Executive Committee
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Gary L. Pierce, PhD, FAHA, FAPS is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Health and Human Physiology and the Russell B. Day and Florence D. Day Chair in Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. Dr. Pierce is also an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension in the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa where he also directs the Vascular Core Laboratory in the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science Clinical Research Unit. He is a faculty member in the Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center in the Carver College of Medicine and an Associate Member of the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa. Dr. Pierce is a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American Physiological Society and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Applied Physiology, Experimental Physiology and Clinical Science. He is Treasurer of the North American Artery (NAA) Society and has been Co-Chair of NAA Annual Meeting Program Committee since 2013. He received a PhD in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology with a focus in cardiovascular exercise physiology from the University of Florida and completed postdoctoral training in vascular aging/physiology in the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has published 100+ articles in the areas of mechanisms of vascular aging (endothelial function/arterial stiffness) and interventions to prevent/treat vascular and cognitive aging in humans and has been continuously funded by the NIH or AHA since 2013. He has been a faculty member at the University of Iowa since 2011.
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Vienna E. Brunt, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She received her PhD from the University of Oregon in 2016 and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado Boulder under Dr. Douglas Seals. Her research seeks to elucidate the mechanisms by which kidney diseases so negatively impact the cardiovascular system—especially arterial dysfunction—and to develop novel interventions to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Her laboratory uses fully translational approaches to first interrogate molecular mechanisms and screen efficacy of novel interventions for improving cardiovascular function in rodent models of CKD and ADPKD, and then translates promising interventions into initial clinical trials in patients. Current projects funded by NIH and the PKD Foundation include targeting mitochondrial function in ADPKD and targeting gut microbiome dysbiosis in CKD. In her free time, Dr. Brunt enjoys going on mountain adventures with her husband—skiing, hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing—and spending time with her two dogs, Daisy and Freyja.
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Elizabeth C. Lefferts, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Iowa State University. She co-directs the Clinical Vascular Research Laboratory and is principal investigator of the Physical Activity and Aging Study (PAAS) cohort. Dr. Lefferts received her PhD in kinesiology, with a focus in cardiovascular exercise physiology, from the University of Illinois-Chicago and completed postdoctoral training in physical activity epidemiology at Iowa State University. Her research integrates mechanistic and population-based approaches to understand differences in vascular aging and identify modifiable behaviors and interventions that promote cardiovascular health across the lifespan. Her current research focuses on physical activity among rural cancer survivors and dietary behaviors among economically vulnerable individuals with Stage 2 cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.
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Julio A. Chirinos, MD, PhD is a Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division, Co-Director of the Clinical Research T32 Training Program in Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, and Adjunct Faculty at the Center for Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging, at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He is a specialist in cardiac imaging (echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging). He is also adjunct Faculty at the University of Ghent in Belgium, where he maintains an active collaboration with the Asklepios Investigators. His PhD training was focused on the non-invasive assessment of arterial hemodynamics in humans.
He directs an NIH-funded research program focused on the role of arterial stiffness and pulsatile hemodynamics in cardiovascular disease, mechanisms of human heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the use of proteomics to discern mechanisms of heart failure, and the cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19. He currently leads clinical studies designed to therapeutically target the arterial tree in order to reduce the consequences of adverse pulsatile hemodynamics on the heart. He also leads various cohort studies in which deep cardiovascular phenotyping is aimed at characterizing phenotypic profiles and mechanisms of disease in humans, including general community studies, and clinical studies in patients with HFpEF and COVID-19 survivors.
Dr. Chirinos has published >250 papers in high-impact journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine Evidence, The Lancet, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Circulation, Hypertension and Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). He has received awards or honorary fellowships from the American Heart Association, the Inter-American Society of Cardiology, the American Society of Hypertension, the European Society of Cardiology, and the Korean Society of Cardiology. He has also received multiple research grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institutes for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), the American College of Radiology (ACR), and the American Heart Association (AHA), among others. He has participated in various clinical expert committees for the American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, European Society of Cardiology, American Society of Hypertension, European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging and the Lancet Commission for Hypertension. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Chirinos led 2 international multicenter trials testing therapeutic strategies related to the intersection of COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease. He is the co-Chair of the Global Heart Failure biomarker consortium, an international effort aimed at characterizing novel protein biomarkers in heart failure. He is also the University of Pennsylvania Principal Investigator and member of the Steering Committee of Heart Share, a multicenter research consortium funded by the NHLBI aimed at discerning mechanisms of disease in human Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.
He is currently the President of the North American Artery society, which promotes the study of arterial function as a determinant of cardiovascular disease. He was also an Associate Editor of the American Heart Association Journal Circulation Heart Failure, the journal of Clinical Hypertension, Editor of the Cochrane Group (Cochrane Collaboration), Senior Consulting Editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology – Cardiovascular Imaging and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of the American Heart Association, Pulse and the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology. He is the editor of a comprehensive textbook on Arterial Stiffness and Pulsatile Hemodynamics (Arterial Stiffness and Pulsatile Hemodynamics in Health and Disease; Elsevier, 2022).
Dr. Chirinos also directs a core analysis laboratory for assessments of cardiac and arterial structure and function with non-invasive imaging, which has served as the core lab for various multicenter studies, including multicenter population studies, clinical cohort studies, American College of Radiology Network studies and industry-funded studies. He has been an invited speaker in >150 scientific sessions
Bioengineering
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Dr. Pahlevan is an Associate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the Viterbi School of Engineering and an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Pahlevan received B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Northridge, and PhD in Bioengineering from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2013. He completed his postdoctoral training in hemodynamics and cardiovascular imaging at Caltech and Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI) as a Boswell fellow. He is the recipient of both the NSF CAREER Award and the American Heart Association’s Career Development Award. In 2022, he received the Junior Research Award from USC's Viterbi School of Engineering. He is an Executive Editorial Board Member of Physiological Measurement and an Academic Editor at PLOS ONE. He also serves on the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports (Nature). In 2022, he was appointed the Gordon S. Marshall Early Career Chair in Engineering. He was honored as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) in 2024 and named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in 2025.
NAA Conference Committee
Gary Pierce, PhD (Co-Chair, NAA President)
Professor
University of Iowa
Stella Daskalopoulou, MD, PhD
Professor
McGill University
Ray Townsend, MD, PhD (NAA Past-President)
Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Demetra Christou, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Florida
Andrew Tran, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University College of Medicine
Carol Kotliar, MD
Professor
Hospital Universitario Austral, Buenos Aires
Julio Chirinos, MD, PhD (NAA Past-President)
Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Vienna Brunt, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Zachary Clayton, PhD (Co-Chair)
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Tina Brinkley, PhD
Associate Professor
Wake Forest University
Thais Coutinho, MD
Professor
Mayo Clinic
Elizabeth Lefferts, PhD
Assistant Professor
Iowa State University
Jennifer DuPont, PhD
Assistant Professor
Tufts University School of Medicine
David Edwards, PhD
Professor
University of Delaware
Kerrie Moreau, PhD
Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Ashley Walker, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Oregon
Wes Lefferts, PhD
Assistant Professor
Iowa State University
Niema Pahlevan, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Southern California
Adam Gepner, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
Early Investigator Committee
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Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusWhy did you join the EIC?
Passionate about being a voice for early stage investigators in the field of arterial health.
What does NAA mean to you?
An intimate group of collegial like-minded colleagues passionate about arterial health across all career stages.
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Assistant Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin Medical CampusFun fact
I have a large collection of Star Wars books
Why I joined NAA’s EIC
NAA was the first conference I attended as a Ph.D. student and ignited a career path that has kept paying off due to the connections made and ideas generated.
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Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusFun Fact: One of my wedding songs was "Come and get your love" by Redbone, indeed inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy.
Why did you join the EIC: I joined EIC to encourage trainees to take risk and step out of their comfort zone because you never know what ideas or collaborations it will spark for your future. I also enjoy networking with people and hearing their stories of what drives their passions in research.
What NAA means to me: NAA is the like the left ventricle of my early career training. As a trainee it has been a strong propeller of ejecting me out of my own comfort zone into training opportunities and fueling my love for the vasculature, allowing me to recognize the multitude of lenses it can be investigated through.
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Postdoctoral Fellow
University of DelawareFun fact: If I wasn't an exercise physiologist, I would be a spin instructor.
Why did you join the EIC: I joined EIC to collaborate with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to making a positive impact in our field.
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PhD Candidate
Iowa State UniversityFun fact: I lived in Guam as a kid!
Why did you join the EIC: I joined the EIC to network with and get to know others in the field and to learn from those who are ahead of me in their independent research endeavors. I also strongly believe in the mission of North American Artery and am honored to help support its success and growth.
What NAA means to me: NAA is an opportunity for scientists and clinicians, at various points in their career, to support efforts to better understand the cardiovascular system across a broad range of contexts. Unlike larger conferences, NAA offers a rare opportunity to connect directly with various individuals with dynamic and diverse backgrounds.
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Assistant Professor
Department of Exercise Science
Syracuse UniversityFun fact: I was born on a Sunday
What NAA means to me: NAA is the most accessible conference for those interested in studying blood pressure and arterial function.
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James Boswell Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Fun fact: I’ve used latte art to demonstrate vortex rings in the heart’s blood flow, it works!
What NAA means to you: To me, NAA represents a forward-looking community shaping the future of arterial function and hemodynamics. It brings together researchers from diverse disciplines who share the same passion for understanding and improving vascular health.
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Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusFun Fact: o I can solve a 3x3 rubik's cube in under 3 minutes and I practice jiu-jitsu.
Why I joined NAA EIC: o I joined the NAA EIC to support trainees and fellow NAA members while fostering professional networks and collaborations.
What NAA means to you: To me, NAA is a welcoming community united by a shared goal—improving the quality of life for older adults and those at risk for cardiovascular disease.
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Research Assistant Professor, School of Health and Human Sciences, Kansas State University
Fun Fact: o I've been scuba diving for more than 10 years now, and still want to find a way to sneak a scuba diving study in.
Why I joined NAA’s EIC: Even from my first NAA conference, members of the EIC went out of their way to introduce themselves to me and make me feel welcome. Now, as a member of the EIC, I want to pay that feeling forwards to other members.
What NAA means to me: o To me, the NAA is a society that can bring anyone with an interest in cardiovascular science and medicine together. Regardless of background, field of work, and career stage, NAA makes it easy to participate, learn and contribute.
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Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator
National Institute on Aging (NIA/NIH)Fun fact: When I'm not working or chasing my two kids around, you can usually find me on two wheels. I'm an avid cyclist and love spending my free time exploring new bike trails!
What does the NAA mean to you: To me, NAA is a welcoming and supportive community of scientists who share a common goal: improving cardiovascular health. Although we study different aspects of vascular biology and come from different backgrounds, we are collectively working toward discoveries that can improve arterial health and promote healthier aging.
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PhD Candidate, University of Kansas Medical Center
Fun fact: I have season tickets to the NWSL KC Current games!
Why I joined NAA EIC: I joined the NAA Early Investigator Committee to contribute to the scientific community while gaining professional service and leadership experience within an organization closely aligned with my research on arterial and cerebrovascular health after stroke.
What does the NAA mean to you: To me, NAA represents a collaborative scientific community focused on advancing arterial research while supporting researchers at every stage of their careers. NAA provides opportunities to learn from experts in the field, build meaningful connections, and educate the next generation of arterial researchers.
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PhD Candidate,
Florida State UniversityFun fact: I am a father of 3 boys.
Why I joined NAA EIC: Making a difference for others is important to me. To do that, I need to grow, and the best way to grow is to work with excellent people.
What does the NAA mean to you: NAA has the best mix of practitioners, researchers, and clinicians I've seen at any conference. That kind of collaboration is what turns research into better patient outcomes, and it's what I care most about.