2025 Wellstar Cardiac-Cerebrovascular Clinical Symposium: Bridging the Divide
GA ACC Member Updates
Dr. Jonathan Kim has co-authored guidelines for Clinical Considerations for Competitive Sports Participation for Athletes with Cardiovascular Abnormalities. This scientific statement integrates 40 years of scientific progress in this field and updates the previous statement published in 2015. Thank you Dr. Kim!
Dr. Paul Douglass has been appointed inaugural Chair, ACC Health Equity Committee. Congratulations Dr. Douglass!
GA ACC Members Appointed to Committees and Receive Honors
Jeff Marshall, MD, FACC
Appointed by ACC to Chair-Elect of the Health Affairs Committee for 1 year and then Chair beginning in April 1, 2026.
Heval Kelli, MD
The Emory Medical Alumni Board has selected Dr. Kelli as a recipient of this year’s Distinguished Medical Achievement Award. This award honors distinguished medical alum from the Emory School of Medicine who have provided extraordinary service to their community, fulfilling the obligations of their education through creative citizenship and exemplary leadership.
Jason Grady, NRP, AACC
Selected by ACC to participate in the 2025 ACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy.
ACC Appointed:
- Snigdha Bhatia, MD – Adult Congenital & Pediatric CV Section
- David Kandzari, MD, FACC – NCDR Clinical Science and Quality
- Anant Madawat, MD, FACC – Cardio-Oncology Section Leadership Council
- Corrin McCloskey, CCMA – Cardiovascular Management Section Leadership Council
- Modele Ogunniyi, MD, FACC – Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Ifeoma Onuorah, MD, FACC – Prevention of CV Disease Section Leadership Council
- Rajesh SAchdeva, MD, FACC – Accreditation Oversight Committee
- Jeffrey Wang, MD – Critical Care Section Leadership Council
- Faisal Merchant, MD, FACC – NCDR EP Registry Steering Subcommittee
Congratulations to all members appointed to
ACC committees and leadership!
GA Chapter ACC Colleagues Assist Development of ACS Guidelines
GA ACC writers Included:
- Tanveer Rab, MD, FACC, MSCAI (additional roles included document leadership group, liaison, developing core content and providing edits)
- Abhinav Goyal, FACC, FAHA
- Ijeoma Isiadinso, FACC, FAHA
ACS Guideline peer reviewer:
Faisal Merchant, MD, FACC
Call for Nominations for 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented at our annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton Lodge at Lake Oconee, November 21-23, 2025.
This award honors an adult or pediatric cardiologist or cardiovascular surgeon that has made significant contributions to medicine through patient care, medical education, research or community service as a member of the Georgia Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, and whose lifetime of service deserves special recognition.
If you would like to nominate someone, please send your nomination directly to Arthur Reitman, MD, FACC, Chair, Awards Committee, arthur.reitman@wellstar.org.
Please explain the basis for your nomination and why you think the person is worthy of this coveted award. Our committee will then prioritize the nominees and present them to the Chapter’s Council for selection.
The deadline for receipt of nominations for the award is March 15.
Don’t forget to save the date for our annual meeting.
Past Award Recipients
- 2024 William A. Blincoe, MD, FACC
- 2023 Byron R. Williams, Jr., MD
- 2022 Robert M. Campbell, MD
- 2021 Robert A. Guyton, MD, FACC
- 2019 Robert Vincent MD; CM, FACC, MSCAI
- 2018 John Cantwell, MD
- 2017 Jere Lutz, MD
- 2016 Kenneth Dooley, MD
- 2015 Paul S. Douglass, MD
- 2014 Douglas Morris, MD
- 2013 Charles Wickliffe, MD
- 2012 Stan Sherman, MD
- 2011 Robert Franch, MD
- 2010 John S. Douglas, Jr., MD
- 2009 Nanette K. Wenger, MD
- 2008 Willis Williams, MD
- 2007 Stephen Clements, MD
- 2006 J. Willis Hurst, MD; Bruce Logue, MD
- 2005 Robert Ellison, MD
- 2004 C. Walker Beeson, MD
- 2003 William Plauth, Jr., MD
- 2002 Spencer King, III, MD
Victory for ACC Advocacy – Senate Passes Heart Act
Your ACC Advocacy team worked diligently alongside the broader Smart Heart Sports Coalition to advance this legislation, which includes components of the Access to AEDs Act, another ACC-supported bill. Our Advocacy efforts included:
- Over 1,200 messages sent from ACC members to their lawmakers through our grassroots alert system
- More than 250 meetings with lawmakers during ACC’s 2024 Legislative Conference
- Over 150 HeartPAC events with lawmakers, where education about the benefits of AEDs in schools was a prominent topic
As we celebrate this achievement, we want to thank you for your contributions in advancing this issue. We also remain committed to pushing our remaining priorities, such as Medicare payment cut relief and prior authorization reform, across the finish line before the conclusion of the 118th Congress.
How can you continue to support our Advocacy efforts?
ACC currently has two live federal action alerts, urging lawmakers to advance Medicare payment cut relief and prior authorization reform. If you haven’t participated yet, please take a moment to do so. It’s quick and easy to do – we have already provided a pre-written message, so all you need to do is add your information and click send!
- Urge Congress to Advance the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act (H.R. 10073)
- Urge Congress to Advance the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4532)
We’ll keep you updated on any significant developments through email, social media, and our weekly newsletter, the Advocate. Thank you once again for your support of ACC Advocacy.