Meet Our Faculty
Mark C. Bates
Undergraduate School: West Virginia University
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Charleston Area Medical School/WVU-Charleston Campus
Cardiovascular Medicine: University of Kentucky
Interventional: University of Kentucky
Vascular Medicine and Advanced Vascular Intervention / Endovascular Surgery: The William Dorros – Isadora Feuer Interventional Cardiovascular Disease Foundation (University of Wisconsin)
Board Certifications:
• Internal Medicine
• Cardiovascular Disease
• General Vascular Medicine
• Vascular Intervention
Clinical/Academic Focus: Vascular Medicine and Intervention, Innovation; Structural Heart Disease and Coronary Intervention

Muhammed Amer, MD
Medical School: Allama Iqbal Medical College, Pakistan
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: New York Medical College
Cardiovascular Medicine: Howard University Hospital
Electrophysiology: University of Maryland Medical Center
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical/Academic Focus: Electrophysiology, Lead Extractions, Complex Ablation
Chafik Assal, MD
Undergraduate School: Aleppo University, Syria
Medical School: Aleppo University, Faculty of Medicine, Syria
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Cardiovascular medicine: Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology: Geisinger Medical Center, PA
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Starting an EP fellowship program, Innovations in EP procedures especially AFib ablation

Tania Babar, MD
Undergraduate School: University of Charleston, WV
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH
Cardiovascular medicine: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, MA
Electrophysiology: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, MA
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Electrophysiology
Clinical/Academic Focus:
Clinical: complex arrhythmia and device management, SVT ablation, VT ablation, Afib ablation, ICD, His Bundle Pacing, Micra, Watchman
Academic: Atrial Fibrillation, Obesity and Atrial Fibrillation, LAA Closure devices, Advanced pacing techniques with physiologic and leadless pacing

Kevin Driver, MD
Undergraduate School: Messiah University
Medical School: The College of Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia University)
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Duke University Medical Center
Cardiovascular Disease: University of Virginia Medical Center
Electrophysiology: University of Virginia Medical Center
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Device implantation including S-ICD and leadless pacing, Catheter ablation of AF and atrial arrhythmias, Catheter ablation of PVCs and VT

Ahmad R. Elashery, MD
Medical School: Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Greater Baltimore Medical Center (served as chief resident)
Cardiovascular medicine: Danbury Hospital (served as chief fellow)
Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging (cardiac MRI and CT): University of Kentucky
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Echocardiography
- Nuclear Cardiology
- Cardiac MRI
- Cardiac CT
Clinical/Academic Focus: Using the most up to date multi-modality cardiac imaging technology to tailor cardiovascular care.

David D. Francke, MD
Undergraduate School: Virginia Tech
Medical School: Marshall University, WV
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Marshall University, WV
Cardiovascular medicine: Marshall University, WV
Interventional: Marshall University, WV
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical/Academic Focus: General and Interventional Cardiology

Elie G. Gharib, MD
Undergraduate School: West Virginia University
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: University of Tennessee
Cardiovascular Medicine: Marshall University, WV
Interventional: Marshall University, WV
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Continue to grow cardiology program on all facets, increase fellowship, interventional cardiology program.
Marciano B. Lee, MD
Undergraduate School: West Virginia University
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: University of Tennessee
Cardiovascular Medicine: Marshall University, WV
Interventional: Marshall University, WV
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Continue to grow cardiology program on all facets, increase fellowship, interventional cardiology program.
Stephen A. Lewis, MD
Undergraduate School: West Virginia University
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Medical College of Virginia
Cardiovascular medicine: University of Texas Health Science Center
Pulmonary Medicine: University of Texas Health Science Center
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical/Academic Focus:
Structural Heart Intervention, Coronary Intervention and Hemodynamics

Don Lilly, MD
Undergraduate School: West Virginia University
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: University of Virginia (served as chief resident)
Cardiovascular medicine: University of Virginia
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical/Academic Focus: General Cardiovascular; Imaging and Nuclear Medicine
Sangeeta Mandapaka, MD
Medical School: Kasturba Medical College, India
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Seton Hall University, NJ (Internship)/ University of Florida (Residency)
Cardiovascular medicine: East Carolina University
Cardiac MRI and CTA: Wake Forest University
Interventional Cardiology: East Carolina University
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Cardiac CT
- Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Interventional cardiology, CTA cardiology, Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, Preventive cardiology

Muhammad S. Mian, MD
Medical School: King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: New Britain General Hospital, CT
Cardiovascular Medicine: University of Connecticut Medical Center
Interventional: St. Francis Hospital, University of Connecticut
Board Certifications:
• Internal Medicine
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cardiac CT
Clinical/Academic Focus: Coronary Interventions, Cardiac CT

Jacob A. Misenheimer, MD
Undergraduate School: Wake Forest University
Medical School: Wake Forest University
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Cardiovascular medicine: Medical College of Georgia
Interventional Cardiology: University of North Carolina
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: CTO, complex/high risk PCI, shock and MCS

Lavinia P. Mitulescu, MD
Medical School: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Norwalk Hospital, Yale
Cardiovascular medicine: Medical College of GA
Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging: Piedmont Heart Institute, GA
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical/Academic Focus: Structural Imaging
Aravinda Nanjundappa, MD
Medical School: Mysore University, India
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Seton Hall University
Cardiovascular medicine: Seton Hall University
Interventional Cardiology: University of South Florida Health Science Center
Interventional Peripheral Vascular: Washington Hospital Center
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Cardiovascular Disease, Vascular, and Structural

Mitchell N. Rashid, MD
Undergraduate School: Vanderbilt University
Medical School: Marshall University, WV
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Marshall University, WV
Cardiovascular medicine: Marshall University, WV
Interventional Cardiology: University of Vermont
Board Certifications:
• Interventional Cardiology
Clinical/Academic Focus: Interventional Cardiology Clinical Trials, STEMI, Complex PCI

Sarah Rinehart, MD
Undergraduate School: WV Wesleyan College
Medical School: Marshall University, WV
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Marshall University, WV
Cardiovascular Disease: Marshall University, WV
Piedmont Heart Institute, GA – Level 3 training in Cardiac MRI and Cardiac CT
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Nuclear Cardiology
- Cardiovascular CT
Clinical/Academic Focus: Cardiac Imaging, Prevention and risk management, Women’s Health, Structural Heart Disease, Vascular Disease
Ganpat Thakker, MD
Medical School: B.J. Medical College, India
Residency/Fellowship:
Internal Medicine: Queens Hospital Center/Long Island Jewish Hospital SUNY
Cardiovascular medicine: Queens Hospital Center/Long Island Jewish Hospital SUNY
Board Certifications:
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Echocardiography
- FACC: Fellow of American College of Cardiology
- FASE: Fellow of American Society of Echocardiography
- Certified in Vascular Ultrasound Interpretation (RPVI)
Clinical/Academic Focus: Clinical Cardiology and Echocardiography