Leadership shifts across cardiology are shaping strategy at health systems, academic centers and national societies. These recent appointments signal who will be influencing clinical innovation, workforce priorities and policy conversations in 2026.
Here are 15 cardiology leadership appointments to know, as reported by Becker’s so far this year:
- Jerry Estep, MD, division chair of Cardiovascular Medicine for Cleveland Clinic Florida, was named the inaugural endowed chair holder for the new Eric and Lois Zorn Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine.
- Kevin Kwaku, MD, PhD, was appointed president of the Association of Black Cardiologists.
- New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center appointed three cardiac leaders.
- University of California San Francisco named Johannes Kratz, MD, as the inaugural chief for the division of thoracic surgery.
- Vinay Badhwar, MD, executive chair of Morgantown, W. Va.-based WVU Medicine’s Heart and Vascular Institute, was appointed president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
- Joseph Wu, MD, was named president of the American Association of University Cardiologists.
- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Holy Cross Health expanded its cardiothoracic surgery program with the addition of two new physician leaders.
- Ameya Kulkarni, MD, was appointed as executive medical director of the Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States.
- The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology named Jamieson Bourque, MD, as its president for 2026.
- Washington, D.C.-based Children’s National tapped Lillian Su, MD, as chief of cardiac critical care.
- Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center tapped Larry Markham, MD, to serve as director of its division of pediatric cardiology and co-director of the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.
- Coral Gables, Fla.-based Baptist Health South Florida appointed Marcos Nores, MD, as medical director for the Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute at Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital.
