Early Career & Trainee Committee

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Andrea Grillini, MD (2026)

Co-Chair
Duke University
Durham, NC USA

Jason Christie, MD, MS (2026)

Co-Chair
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA USA

Andrew Morley-Smith, MRCP, PhD (2026)

Representative to AHFTX IDN Steering Committee
Harefield Hospital
Harefield, United Kingdom

Alin Gragossian, DO, MPH (2027)

Member/ Anesthesiology and Critical Care Professional Community Representative
Equum Medical
Glendale, CA USA

Anju Bhardwaj, MD (2027)

Member/ Cardiology Professional Community Representative
University of Texas/McGovern Medical School
Houston, TX USA

Caitlin Demarest, MD, PhD (2026)

Member/ Cardiothoracic Surgery Professional Community Representative
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Madeleine Heldman, MD, MS (2028)

Member/ Infectious Diseases Professional Community Representative
Duke University
Durham, NC USA

Morgan Wahl, RN, BSN (2028)

Member/ Nursing and Allied Health Professional Community Representative
Inova Fairfax
Alexandria, VA USA

Federica Pezzuto, (2026)

Member/ Pathology Professional Community Representative
University of Padova

Neha Bansal, MD (2026)

Member/ Pediatrics Professional Community Representative / Standards & Guidelines Committee Representative
Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital

Bailey Colvin, PharmD (2027)

Member/ Pharmacy Professional Community Representative
WVU Medicine Ruby Memorial Hospital
Morgantown, WV USA

Lorenzo Zaffiri, MD, PhD (2027)

Member/ Pulmonology Professional Community Representative
Emory University
Atlanta, GA USA

Julie Semenchuk, BSc, MD (2028)

Member/ Research and Immunology Professional Community Representative
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON Canada

Jessica Burke, MA, CAE, IOM

ISHLT Staff Liaison
ISHLT

Alyssa Simpson,

ISHLT Staff Liaison
ISHLT

The purpose of the Early Career and Trainee Committee (ECTC) is to coordinate the Society’s efforts to engage with, provide effective mentorship of and leadership opportunities for those who are in the early stages of their careers in advanced heart failure and transplantation, advanced lung failure and transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and pulmonary vascular disease.

Policies

Committee Composition

In February of every year the early career and trainee members of each professional community shall elect an early career member to serve as their representative to the ECTC for a one-year term, renewable up to three times. Terms shall commence at the conclusion of the ISHLT Annual Meeting.

The ECTC shall be Co-Chaired by the second Immediate Past President of ISHLT, the CEO or other assigned staff member, and an individual elected no later than April 1 by and from among the incoming committee members.

The elected ECTC Co-Chair shall serve as the ECTC representative to the Leadership Advisory Forum.

Committee Responsibilities

Work with staff to develop and implement effective mentoring opportunities throughout the year
Work with the Professional Community representatives to the Interdisciplinary Networks to:
- Identify and secure the participation of senior and mid-career members to participate in the Society’s organized mentoring opportunities
- Facilitate robust participation of mentors and mentees in the specialty-specific Early Career Mentoring Sessions at the Annual Meeting
- Facilitate robust participation of mentors and mentees in the Mentor/Mentee Matching program via ISHLTConnect
Work with the JHLT Managing Editor and the Director of Communications to identify individuals to participate actively in the Journal Watch program
Work with the Director of Communications to identify individuals to serve as roving reporters for the Annual Meeting Daily Conference Coverage newsletter
Work with the various Committees, Interdisciplinary Networks, and Professional Communities to:
- Ensure the engagement of early career professionals in Society leadership opportunities
- Ensure the needs of early career professionals are met via the Society’s various programs and services
Respond promptly and by the deadline to all assigned tasks
Come prepared and participate actively in all conference calls and meetings

Online Community

Junior faculty and trainee members are the lifeblood of ISHLT and the profession, and ISHLT leadership is committed to facilitating their full engagement in all the Society offers. ISHLT maintains two online communities in ISHLTConnect for Early Career Professional members (defined as individuals who have completed training less than six years ago) and our Trainee members (defined as individuals actively participating in a formal training program). Society leadership encourages all members who meet these criteria to participate actively in these online communities and to become involved volunteers and participants in ISHLT programs and services.