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Dr. Ayaaz K. Sachedina

Chair, CathSHOCK Conference 

Ayaaz is a Canadian Interventional Cardiologist at Foothills Medical Centre and the University of Calgary. He is the Director of CathSHOCK – Calgary Shock Symposium, the Lead for the Percutaneous Mechanical Circulatory Support Program in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and the coordinator of the Cardiogenic Shock Team Initiative at Foothills. He completed his medical training at the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, and the University of Texas where he completed a fellowship in Interventional Heart Failure at the Center for Advanced Cardiopulmonary Therapeutics and Transplant, Texas Medical Center, Houston. His focuses include coronary intervention, percutaneous mechanical support in the management of cardiogenic shock, and TAVI.

Dr. Michael Tsang

Lead, Program Advisory Committee

Dr. Michael Tsang is an Interventional and Critical Care Cardiologist.  He completed his Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology and Critical Care Cardiology at McMaster University.  He holds a MSc. in Health Science Education and is the Assistant Program Director for the McMaster Adult Cardiology Residency Program. His clinical, educational and quality improvement work focus is on Cardiogenic Shock, the Shock Team, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Complex coronary artery disease.  He is the Catheterization Laboratory Lead on Cardiogenic Shock and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Hamilton Health Sciences.  He co-lead the McMaster Cardiogenic Shock Team model through which he continues to strive for excellence.

Samantha Morahan

The clinical engagement specialist leads the planning and execution of the clinical innovation initiatives and guides clinical members in fostering collaborations. 

Dr. Janine Eckstein

Dr. Janine Eckstein is an Interventional Cardiologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, SK. She completed her Internal Medicine and Cardiology training in Saskatoon prior to completing an Interventional/Structural Cardiology fellowship at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She is Medical Director of the Structural Heart Program for Saskatoon and Northern SK. Her clinical interests include coronary intervention, structural heart disease and percutaneous management as well as percutaneous mechanical support.

Dr. Malek Kass

Dr. Malek Kass is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Radiology at the University of Manitoba and the Medical Director of the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Program at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, MB. After completing training in Internal Medicine at the University of Manitoba and Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, and Cardiac Imaging at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Dr. Kass now serves as the Director of Structural Intervention at St. Boniface. He also leads the TAVI training program. His research interests include medical education, complex coronary intervention, and structural heart disease intervention.

Dr. Nakul Sharma

Dr. Nakul Sharma completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Saskatchewan before pursuing Cardiology at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. In 2011 Dr. Sharma became the first Cardiac Transplant/VAD Fellow in Alberta and pursued a Masters in Public Health from the University of Alberta. Dr. Sharma continues to participate in both local and national workshops in Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation. His current research interests are in Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Support. He is the Director of Heart Failure Clinics at the Rockyview General Hospital and Program Director for the Adult Cardiology Residency Program in Calgary. He also enjoys playing competitive basketball, building Lego, and collecting sports memorabilia.

Dr. Brian Potter

Dr. Brian J. Potter

Dr. Brian J. Potter obtained his MD from McGill University in 2004, completed internal medicine and adult cardiology training at the University of Montréal, and an interventional cardiology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 2014 before joining the Cardiology group at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). He also completed a Masters in Epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Potter is the Director of the Percutaneous Heart Failure Interventions Program and Co-Director of the High-Risk PCI Program at the CHUM and Director of CICU Research & Quality. His clinical and research interests include interventions for both chronic and acute heart failure. 

Steve Menzies

Steve has been a member of the cardiovascular perfusion team at FMC since 2007 and became the clinical lead of the program in 2016. This team of 11 perfusionists is responsible for the safe operation of the heart lung machines for approximately 1700 open heart cases annually as well as the bedside management of 30-35 ECLS patients in the CVICU. Steve and his team are also responsible for the initiation and troubleshooting for the various ventricular assist devices utilized at FMC. In 2009 Steve began work at the Alberta Children’s Hospital to help develop a rescue ECLS program alongside the PICU team. Despite the challenges related to starting an ECLS program in a tertiary center with no cardiac surgery program, this initiative was launched in late 2010. Critical to the success of ECLS at both ACH and FMC, Steve helped create a high and low fidelity sim doll in collaboration with the eSim departments and is planning to continue to develop and strengthen this education platform.

Gregory Schnell

Dr. Greg Schnell is from Saskatoon where he completed a degree in pharmacy and worked as a pharmacist before going on to medical school at The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. He subsequently returned to the west and Calgary for his internal medicine and cardiology training. He has completed a fellowship in echocardiography in Calgary and at The University of Virginia. Dr. Schnell has a general cardiology practice with a special interest in critical care cardiology in addition to providing echocardiography services in the Calgary Health Region. He is an associate clinical professor at The University of Calgary and has been Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at the Foothills Medical Centre since 2008.

Dr. Robert Miller

Dr. Robert Miller is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Cardiac Sciences at the University of Calgary. He completed training in Internal Medicine and General Cardiology at the University of Calgary. He went on to complete training in Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation at Stanford University, and Advanced Cardiac Imaging at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. His clinical work also includes the Advanced Heart Failure service and cardiac function clinic. His research interests include advanced cardiac imaging applications in patients with cardiomyopathies as well as epidemiology in heart failure and cardiac transplantation.

Dr. Jeff Shaw

Dr. Jeff Shaw is a cardiologist specializing in advanced echocardiography, critical care medicine, and critical care cardiology at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Shaw completed internal medicine, cardiology, and critical care medicine residencies at the University of Calgary, where he was the Chief Cardiology Resident. He completed fellowship training in Advanced Echocardiography at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Shaw’s research is published in national peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Shaw leads the Cardiology Simulation program at the University of Calgary and has received teaching awards from the Division of Cardiology and the Department of Medicine. Dr. Shaw is a representative of cardiac critical care within the shock team. 

Elissa Babe RN BN

Elissa Babe is the Unit Manager for the Cardiac Cath Lab, Electrophysiology and CPCR at Foothills Medical Centre. Elissa was a Cath Lab nurse for over 10 years, with experience in both the Foothills Medical Center and the Mazankowski Heart Institute Cath Labs. Her interest in team development and quality improvement inspired her to transition to a management role earlier this year. The Cath Lab team consists of 70 staff (Nurses, MRT’s, Physiological Tech’s and support staff) that provide service to Southern Alberta. Our Cath Lab performs around 7000 procedures per year 25% of which are emergency procedures. Elissa leads her team with a commitment to excellence and continuous growth.  She is also passionate about fostering a collaborative environment that prioritizes innovation.

Marina Shields RN BN

Marina Shields RN, BN is a Nurse Clinician at the Foothills Medical Centre Cardiac Cath Lab. Marina has 15+ years of experience as a Cath Lab nurse at FMC. Her organizational and leadership skills keep our lab running efficiently and smoothly. Her dedication to excellence in patient care and compassion for our patient population has helped to shape our team culture. She enjoys photography, boxing class, walking her dog, and time with her adult children.

Dr. Sanjog Kalra

Dr. Sanjog Kalra is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in advanced coronary revascularization techniques, intravascular imaging, modern hemodynamic support therapies and in the management of shock and critically ill heart patients.  He served as the inaugural Director of Complex Coronary Therapeutics and the Associate Director of the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  In September 2020, he returned to Canada to join the Peter Munk Cardiac Center at Toronto General Hospital as an Interventional Cardiologist and Cardiac Intensivist with a full-time academic appointment in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Since he arrived in Toronto, Dr. Kalra has greatly expanded the breadth of care offered to patients with complex coronary artery disease.  He has won numerous national and international teaching awards and was recently awarded the prestigious Brompton Funds Professorship in Interventional Cardiology by the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and the University of Toronto. Dr. Kalra remains keenly interested in complex coronary artery disease management, chronic total occlusion revascularization, and temporary mechanical circulatory support use in both high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions and cardiogenic shock.

Dr. Daniel Kim

Dr. Daniel Kim is a Professor of Medicine and Interventional & Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist at the University of Alberta. He is the Medical Director of Advanced Heart Failure & Transplantation. He is a recognized educator, having received teaching awards for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Peer Teaching. His clinical and research interests are on novel detection methods for rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy, cardiorenal physiology in heart failure, cardiogenic shock team implementation, invasive intracoronary imaging and coronary physiologic assessment. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications including guidelines and consensus statements from CCS and the ISHLT.

Dr. Iqbal Jaffer

Dr. Iqbal Jaffer is a cardiac surgeon and aspirational interventional cardiologist based at McMaster University in Hamilton. He completed all his training at McMaster including a PhD in Blood contacting medical devices which also makes him an aspirational hematologist. He is currently assistant professor in surgery, residency program director for cardiac surgery, surgical lead for the TAVR program and surgical lead for the ECLS program. He has developed the Future Leaders in Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology program with Edwards Lifesciences and he is currently undertaking a Royal College certificate as a clinician educator. He has a wife who is a palliative care physician and two sons who keep him humble and if there is any time left, he enjoys baking and playing golf. 

Dr. Derek So

Dr. Derek So, a professor at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, is an interventional cardiologist and director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory.  He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto and completed residency in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology in Ottawa.  Dr. So holds a Master’s degree in clinical epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health.  His research interests include: acute coronary syndromes, pharmacogenomics, personalized anti-platelet therapy and cardiogenic shock.  He is the interventional cardiology lead at the UOHI Code Shock Program team. Dr. So also leads the Canadian Cardiovascular Research Collaboratory (C3) cardiogenic shock working group. 

Dr. Brennan Ballantyne

Dr. Brennan Ballantyne is an electrophysiologist and advanced heart failure cardiologist in Calgary, Alberta at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. He is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary. He completed fellowship training in both cardiac electrophysiology & arrhythmia and advanced heart failure & transplant cardiology. Dr. Ballantyne’s clinical interests include the care of patients with heart failure and cardiac devices, optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy, and cardiomyopathy and neuromuscular disease. His research interests include tricuspid regurgitation and cardiac devices, leadless pacing, and optimizing care for CIED patients with heart failure.

Dr. Pantelis (Pent) Diamantouros

Dr. Pantelis (Pent) Diamantouros is a Professor of Medicine at Western University and has been a member of the Division of Cardiology at London Health Sciences Centre since 2007. He completed his cardiology training at Western University followed by a Coronary and Structural Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at Duke University. Previously, he was the Program Director for the Cardiology Training Program and he is currently the Director of Interventional Cardiology. In addition to percutaneous coronary intervention, his clinical interests include TAVI, PFO/ASD closure and LAA occlusion. 

Dr. Daniel Holloway

Dr. Daniel Holloway is a cardiac surgeon at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and the Cardiac Surgery Residency Program Director at the University of Calgary. He received his medical education at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and his cardiac surgery training at the University of Calgary.  He underwent fellowship training in cardiac transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and TAVI at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.  His clinical practice includes minimally invasive valve and coronary surgery, mechanical circulatory support, TAVI, and open-heart surgery.

Dr. Juan Russo

Dr. Juan Russo is an interventional cardiologist and clinician investigator. He earned his medical degree at McMaster University in 2011. He completed residencies in internal medicine at the University of Toronto, and adult cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He then completed his fellowship training in interventional cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and subspecialty training in complex higher-risk interventions and advanced hemodynamic care at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Russo has a clinical interest in higher-risk coronary interventions and cardiac critical care. His primary research focus is developing neuroprotective strategies for the early management of comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Dr. Bryan Har

Dr. Bryan Har is an interventional cardiologist at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, AB. He completed his medical training at Western University and his cardiology and interventional cardiology fellowships at the University of Calgary. He is a Clinical Associate Professor and is the Lead of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab Research Program at Foothills Medical Centre. His clinical interests include high-risk coronary interventions, intracoronary calcium modification, and intravascular imaging.

Dr. Akshay Bagai

Dr. Akshay Bagai is a practicing interventional cardiologist and Past Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at St. Michael’s Hospital. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Bagai received his MD and trained in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Toronto. He completed his training in Interventional Cardiology at St. Michael’s Hospital. He obtained a Masters degree in Health Sciences from the Clinical Research Training Program at Duke University, USA. He returned to Toronto and joined the Division of Cardiology at St. Michael’s Hospital in August 2013. His clinical and research interests are closely aligned and include complex, high risk and total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention, and transcatheter interventions for mitral and tricuspid valve disease.

Dr. Corey Adams

Dr. Corey Adams is an adult cardiac surgeon whose practice focuses on valvular heart surgery at the Foothills Medical Centre. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and a member of Canadian Cardiovascular Society of Cardiac Surgeons. He has special interest in minimally invasive valve surgeries, infective endocarditis, and transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Dr. Adams joined the Libin Cardiovascular Institute in April of 2020 as a Clinical Associate Professor and is a team member of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Program and the Structural Heart Program.

Dr. Chris Overgaard

Dr. Christopher Overgaard is inaugrual Chief of the Department of Cardiac Health and the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory director at Southlake Regional Health Centre. He obtained his MD and postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology from the University of Toronto.  He worked at the University Health Network from 2007 to 2019, where he held multiple leadership positions including Director of the STEMI program, Director of the Coronary Intensive Care Unit, and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. 

Dale Wist

Dale is a graduate of the Cardiovascular Perfusion program at the Michener Institute. Dale worked as a Cardiovascular Perfusionist in Toronto, Halifax, and Sacramento, before settling down here at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary.