cardio PAC

Cardiologist, Newport Coast Cardiology, Inc.

(949) 548-6634
Profile | Disclosure

Norman Lepor, MD, FACC - Cardio PAC Chair; Chapter Exchange

Norman Lepor, MD, FACC - Cardio PAC Chair; Chapter Exchange

Interventional Cardiology, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center

Jason Tso, MD - Exercise Health & Sports Cardiology Chair

Jason Tso, MD - Exercise Health & Sports Cardiology Chair

Stanford Medicine Health Care

Cardio Oncology

To advance the science and clinical care of the evolving field of cardio-oncology through education, collaboration, and communication.

Brenton Bauer, MD, FACC - Cardio-Oncology Chair

Brenton Bauer, MD, FACC - Cardio-Oncology Chair

General Cardiology, Cardio-Oncology & Advanced Cardiac Imaging COR Healthcare Associates

Certifications and Licensure

This committee is responsible for advocating for sensible state and Federal regulations and educating CA ACC members about the regulations and changes as they occur.

Paul Teirstein, MD, FACC - Certification and Licensure Chair

Paul Teirstein, MD, FACC - Certification and Licensure Chair

Interventional Cardiologist, Scripps Clinic

(858) 554-9905 | Profile

CMA Relations

Partner with the California Medical Association to advocating for physicians, nurses, and their patients.
John Nelson, MD, FACC - CMA Delegate

John Nelson, MD, FACC - CMA Delegate

Communications Committee

The Public Relations Committee is charged with getting CA members involved, engaged and proud to be FACC. Get patients and public to realize the import and need for FACC.

OPEN - Communications Chair

OPEN - Communications Chair

CV Chapter Representatives

Provide a forum for interaction and education for Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Practitioners, Physican Assistants, Registered Nurses, PharmD’s, and other support team members.

Ashika Thanju, APRN, FNP-BC, NP-C, AACC - Northern Representative

Ashika Thanju, APRN, FNP-BC, NP-C, AACC - Northern Representative

Cardiology, Dignity Health Medical Group, Bakersfield

Christina Craigo, NP - Southern Representative

Christina Craigo, NP - Southern Representative

IM Cardiology, Nurse Practitioner, Cedar Sinai

Mickey Parsley - 2027 Northern Representative

Mickey Parsley - 2027 Northern Representative

USCF

TBD - 2027 Southern Representative

TBD - 2027 Southern Representative

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Committee

1. Build a robust pipeline of medical students and internal medicine residents interested in cardiology
2. Ensure diversity and inclusion in our training programs
3. Provide leadership development opportunities

Early Career

To identify needs of those new in practice and coordinate educational and networking events.
Connor O'Brien, MD, FACC Associate Director

Connor O'Brien, MD, FACC Associate Director

Section of Critical Care Cardiology Assistant Clinical Professor UCSF

FIT (Fellows In Training)

Provide quality education on topics not included in their training programs. Continue communicating with Program Directors throughout the state.

Colin Mackenzie, MD - Northern FIT Chair

Colin Mackenzie, MD - Northern FIT Chair

 

 

Bianca Lavelle, MD - Southern FIT Chair

Bianca Lavelle, MD - Southern FIT Chair

Foundation

To assist & support CA ACC in providing quality education to members & CA residents.

Garwood Gee, MD, FACC - Foundation Chair

Garwood Gee, MD, FACC - Foundation Chair

Geriatric

Ashok Krishnaswami, MBBS, FACC - Geriatric Chair

Ashok Krishnaswami, MBBS, FACC - Geriatric Chair

Cardiologist, Kaiser Permanente

Government Relations

Monitor all legislation and actively lobby to defeat those bills which we consider adverse to the health interest of the people of California, as well as to support those bills which are in their best health interests. We will pursue our legislative programs at every possible stage of the legislative process.
Rich Wong - Government Relations Chair

Rich Wong - Government Relations Chair

Kaiser Permanente, Panorama City

(818) 815-5828

Innovation

Catalyzing innovation to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.
OPEN - Innovation Chair

OPEN - Innovation Chair

Israeli

  1. To add value to our membership by educating our members in diagnosis and treatment of athletes.
  2. To raise the awareness of Exercise Health to the Californians thereby reducing and preventing Cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality.
Norman Lepor, MD, FACC

Norman Lepor, MD, FACC

Interventional Cardiology, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center

Nominations 

Recommend nominees for the 31 District Council positions and Governors. Solicit and certify all annual award recipients.

Pediatric / ACHD Committees

The Pediatric Cardiology Committee provides input from pediatric cardiology to the Chapter’s Committees and Council. Issues of recent concern for the Chapter have included the epidemic of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes in children.

Ahmed Kheiwa, MBBCH, FACC

Ahmed Kheiwa, MBBCH, FACC

Pediatric / ACHD Chair

Prevention Committee

To reduce the number of Californians with heart and vascular diseases through education and promotion of optimal heart healthy lifestyles, risk factor control, and preventive therapies.
John D. Baker MD, FACP, FACC, FSCAI: Delegate to CMA Specialty Society; Prevention Co-Chair; Councilor for District 11

John D. Baker MD, FACP, FACC, FSCAI: Delegate to CMA Specialty Society; Prevention Co-Chair; Councilor for District 11

Invasive/Interventional Cardiologist, Pacific Cardiovascular Associates

(714) 956-9788 | Profile

Nathan Wong, PhD, FACC - Prevention Co-Chair

Nathan Wong, PhD, FACC - Prevention Co-Chair

Professor and Director, UCI Heart Disease Prevention Program University of California, Irvine

(949) 824-5433 | Profile

Quality Committee

The Quality Committee/Initiatives shall focus on new standards for health system reform that is patient focused, value-based and fosters continuous quality and outcomes improvement. It shall also encourage and assist chapter-wide integration and completion of all National Quality Initiatives, as well as any additional initiatives that local leadership select, such as STEMI, D2B, Hospital to Home, & Mission Lifeline.

OPEN - Quality Chair

OPEN - Quality Chair

Third Party Payers/CAC (Interventional & General Cardiology)

Monitor all issues dealing with quality of patient care and third party reimbursement, educate payors on issues, and keep the membership informed of ongoing changes.
Brijesh Bhambi, MBBS, FACC - Interventional (CAC)

Brijesh Bhambi, MBBS, FACC - Interventional (CAC)

Cardiologist, Central Cardiology Medical Clinic

(661) 323-8384 | Profile

 

Richard F. Wright, MD, FACC - Third Party Reimbursement/Carrier Advisory Committee (CAC)

Richard F. Wright, MD, FACC - Third Party Reimbursement/Carrier Advisory Committee (CAC)

Research Director and Director of the Heart Failure Center, Pacific Heart Institute

(310) 829-7678 | Profile | Alternate: Open

Wellness

Helping Physicians avoid burnout by promoting intrinsic motivations and how what we DO at work aligns with our overall values and purpose in life.
Deepthi Sudhakar, MD, FACC - Wellness Chair

Deepthi Sudhakar, MD, FACC - Wellness Chair

Women In Cardiology

Provide mentors, targeted education and support for Women in Cardiology in the various phases of their careers. Encourage new women in Cardiology and those in the field to remain in the field.

Helga Van Herle, MD, FACC

Helga Van Herle, MD, FACC

Keck School of Medicine of USC

(323) 442-6130 | Profile

Jaya Mallidi, MD, FACC

Jaya Mallidi, MD, FACC

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG)/UCSF

CARDIO PAC Board

Contribute to the election of candidates whose political philosophies and values reflect those of cardiovascular specialists and who are in a position to further our goals of optimizing cardiovascular care for our patients.

Nikhil Bassi, MD, FACC
Brenton Bauer, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASE
Teresa Daniele, MD, FACC
Norman E Lepor, MD FACC FAHA
Connor O’Brien, MD, FACC
Janet Wei, MD, FACC
Rich Wong, MD, FACC

Foundation Board

To assist & support CA ACC in providing quality education to members & CA residents.

Officers:
Chairman: Garwood Gee, MD, FACC
President/CEO: Lianna Collinge, CAE
Secretary/Treasurer: Sheila Kar, MBBS, FACC
Noel Boyle, MD, FACC
Matthew Budoff, MD, FACC
John Gordon, MD, FACC