US Heart and Vascular Leadership

CEO, Robbie Allen, is an accomplished healthcare leader with an impressive track record. Robbie’s professional journey includes successful leadership positions in clinical services organizations that align closely with the complexities of USHV. Notably, he recently served as the CEO of One GI, a significant player in gastroenterology. Under his leadership, One GI achieved substantial revenue growth of 800%, totaling $400 million. Robbie also initiated a sustainable program centered on income repair and value creation in collaboration with clinical providers.

Before his role at One GI, Robbie was CEO at Envision Orthopedics, where he managed and expanded all ambulatory surgical centers within the network. In the early stages of his career, he founded and led Neuromatrix, a provider of complex telemetry, which was eventually acquired by Specialty Care.

Robbie is known for his meticulous attention to detail and expertise in developing support programs that provide value to provider teams while maintaining a focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

A local resident of Nashville, Robbie is also a dedicated father of nine, offering a unique blend of experience and personal commitment to his role. Above all, he is dedicated to the core mission of our organization, which is to provide innovative and expert care to the patients we serve.

Emily Rash is the Chief Operating Officer at US Heart and Vascular (“USHV”). With her extensive background in healthcare management and leadership, Emily focuses on improving healthcare delivery through innovative and sustainable practices.

Before joining USHV, Emily served as the National Vice President of Network Performance at One Medical, where she enhanced specialty care programs to reduce medical expenses and integrate specialty care through vendor partnerships. Her efforts significantly improved service efficiency and care quality.

Previously, Emily held leadership roles at Premera Blue Cross and ECG Management Consultants, where she drove business growth and performance through targeted market strategies and business development initiatives.

Emily earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting, from the University of Tennessee, graduating summa cum laude. As a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), her analytical skills complement her healthcare expertise, making her a key leader at USHV.

Rick Snyder, MD, FACC, is a board-certified cardiologist and president of HeartPlace Cardiology in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. He is board certified in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology and serves on the board of directors for USHV.

Dr. Snyder is a physician advocate and healthcare leader, having served in national, state, and local medical organizations, including the American College of Cardiology and the Texas Medical Association (president, 2023–2024). He is vice president of the American Independent Medical Practice Association (AIMPA) and chairman of ASPEN Specialty Physician Independent Network.

As a cardiologist, Dr. Snyder serves as an advocate for patients and prides himself on providing the highest quality preventive care. He believes that risk factor modification through diet and exercise can significantly reduce the risk of potentially serious issues like a heart attack or a stroke.

Dr. Snyder is fluent in French and English. In his free time, he enjoys relaxing with his wife Shelley (also a renowned cardiologist at HeartPlace) and their five children. Dr. Snyder is an avid Notre Dame football fan and enjoys resistance training, soccer, snowboarding, and medical advocacy.

A seasoned finance executive with deep experience in payer, provider, and value-based care environments, Lanzi collaborates with physicians and executives to prioritize investments that expand patient access, enhance practice performance, and support sustainable, scalable growth across USHV's expanding footprint.

Nick joined USHV after nearly a decade inside the CVS/Aetna ecosystem, where he helped scale value-based care, integrate care delivery assets, and strengthen the financial and operational foundation for patient-centered innovation.

Lanzi is a graduate of Princeton University and the Nashville Health Care Council's 2025 Council Fellows program.

Alex Britt serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at USHV. Alex brings over 15 years of experience in multi-site behavioral & healthcare environments.

Prior to joining USHV, Alex served as the executive HR leader for a Management Services Organization supporting gastroenterologists. Prior to that Alex provided his expertise in employee relations, start-up transition and strategic planning to a national behavioral healthcare company as the executive HR leader.

As the CHRO, Alex oversees the HR department with a keen focus on aligning HR strategies with overall business objectives and supporting USHV’s amazing associates. Outside of work he enjoys sneaker hunting, spending quality time with family, and traveling to discover new places and cultures.

Dr. Neil Gheewala serves as Chief Medical Officer of Value-Based Care for US Heart & Vascular, where he leads the organization's clinical strategy to improve quality, access and patient outcomes through physician-led, value-based cardiovascular care. Working closely with physicians and operational leaders across the enterprise, he helps develop innovative care models that enhance the patient experience, improve population health and preserve the independence of community cardiology practices.

In addition to his physician leadership role, Dr. Gheewala is a board-certified structural and interventional cardiologist with Pima Heart & Vascular in Tucson, Arizona. He specializes in the treatment of complex coronary artery disease and structural heart disease, performing advanced minimally invasive procedures including transcatheter valve therapies, structural heart interventions and high-risk coronary interventions. He has a passion for taking care of patients with complex medical conditions whose requirements supersede traditional therapies.

Katie drives legal strategy and strengthens the guardrails to protect our mission and empower our growth She brings more than two decades of experience guiding healthcare organizations through growth, change, and innovation — including in-house leadership roles at Compassus and Ardent Health and as an Attorney at Bass, Berry & Sims.

Katie is known for her steady leadership, sharp legal mind, and genuine partnership with physicians and executives alike — pairing deep expertise with a hands-on approach that empowers clinicians and operators to navigate the complex healthcare landscape with clarity and confidence.

With over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology and a proven track record of leadership in driving digital transformation, Irfan brings a wealth of experience to our executive team. His dynamic blend of business acumen and technology prowess has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation across various private equity and hyper-growth organizations.

Throughout his professional journey, Irfan has showcased a profound understanding of technology’s pivotal role in fostering business growth and innovation. Irfan’s collaborative leadership style and effective communication skills have empowered him to build and lead high-performing teams, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Irfan holds an MBA and MHA from the Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous learning.

Rick Snyder, MD, FACC, is a board-certified cardiologist and president of HeartPlace Cardiology in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. He is board certified in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology and serves on the board of directors for USHV.

Dr. Snyder is a physician advocate and healthcare leader, having served in national, state, and local medical organizations, including the American College of Cardiology and the Texas Medical Association (president, 2023–2024). He is vice president of the American Independent Medical Practice Association (AIMPA) and chairman of ASPEN Specialty Physician Independent Network.

As a cardiologist, Dr. Snyder serves as an advocate for patients and prides himself on providing the highest quality preventive care. He believes that risk factor modification through diet and exercise can significantly reduce the risk of potentially serious issues like a heart attack or a stroke.

Dr. Snyder is fluent in French and English. In his free time, he enjoys relaxing with his wife Shelley (also a renowned cardiologist at HeartPlace) and their five children. Dr. Snyder is an avid Notre Dame football fan and enjoys resistance training, soccer, snowboarding, and medical advocacy.

Dr. Robert Hoyt Yoe, IV joined Birmingham Heart Clinic as an interventional cardiologist in 2015. He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease. His cardiac interests include coronary interventions, peripheral vascular disease, and structural cardiology interventions including transcatheter aortic valve replacement, also known as TAVR.

Dr. Yoe and his wife, Calee, have two children. In his free time, Dr. Yoe enjoys traveling the world, exercising, and reading. He is also actively involved in Christ-based medical mission groups that serve third-world countries, and he is passionate about his work with FITS Sock Company, which was started by his father and brother-in-law.

Based in Tucson, Arizona, Dr. Raj Desai is a board-certified interventional cardiologist at Pima Heart & Vascular, renowned for 30+ years of clinical expertise and his pioneering contributions to the development of minimally invasive procedures. His work has significantly impacted the way heart disease is treated, making him a respected figure in the regional and national medical community. As a founding physician member of US Heart and Vascular, Dr. Desai was on the USHV Board of Directors from 2021-2024, and works closely with practice physicians across the platform to prepare them for growth, change and alignment as One System, One Team.

Dr. George Basu is a a board-certified interventional cardiologist at Houston Cardiovascular Associates in the Museum District of downtown Houston, TX.

Sanket Borgaonkar, MD, FACC, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist with Houston Cardiovascular Associates, a member of US Heart & Vascular’s Board of Directors and head of the Clinical Technology Advisory Board. He specializes in treating coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular disease and peripheral vascular disease using advanced, minimally invasive interventions. Dr. Borgaonkar earned his medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center and completed his residency and fellowships in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Sumeet Chhabra, MD, is board certified in internal medicine, echocardiography, cardiology, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Chhabra’s practice exclusively focuses on delivering minimally invasive and state-of-the-art electrophysiology services to the population of North Texas at HeartPlace’s locations in Garland, Plano, and Richardson, Texas.

Dr. Chhabra has served as Medical Director of Electrophysiology Services at Presbyterian Hospital of Plano since 2015. He has also been the Assistant Medical Director of Electrophysiology Services at Methodist Richardson Hospital since 2014.

Dr. Neil Gheewala serves as Chief Medical Officer of Value-Based Care for US Heart & Vascular, where he leads the organization's clinical strategy to improve quality, access and patient outcomes through physician-led, value-based cardiovascular care. Working closely with physicians and operational leaders across the enterprise, he helps develop innovative care models that enhance the patient experience, improve population health and preserve the independence of community cardiology practices.

In addition to his physician leadership role, Dr. Gheewala is a board-certified structural and interventional cardiologist with Pima Heart & Vascular in Tucson, Arizona. He specializes in the treatment of complex coronary artery disease and structural heart disease, performing advanced minimally invasive procedures including transcatheter valve therapies, structural heart interventions and high-risk coronary interventions. He has a passion for taking care of patients with complex medical conditions whose requirements supersede traditional therapies.

Dr. Weston Hickey is board certified in cardiovascular diseases, interventional cardiology, and internal medicine. His areas of expertise include preventative cardiology, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, sports and exercise cardiology, carotid artery disease, and advanced cholesterol management.

Dr. Hickey is also recognized as the developer of two iPhone applications designed to assist cardiologists in determining the appropriateness of procedures, testing, and interventions for their patients. iCath and iImplant have gone on to become two of the most recognized cardiovascular mobile applications in the world.

Jon D. Leleux, MD, FACC has been a board-certified interventional cardiologist with Cardiology Specialists of Acadiana for more than 20 years. A native of Loreauville, Louisiana, he earned his medical degree from LSU Health Sciences Center–Shreveport and completed his cardiovascular fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Leleux returned to Louisiana in 1999 and has since provided comprehensive heart care to patients throughout the Acadiana community. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the Louisiana State and Lafayette Parish medical societies.

Dr. Arthur Menezes joined Pima Heart & Vascular in Tucson, Arizona with board certifications in Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Nuclear Cardiology, Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease. He has expertise in treating pacemaker insertion or revision, among other conditions.

Dr. Mark Peterman is board-certified in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology with particular interest in vascular medicine and peripheral vascular intervention. He is also trained in echocardiography, coronary CT angiography, and nuclear cardiology. He has been Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services at Texas Health Presbyterian Plano since 2009 and has served as President of the Medical Staff there. He also serves as the team cardiologist for the FC Dallas soccer club. He is a native of Dallas and enjoys sports, reading and spending time with his wife and eight children.

Oscar R. Rosales, MD, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist with Houston Cardiovascular Associates. He earned his medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, and completed his internal medicine residency and chief residency at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Rosales completed a clinical cardiology fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine, followed by advanced fellowship training in interventional cardiology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

Dr. Wassim Shaheen of Wichita, KS, is an interventional cardiologist who joined Heartland Cardiology in July 2006. He is Board-Certified in Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology. In addition to maintaining a busy practice, Dr. Shaheen has co-authored several journal articles. He was awarded a research grant for a two-year focused study on atherosclerosis. Dr. Shaheen has a passion for teaching and training future health professionals. He is Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Via Christi, and is also the Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Labs at Wesley and the VA hospitals.

Dr. Jacob Townsend joined Birmingham Heart Clinic in 2012 and is board-certified in internal medicine, general cardiology and interventional cardiology. His areas of interest include interventional coronary procedures, structural heart disease, peripheral disease and venous pathology. Dr. Townsend has published research in the areas of cardiac imaging, hemostasis and cardiac physiology. When not cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, Dr. Townsend can be found fishing, competitive long-distance running  and enjoying time with his family and church community.

Dr. Ajay Tuli of Tucson, Arizona, is board-certified in internal medicine, interventional cardiology and cardiovascular disease, with special interest in Congestive Heart Failure and Acute Myocardial Ischemia.

“What I love most about Cardiology is the mixture of chronic and acute care. I get the opportunity to follow many of my patients for years. At the same time, I am intricately involved with acute illnesses like heart attacks and arrhythmias. This balance is very satisfying.”

Dr. Robert Hoyt Yoe, IV joined Birmingham Heart Clinic as an interventional cardiologist in 2015. He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease. His cardiac interests include coronary interventions, peripheral vascular disease, and structural cardiology interventions including transcatheter aortic valve replacement, also known as TAVR.

Dr. Yoe and his wife, Calee, have two children. In his free time, Dr. Yoe enjoys traveling the world, exercising, and reading. He is also actively involved in Christ-based medical mission groups that serve third-world countries, and he is passionate about his work with FITS Sock Company, which was started by his father and brother-in-law.

Richard Ammar, MD, is a board-certified interventional cardiovascular specialist at HeartPlace in Richardson and Renner, Texas. He is board-certified in cardiovascular diseases and internal medicine and specializes in nuclear cardiology.

Dr. Ammar worked in the upper Midwest for about 14 years prior to moving to Texas. He is fellowship-trained in all aspects of interventional cardiology and has been trained in vascular and endovascular medicine by some of the luminaries in the field. He and his wife are blessed with two wonderful boys; family, school, and church activities prevent any danger of boredom in their home. When time permits, Dr. Ammar is an avid college football and basketball fan.

Dr. Amir Kashani is a board-certified cardiologist at Memorial Katy Cardiology Associates in Houston, Katy, and Sealy, Texas.

Dr. Kashani grew up in Houston, Texas, and attended Second Baptist Middle School and High School. He completed his Internal Medicine training at Rochester General Hospital through the University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York, where he also served as Chief Resident and Clinical Instructor. He attended Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, for his cardiovascular and electrophysiology training. Dr. Kashani also trained in Interventional Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Waco, Texas.

Throughout his career, Dr. Kashani has been heavily involved in clinical cardiovascular research. Amidst his over 30 publications, he has numerous collaborations with the TIMI Group, Harvard School of Medicine, and Yale School of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Public Health.