VAST 2026

XV Annual Invitational Conference

May 27th – 29th

The Omni

Hilton Head Island, SC

Learn, Discuss, Collaborate

VAST 2026
XV Annual Invitational Conference

The VAST 2026 Annual Conference offers several unique interactive learning formats designed to
engage the panel and audience in a high-spirited discussion on contemporaneous vascular issues.

SESSION FORMATS

Interactive
Expert moderators facilitate the key opinion leaders that present complex cases and complications
and the audience in a fast-paced and high-intensity discussion. There are no boundaries to this
discussion, as operatives in the audience challenge the speaker’s point of view. The audience might
think they are the ultimate arbitrator. They might be corrected by the CLOSER!
Morbidity & Mortality
All morbidity and mortality sessions are designed for the operatives to take a deep dive and get us
to a place that is immersed in complications and requires innovative strategies to save the day.
The operatives have been forewarned to come well prepared as they are sure to be challenged by the
panel that has been there and done that. The MODERATORS might shape the discussion, but the CLOSER
might have the final say!
My Opinion… Take it or Leave it!
Experience matters! In this session, the operatives stand by their opinion and have no issues going
head-to-head with the audience that might disagree.
Deep Dive
This is where the rubber hits the road, and vascular trainees have the opportunity to present
innovative cases, novel techniques, or original research to a panel of experts whose job is to
challenge and judge the presenters.
Industry Minute
This is when our industry partners have the opportunity to showcase projects in their pipeline
stage and focus discussion on emerging vascular technology.

Lodging Options

OMNI HILTON HEAD
23 Ocean Ln. , Hilton Head, SC, 29928
Discounted Room Rate: $xxx +tax
Minimum Stay: 3-nights
Parking: $xx/day
Cut-off Date: March 21, 2026
Please mention “Center for Vascular Awareness” to receive the discounted rate. Guests are encouraged to book their stay as early as possible.”

Registration Fees

Registration Fee Includes:

• Admission to scientific sessions on Wednesday, May 27th – Friday, May 29th 2026.
• Scientific program materials.
• Access to the Exhibit Hall.
• Daily continental breakfast and refreshment breaks.

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellation requests received in writing on or before May 1st, 2026 will be refunded and will be subject to a $50 administrative fee.
Cancellations will not be accepted over the phone.

Chairman

Manish Mehta, MD, MPH, FACS

Vascular Health Partners,

Community Care Physicians

Reflecting on the success of VAST 2025!

2026 Faculty

Frank Arko, MD

Wake Forest University

School of Medicine.

Atrium Healthcare System

Sanger Heart &

Vascular Institute.       

Charlotte, North Carolina

Carlos Bechara, MD, MS, DFSVS, FACS, RPVI

Loyola Stritch School

of Medicine.

Rush Medical Center.

Chicago, Illinois

 

Karly Byrd, MS, PA-C

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Neal Cayne, MD

NYU Grossman School

of Medicine.   

NYU Langone Health.                     

New York, New York

Kevin Chang, MD

Wake Forest University

School of Medicine.

Atrium Wake Forest Baptist

Health.

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Dan Clair, MD, FACS

Vanderbuilt University School

of Medicine.

Vanderbuilt University

Medical Center.

Nashville, Tennessee

 

Alan Dietzek, MD, FACS, DFSVS

Hackensack Meridien

School of Medicine.

Hackensack Meridien

Health Network.                                           

Neptune, New Jersey

John Eidt, MD

Texas A&M School

of Medicine.

Baylor Scott & White Heart &

Vascular Hospital.

Dallas, Texas

Hosam El Sayed, MBBCh, PhD, FACS, RVT

Eastern Virginia

Medical School at ODU.

Sentara Vascular Specialists.

Norfolk, Virginia

Shariff Ellozy, MD

Weill Cornell Medicine. 

New York Presbyterian

Hospital.   

New York, New York

Yana Etkin, MD, FSVS, FACS

Zucker School of Medicine at

Hofstra/Northwell.

Northwell Health.                                

Lake Success, New York

Mark Farber, MD

University of North Carolina.

School of Medicine.          .            

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Peter Faries, MD, FACS

Icahn School of Medicine

at Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai Health System.

New York, New York

Manuel Garcia-Toca, MD, MS

Emory University School

of Medicine.

Grady Memorial Hospital.          

Atlanta, Georgia

Karan Garg, MD

NYU Grossman School

of Medicine.   

NYU Langone Health.                     

New York, New York

Patrick Geraghty, MD, DFSVS, FACS, RPVI

Washington University

School of Medicine.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

St. Louis, Missouri

Julie Glaser, MD

University of Pennsylvania

Health System.

Penn Presbyterian Medical

Center.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lauren Grimsley, MD, MBA

University of Tennessee

Graduate School of Medicine.

University of Tennessee

Medical Center.                                   

Knoxville, Tennessee

Daniel Han, MD, FACS

Icahn School of Medicine

at Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai Health System.

New York, New York

Dawn Hoosier-Paty, FNP-C

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Benjamin Jackson, MD, MS, FACS, DFSVS

University of Pennsylvania

School of Medicine.

Lehigh Valley Heart and

Vascular Institute.

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Kamran Jafree, MBBS

Medical City Healthcare.

Vascular Care of Texas.                                    

Dallas, Texas

Manju Kalra, MBBS

Mayo Clinic College of

Medicine and Science.

Mayo Clinic.

Rochester, Minnesota

Julia Kleene, MD

Albany Medical College.

Albany Medical Center Hospital.

Albany, New York

Curtis Koone, RN, RVT

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Zachary Kostun, MD

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Shivani Kumar, MD, RPVI

Tufts Medical Center.

The Cardiovascular Center.

Boston, Massachusetts

Mimmie Kwong, MD, MAS, FACS, RPVI

University of California

Medical School.

UC Davis Health.

Sacramento, California

Igor Laskowski, MD, PhD

New York Medical College. 

Westchester Medical Center.

Valhalla, New York

W Anthony Lee, MD, FACS

Florida Atlantic University

School of Medicine.

Baptist Health Medical Group.

Boca Raton, Florida

Evan Lipsitz, MD, MBA, FACS

Albert Einstein College

of Medicine.

Montefiore Medical Center.

Bronx, New York

Alan Lumsden, MD, ChB, RVT, FACS

Methodist DeBakey Heart &

Vascular Education Center.

Houston Methodist Hospital.

Houston, Texas

Rajiv Malik, MD, FACS, RPVI

Weill Cornell School

of Medicine.

New York-Presbyterian

Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

Brooklyn, New York

James McKinsey, MD

Icahn School of Medicine

at Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai Medical Systems.                           

New York, New York

David Minion, MD, FACS

University of Kentucky

College of Medicine.

University of Kentucky

Medical Center.

Lexington, Kentucky

Patrick Muck, MD

Trihealth Heart and

Vascular Institute.

Good Samaritan Hospital.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Ulugbek Negmadjanov, MD

University of Arkansas for

Medical Seciences.

Baptist Health Medical Center.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Marc Passman, MD

University of Alabama at

Birmingham.

University Hospital.

Birmingham, Alabama

Philip Paty, MD, FACS

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Saum Rahimi, MD

Rutgers Robert Wood

Johnson Medical School.

Robert Wood Johnson

University Hospital.

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Reid Ravin, MD

ChristianaCare.

Newark, Delaware

Matthew Recht, MD, FACS

Trihealth Heart and

Vascular Institute.

Good Samaritan Hospital.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Robert Rhee, MD, FACS

SUNY Downstate Health

Sciences University.

Maimonides Medical Center.

Brooklyn, New York

John Ross, MD

Medical University of

South Carolina Health.

Dialysis Access Center.

Orangeburg, South Carolina

Luis Sanchez, MD, FACS

Washington University

School of Medicine.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

St. Louis, Missouri

Timur Sarac, MD

The Ohio State University

School of Medicine.

Wexner Medical Center.

Columbus, Ohio      

Salvatore Scali, MD, FACS, DFSVS, RPVI

University of Florida

College of Medicine.

UF/Health Shands Hospital.

Gainesville, Florida

Larry Scher, MD, FACS

Albert Einstein College

of Medicine.

Montefiore Medical Center.

Bronx, New York

Darren Schneider, MD

University of Pennsylvania

Perelman School of Medicine.

Pennsylvania Hospital.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Peter Schneider, MD

University of California

Medical School.

San Francisco Veterans

Administration Hospital.

San Francisco, California

Michael Schwartz, MD, RPVI, FACS

New York Medical College.

Westchester Medical Center.

Good Samaritan Hospital.

Suffern, New York

William Shutze, MD

Baylor University

Medical Center.

Texas Vascular Associates.

Dallas, Texas

Jeffrey Silpe, MD, MS-HPeD

Zucker School of Medicine

at Hofstra/Northwell.

Northwell Health.

Lake Success, New York

Danielle Smith, DO, MPH, RPVI, FACS

Heart & Vascular Partners.

Colorado Vascular Associates.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Nicholas Stafford, MD

Westchester Medical Center.

Valhalla, New York

Benjamin Starnes, MD, FACS, DFSVS

University of Washington.

Seattle, Washington

Scott Stevens, MD

University of Tennessee

Graduate School of Medicine.

University of Tennessee

Medical Center.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Anita P. Suchdeve, MS, FNP-BC

Vascular Health Partners.

Community Care Physicians.

Latham, New York

Timothy Sullivan, MD, FACS, FSVS, FSVM, FACC

Editor-in-Chief,

Annals of Vascular Surgery.

Livingston, Montana

Apostolos Tassiopoulos, MD, FACS

Renaissance School of

Medicine at Stony Brook

University.

Stony Brook University

Medical Center.

Stony Brook, New York

Margaret Tracci, MD, JD

University of Virginia School

of Medicine.

University of Virginia

Health System.

Charlottesville, Virginia

Kenneth Tran, MD

Stanford University School

of Medicine.

Stanford Health Care.                               

Stanford, California

Douglas Troutman, DO, RPVI

Perelman School of Medicine

University of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Hospital.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

Gabriela Velazquez, MD, FACS, RPVI

Wake Forest University

School of Medicine.

Winston-Salem,

North Carolina

 

William Zickler, MD

Northeast Georgia

Physicians Group.

Gainesville, Georgia

2026 Deep Dive Competition

Andre Critsinelis, MD

Tufts Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts

Hector Elizondo, MD

Baylor Scott and White.

Baylor University

Medical Center.

Dallas, Texas

Christopher Faries, MD

Icahn School of Medicine

at Mount Sinai.

New York, New York

Vivian Gomes, MD, PhD

University of North Carolina

School of Medicine. 

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Brittany Harper, MD, MS

Washington University

School of Medicine.

Barnes Jewish Hospital.

St. Louis, Missouri

Steven Hernandez, MD

Albany Medical Center.

Albany, New York

Spiro Koustas, MD

Renaissance School of Medicine

at Stony Brook University.

Stony Brook, New York

 

Kundanika Lakkadi, MD

Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Tom Mazonas, MD

University of Tennessee

School of Medicine.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Umang Parikh, MD

Stanford Health Care.

Palo Alto, California

Aaron Patel, MD

University of Arkansas for

Medical Seciences.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Rae Rokosh, MD

Emory University

School of Medicine.

Atlanta, Georgia

Ronny Samra, MD

Florida Atlantic University

College of Medicine.

Boca Raton, Florida

 

Cassandra Soto, MD

Icahn School of Medicine

at Mount Sinai.           

New York, New York

 

Nico Stafforini, MD

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington

Logan Stone, MD

Maimonides Medical Center.

Brooklyn, New York

Michaella Thomas, DO

University of Kentucky

College of Medicine.

Lexington, Kentucky

Luke Trench, MB, BCh, BAO

Mayo Clinic College of

Medicine and Science.

Rochester, Minnesota

Charles Vasquez, MD, MSCE, MSEd, FACS

University of Pennsylvania

School of Medicine.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Grace Yu, MD

North Shore

University Hospital.

Long Island Jewish

Medical Center

Manhassett, New York

Jason Zhang, MD

NYU Langone Health.

New York, New York