Meet Your Team
Everyone on the Heart Center team at Seattle Children’s is specially trained to understand and meet the specific healthcare needs of babies, children and adolescents. We treat children with all kinds of heart disease — from the most common to the most complex and rare.
Our pediatric experts work closely with you, with each other and with your child’s pediatrician to provide the best and safest care for your child. We tailor care to your child’s age and developmental stage to protect your child’s health now and as they continue to grow.
Leadership
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Division Chief, Cardiology; Co-Director, Heart Center; Medical Director, Fetal Care and Treatment Center
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Co-Director, Heart Center; Division Head, Cardiac Critical Care Medicine
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Division Chief, Congenital Cardiac Surgery; Surgical Director, Cardiac Transplant; Director, Mechanical Cardiac Support and ECLS Services
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Director, Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology; Co-Director, Heart Center; Clinical Director, Operating Room Equipment and Anesthesia Technician Clinical Oversight
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Joanie Blanchard, RN, MN, NE-BC
Senior Director, Heart Center, Fetal Care and Treatment Center and CICU
Teams
Pediatric heart specialists (cardiologists)
Our board-certified pediatric cardiologists diagnose, treat and manage the care of children of all ages with heart problems.
Pediatric cardiac surgeons
Seattle Children’s pediatric cardiac surgeons perform a wide range of heart procedures, including surgery to repair complex congenital heart defects. Each member of our surgical team has specialized advanced training in pediatric heart surgery.
Cardiac anesthesiologists
Our pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists service are doctors specially trained to know how a child with heart disease may react to anesthesia. They and their team of nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners will meet with you before your child's procedure. They provide the anesthetic if your child needs cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization or electrophysiology studies.
Cardiac intensivists
Cardiac intensivists are doctors with special training in pediatric cardiac intensive care. We have the only pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) in the Pacific Northwest. At least 1 of our cardiac intensive care doctors is present in the CICU 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cardiac perfusion team
The cardiac perfusion team specializes in circulating blood outside of the body (extracorporeal circulation). They run the heart-lung bypass machine for children during congenital heart surgery. They also provide heart and lung support using ventricular assist devices (VADs).
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Kevin Charette, BA, CCP, chief perfusionist
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Amy Falconer, BA, CCP
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Kailey Fuegmann, MS, CCP
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Robert Grimmett, MS, CCP, FPP
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Brian Perfette, BS, CCP
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Moore Phillips, MS, CCP
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Navriti Sharma, MS, CCP
Fellows
A fellow is a doctor who has finished medical school and is now training in a specific field. Our Heart Center fellows are learning to treat children's heart diseases. As part of your child's Heart Center team, these doctors will assist the team in your child's general care and visit your child while in the hospital.
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Erin Bouska, MD
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Alexander Canova, MD
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Hailey Chambers, MD
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Zachary Hutchinson, MD, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation Fellow
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Sarah Kerr, MD
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Robert McRae, MD
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Breige O’Donnell-Smith, MD, Advanced Cath Fellow
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Kayla O’Sullivan, MD
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Plicy Perez-Kersey, MD
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Johanna Sehloff, MD
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants – cardiology and cardiac surgery
Heart Center nurse practitioners and physician assistants coordinate care for patients and communication between all team members. They are usually the first contact for referring physicians, team physicians and patients. They will provide continuity of care between inpatient and outpatient settings. This includes educating families and staff about heart conditions, ordering diagnostic tests and managing medicines and keeping your family, your child and the referring physician informed about progress. They also visit your child daily while your child is in the hospital.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants – Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Nurses – cardiac catheterization lab
Treatment plans can be complex, making our nurses an important resource for families. Their role includes checking to see how your child is doing and coordinating education and care before surgical procedures. They also provide long-term follow-up. Nurses are available to you all along the way to answer questions and give advice. Your child may also work with nurses who have special training and experience in specific areas of the Heart Center, such as electrophysiology. Radiology technicians also play a role in the cath lab, working closely with doctors and nurses to do the imaging that guides your child’s procedure.
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Carlie Bouvatte, RN
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Rachel Breen, RN
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Steve Bridges, RT
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Michelle Cohn, RN
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Michelle Davis, ST
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Nathan Deering, RT
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Joy Denham, RN
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Janice Elliott, RN
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Joseph Hancock, RT
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Kelsi Mullings, RN
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Natalie Nixon, RN
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Katie Richey, RN, MHA, clinical practice manager
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Molly Ruddy, RN
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Keri Schrimshaw, RN
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Mitzi Schubert, RN
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Hillary Staley, CVT
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Amber Stehman, RN
Nurses – general cardiology
Main campus in Seattle
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Paige Ayers, RN, BSN, CPN
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Emily Bay, RN
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Macy Brisben, RN
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Anne Davis, RN
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Jennifer Harkishnani, RN
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Kate Just, RN
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Jennifer Keylon, RN, BSN
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Barb Lafayette, RN
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Kelly Merrill, RN
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Jane Reynolds, RN
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Franny Rogers, RN
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Julie Sidles, RN
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Jessica Taylor, RN
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Andrew Valle, BSN, clinical operations manager
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Julie Woosley, RN
Nurses – general cardiology
Bellevue
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Barb Lafayette, RN
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Andrew Valle, BSN, clinical operations manager
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Julie Woosley, RN
Nurses – general cardiology
North
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Patricia Flitz, RN
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Regina Mediodia, RN
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Jane Reynolds, RN
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Andrew Valle, BSN, clinical operations manager
Nurses – general cardiology
South Sound
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Emily Austin, BSN
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Tammy Holmes, BSN
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Beth Rayfield, BSN
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Kristen Smith, BSN
Nurses – general cardiology
Montana
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Heather Konigsbauer, RN (Great Falls)
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Leslie Krueger, RN (Bozeman)
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Cherry Supalia, RN (Great Falls)
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Tammy Townsend, RN (Great Falls)
Nurses – operating room nurses
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Kim Carris, BSN, RN
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Kristi Leahy, BSN, RN, CNOR
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So Young Lim, BSN, RN, CNOR
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Virginia Postor, BSN, RN
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Melissa Taylor, BSN, RN
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Lisa Tocher, BSN, RN
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Mimi Yuson, BSN, RN
Nurses – transplant/heart failure
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Terra Caswell, RN
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Stephanie Church, RN
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Jason Cruz, RN
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Suzie DeKerlegand, RN
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Pam Hopkins, RN
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Jody Martinez, RN
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Keli Morgan, RN
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Katie Richey, RN, MHA, clinical practice manager
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Erica Southern, RN
Medical assistants
A medical assistant (MA) greets you when you arrive and checks your child’s height and weight. They can help direct your questions to medical staff. An MA also helps you check in for the clinic and get set up for an electrocardiogram (ECG), procedure or surgery.
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Jestine Bianca Gregoria, CMA
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Jillian Grindstaff, CMA
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Rosaline Guarin, CMA
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Kim Huneke, CMA
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Julius Mendoza, CMA (North)
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Wendy Mowbray, CMA
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Linnea Ward, CMA
Sonographers
We have more than two dozen pediatric sonographers, the most at any hospital in the region. A sonographer performs echocardiograms (ultrasounds of the heart).
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Janet Barnes, RDCS (AE, PE) (Central Washington)
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Heidi Borchers, RDCS (AE, PE), RDMS (Seattle)
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Viktoria Buina, RDCS (AE) (Seattle)
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Brandy Clark, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Michele Clouse, DCS (AE, FE, PE) (Seattle)
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Heidi Cuffee, DCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Judy Devine, RDCS (PE) (Seattle)
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Ilona Dizon, DCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Alison Freeberg, DCS (AE, FE, PE) (South Sound)
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Joey Goulding, RCCS RCS (Seattle)
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Daniel Greene, DCS (AE, PE) (Central Washington)
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Jenni Hake, RDCS (AE, FE, PE) (South Sound)
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Cheyenne Hobbs, RDCS (AE, PE) (Montana)
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Matthew Johnson, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Mary Jordan, DCS (FE, PE) (Seattle)
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Amber Kelly, DCS (AE), RCS (Montana)
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Amie Majerus, RDCS (AE, PE), ACS (Montana)
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Casey Marvin, DCS (AE, PE) (South Sound)
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Kimberli Nichols, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Shelby Niehl, RDCS (AE, PE, FE) (South Sound)
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Briana Olson, RDCS (AE, PE, FE) (Seattle)
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Alex Raible, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Danielle Saliba, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
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Letty Tiernan, RDCS (AE, FE, PE) (Alaska)
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Erin Trent, DCS (AE, PE, FE) (Seattle)
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Jessica Zinchuk, RDCS (AE, PE) (Seattle)
Family service coordinators
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Shannon Cuenca
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Kristin Domser
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Lisa Fischer
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Sonja Harris-Young
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Shay Johnson
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Diljot Kaur
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Rachael Storey
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Rubi Zavala
Regional managers/supervisors
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Kimberly Beauchamp, MSW
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Sarah Chandler (Montana)
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Pam Hanson (Central Washington)
ECG technicians
ECG technicians are specially trained medical assistants. They help during exercise testing and heart monitor placement. They also will place electrodes on a patient’s chest and attach the wires that hook up to a machine that records heart rate (electrocardiogram or ECG).
Social worker
Our social worker is available throughout your child’s treatment to help with issues and stresses related to your child’s illness. The social worker collaborates with all members of your child’s healthcare team.
Based on what you, your child or family need, types of help may include emotional support, information about coping with the effect of a heart condition on your family or assistance in getting access to resources.
Nutritionists
Children with heart conditions may have challenges or risks related to eating and weight gain, especially during the first years of life. Our nutritionists will work closely with you and your family, your primary physician and your child’s cardiologists to make feeding plans, check calorie intake and track weight gain or loss.