Our Team

Gorav Ailawadi, MD, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon with expertise in minimally invasive and off-pump approaches to cardiac disease. He was the first surgeon in the U.S. to perform percutaneous mitral valve repair and has special expertise in transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Linda Bailes, RN, clinical research coordinator and manager for the Center of Interventional Cardiology Research. She has over 20 years of experience caring for cardiac patients, including those undergoing percutaneous mitral valve repair, and is the lead coordinator for multiple valvular heart disease trials.

John Dent, MD, a board-certified cardiologist with a national reputation for the echocardiographic evaluation of heart valve disease. He has led the team in echocardiographic guidance of novel transcatheter therapies for aortic and mitral valve disease.

Sandra Burks, RN, associate director for the Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center. She has over 20 years experience working with patients with valvular heart disease and has a special interest in transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

John Kern, MD, a board-certified cardiac and vascular surgeon known for his expertise with high-risk patients with aortic and mitral valve disease. He was also one of the first surgeons to undergo training for percutaneous mitral valve repair and has a special interest in transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Kimberly Gahring, RN, clinical research coordinator in the Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center and lead nurse coordinator for several clinical trials enrolling patients with valvular heart disease. She has extensive experience working with patients and their families undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Irving Kron, MD, chair of surgery at UVA and internationally recognized for his experience and outcomes with cardiac valve surgery. He is known for his expertise with high-risk patients with aortic and mitral valve disease.

Ann Rossi, NP, who has over 20 years of expertise in the treatment of cardiology patients. Rossi collaborates with doctors and other care team members to manage and treat cardiology and cardiac surgery patients.

D. Scott Lim, MD, co-director of the Cardiac Valve Center and lead investigator at UVA for percutaneous aortic, mitral and pulmonary valve trials. He is an internationally recognized teacher of percutaneous mitral valve repair with some of the most extensive experience in percutaneous mitral valve repair.

Rachel Simon, RN, clinical research coordinator in the Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center. She has a special interest in caring for patients with valvular heart disease. She is one of the lead nurse coordinators working with patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Michael Ragosta, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist specializing in transcatheter approaches to heart valve disease.