Heart Center Team

Children’s Heart Center, led by Mark Lewin, MD, division chief, Pediatric Cardiology, and Lester Permut, MD, interim division chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery; surgical director, Cardiac Transplant; program director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Education, is the leading regional referral center in the Pacific Northwest.

To deliver exceptional patient care, the Heart Center brings together specialists who care for children with heart disease. The team works closely with parents and referring physicians to provide the best possible outcome for every child.

Pediatric Cardiologists

Pediatric cardiologists evaluate, treat and manage the care for children with heart problems. They provide follow-up care through childhood.

• Erin Albers, MD 
• Aarti Bhat, MB BS 
• Robert Boucek, MD 
• David Brauner, DO 
• Dona Brekke, DO 
• James Christiansen, MD 
• Terrence Chun, MD 
• Jeff Conwell, MD 
• Troy Johnston, MD 
• Thomas Jones, MD 
• Mariska Kemna, MD 
• Eric Krieger, MD 
• Sabrina Law, MB BS 
• Yuk Law, MD 
• Mark Lewin, MD 
• Maggie L. Likes, MD 
• Tim McQuinn, MD 
• Aaron K. Olson, MD 
• Michael Portman, MD 
• Susan Powers, MD 
• Agustin Rubio, MD 
• Jack Salerno, MD 
• Veronica Schmer, MD 
• Amy Schultz, MD 
• Steve Seslar, MD 
• Brian Soriano, MD 
• Roberta "Sue" Stephenson, MD 
• Karen Stout, MD 
• Warren Toews, MD 
• Donald Trippel, MD 
• Margaret Vernon, MD 
• Delphine Yung, MD 

Pediatric Cardiac Surgeons

Pediatric cardiac surgeons determine when and what type of surgery is needed and perform surgical procedures. They and their team of nurse practitioners provide follow-up care for children after surgery.

• Michael McMullan, MD 
• Lester Permut, MD 
• Karl Welke, MD 

Cardiac Anesthesiologists

Our pediatric cardiac anesthesia service is provided by a group of specially trained doctors who 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 the procedure.

They will provide the anesthetic for children undergoing full cardiac surgery as well as for those needing cardiac catheterization or electrophysiological studies.

• Jeremy Geiduschek, MD, director
• Michael Eisses, MD 
• Denise Joffe, MD 
• Lynn Martin, MD 

Cardiac Intensivists

Our staff is highly specialized in treating heart conditions in children from newborns to teens. Our team includes cardiac intensivists—doctors specially trained in pediatric cardiac intensive care.

• Harris Baden, MD, director
• Titus Chan, MD 
• Howard Jeffries, MD 
• Kihan Kim, MD 
• Mithya Lewis-Newby, MD 
• Rob Mazor, MD 

Fellows

A fellow is a doctor who has finished medical school and is now training in a special 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.

• Jennie Allen, MD 
• Jason Deen, MD
• Matthew Files, MD
• Zebulon Spector, MD
• Patrick Sullivan, MD
• Joshua Weldin, MD 

Nurse Practitioners

Children’s Heart Center nurse practitioners 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 medications, keeping your family, your child and the referring physician informed about progress and visiting your child daily while he is in the hospital.

• Jennie Choe, ARNP 
• Kelli A. Kolstad, ARNP 
• Emily F. Moore, ARNP 
• Barbara Miller, ARNP 
• Mary Elizabeth "Libs" Schlater, ARNP 
• Molly Sumner, ARNP 

Nurses

Treatment plans can be complex, so our nurses are an important resource for families seen in the Heart Center. Their role includes patient assessment, coordination of care, education before surgical procedures and long-term follow-up. They are available to families throughout the course of care to answer questions and give advice.

Your child may work with specialty nurses who have experience in specific areas of the Heart Center. They may include clinic, electrophysiology, cardiac catheterization, transplant, inpatient medical/surgical and inpatient ICU nurses.

• Arlene Armatage, RN
• Jennifer Barker, RN
• Shauna Carette, RN, CPN
• Jason Cruz, RN
• Anne Davis, RN
• Janice Elliott, RN
• Amy Franz, RN
• Pam Hopkins, RN
• Jennifer Keylon, RN
• Barb Lafayette, RN
• Jennifer Medved, RN, CPN
• Keli Morgan, RN
• Julie Sidles, RN
• Camie Spieker, RN, Clinical Operations Manager
• Kathleen Swanson, RN
• Julie Woosley, RN

Medical Assistants

Our medical assistants have many jobs, including greeting you on arrival, taking your child's height and weight and setting up for an electrocardiogram (ECG). They are here to help direct questions to medical staff and to help you check in for clinic, a procedure or surgery.

• Jillian Beach, CMA
• Telisha Clifton, MA
• Rosaline Guarin, CMA
• Carmen Rondeau, MA
• Amanda Seroma, CMA
• Wendy Mowbray, CMA

Sonographers

We have 11 sonographers registered in pediatrics, the most at any hospital in the region. A sonographer performs an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart.

• Heidi Borchers, RDCS
• Colleen Cailes, RDCS
• Raylene Choy, RDCS
• Michele Clouse, RDCS
• Judy Devine, RDCS
• Alison Freeberg, RDCS
• Laura Huntley, RDCS
• Mary Jordan, RDCS
• Danielle Saliba, RDCS
• Pauline Suon, RDCS
• Shelby Thomas-Irish, RDCS
• Erin Trent, RDCS

ECG Technicians

ECG technicians assist during exercise testing and 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 called an ECG.

Social Worker

Our social worker is available to you throughout your child's treatment to address a wide range of psychosocial issues and stresses related to your child's illness. The social worker collaborates with all members of the multidisciplinary health care team.

Services provided depend upon the needs of the patient and family, and may include emotional support, information about coping with illness and the impact of a heart condition on the family or assistance in getting access to resources.

Nutritionists

Children with heart conditions may have challenges or cardiac risk factors related to eating and weight gain, especially during the first years of life. Our nutritionists work closely with the family, their primary physician and their cardiologists to develop feeding plans, monitor calorie intake and track weight gain or loss.

Other Team Members

• William Berko, RN, clinical practice manager, CICU
• Cathie Rea, RRT, RN, MN, NE-BC, director, Intensive Care Units

The team also includes cardiac nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists, respiratory therapists, pharmacologists, dietitians and a social worker.