The cardiovascular team is an essential part of the care team, helping to make crucial patient care and treatment decisions. The breadth of care team members in the College includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, clinical pharmacists, genetic counselors, cardiac rehabilitation specialists and cardiovascular technologists. Here is a sampling of how this talented group spends their time at work and off the clock.

Craig J. Beavers, PharmD, AACC, FAHA, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP, celebrates his residents' successful completion of her Postgraduate Year 2 Cardiology Pharmacy residency program. Liz Perpetua, DNP, APRN-BC, works with her team to determine the treatment plan for a patient with complex valvular heart disease. Kimberly Marshall, BSN, RN, CPHQ, AACC, (left) teaches Zumba to stay mentally and physically healthy. Melissa Wendell, FNP-BC, MSN,CHFN, RN, at mile 20 of the Boston Marathon last April. Lisa Hom, RN, Esq., spends her summer helping kids with pacemakers, heart transplants and pulmonary hypertension ride horses, swim and canoe. Lisa Nguyen, PharmD, BCPS, speaks at the 2014 NAAAP-Seattle 35th Annual Scholarship Gala. Brenda Neckels, RN, BSN, (standing, second from left) climbs Guadalupe Peak, the tallest peak in Texas, with friends and family. Andrea Price, MS, RCIS, (front center) and the cardiovascular quality team support the American Heart Association at the Go Red for Women Red Dress Dash in Indianapolis, IN. Traci Connolly, RN, AACC; Patricia Casey, MSN, RN, AACC; Kathleen Hewitt, RN, AVP, AACC; and Susan Rogers, RN, MSN, AACC, complete a day of work at Heart House in Washington, DC. Sondra M. DePalma, MHS, PA-C, CLS, DFAAPA, AAPA, practices general and preventative cardiology, electrophysiology, and vascular disease at a rural clinic of the Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute. Tina M. Kaufman, PhD, PA-C, with her wife cycling the “Bridge Pedal” bike ride over the bridges in Portland, OR. Valerie Ann Madaffari, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CVNP-BC, from Desert Oasis Healthcare enjoys dinner with friends. Tammy Higgins, APRN, on a recent medical mission to Nairobi, Kenya. Jennifer Lambert, PA-C, and her dog Beau enjoy a hike along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, GA. Sonja L. Jung, NP-C, hikes the Cataract Trail with her daughter in Marin County, CA.

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Heart Defects, Congenital, Pediatrics