Dr. Frank J. Veith is a true pioneer in vascular surgery whose bold innovations have shaped modern medicine. As Professor of Surgery at NYU and the Cleveland Clinic—and Chairman of the world-renowned VEITHsymposium—Dr. Veith shares insights from a groundbreaking career that spans over five decades.

He was the first in the U.S. to perform minimally invasive aortic aneurysm repair and has made major contributions to lung transplantation and limb salvage surgery. With more than 1,000 published works and leadership roles in nearly every major vascular society, Dr. Veith continues to push boundaries in patient care and surgical innovation.

Join us as we explore his remarkable journey, from early training at Harvard and service in the U.S. Army to his behind-the-scenes battles for medical progress—stories also chronicled in his powerful memoir, The Medical Jungle.

 Dr. Gary Roubin is a highly esteemed figure in interventional cardiology and peripheral medicine, recognized globally for his pioneering work in coronary artery and carotid stenting, including the development of the first FDA-approved coronary stent. His significant contributions to cardiovascular medicine are underscored by over 280 papers, 225 abstracts, and editing or writing more than 20 textbooks in the field. In January 2024, Dr. Roubin was honored with The Texas Heart Institute's prestigious Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement, acknowledging his profound impact and unwavering advocacy for patient safety through the implementation of optimally designed "fine mesh" stents to minimize embolic complications. 

Dr. Gerald Dorros is a world-renowned interventional cardiologist and one of the pioneering figures in endovascular medicine. With a career spanning decades, he was instrumental in advancing catheter-based therapies for coronary, peripheral, and carotid artery disease. Dr. Dorros co-founded some of the earliest dedicated endovascular programs in the United States and played a pivotal role in training physicians globally in minimally invasive techniques. His groundbreaking work helped establish angioplasty and stenting as frontline treatments, and his commitment to innovation and education has left an enduring legacy in vascular care.

Dr. Gustavo Oderich focuses on the clinical evaluation, open surgical and endovascular treatment of aneurysms, dissections, trauma, and aortic pathology involving any segment of the aorta, including the aortoiliac, juxtarenal, pararenal, complex abdominal, thoracoabdominal and aortic arch. Dr. Oderich has a broad and extensive experience in a wide spectrum of arterial and venous diseases affecting all vascular beds, including carotid, supra-aortic trunk, upper and lower extremity, abdominal and pelvic vessels.

 Dr. Howard Leonhardt is an inventor and entrepreneur best known for pioneering advancements in regenerative medicine and cardiovascular technology. He holds over 21 U.S. patents, including innovations in stent grafts, biological pacemakers, and bioelectric stimulation for organ regeneration. As the founder of Leonhardt Ventures, he has led and supported more than 30 startups focused on healing damaged tissues and organs, particularly the heart. His early work with the TALENT stent graft and MyoCell stem cell therapy laid the foundation for many of today’s regenerative treatments. A passionate advocate for innovation, Dr. Leonhardt continues to merge science, engineering, and entrepreneurship to shape the future of heart health. 

Dr. Joseph S. Coselli specializes in the clinical evaluation and surgical treatment of diseases of the aorta, including the aortic valve and root, ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta, and thoracoabdominal aorta. He was mentored by the pioneering aortic surgeon Dr. E. Stanley Crawford and continues to immerse himself in evolving approaches to aortic repair. Dr. Coselli is an innovator and a leader in his field and he is highly experienced in complex aortic repair, such as repair performed in patients with connective tissue disorders (such as Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes), as well as emergent repair performed in patients with conditions such as acute aortic dissection or aortic rupture. 

Juan Parodi was led to a career in surgery through his own interest and family influence - his uncle was a surgeon. In 1960, he began his medical training at the Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina. From 1975 to 1976, Parodi served as chief resident at the Cleveland Clinic, where Professor Alfred Humphries and Edwin Beven became two significant mentors in his career. During that last year, 1976, he committed all his wits to develop a new minimally invasive surgical technique that would change the future of the then-infant specialty of vascular surgery, particularly for aortic aneurysm surgery.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Julio invented the Palmaz Coronary Stent, a device that revolutionized medicine. (Artifacts related to his research now sit in the Smithsonian Institution’s medical collection.)

Dr. Kendra Grubb is the surgical director of the Emory Structural Heart and Valve Center. Prior to joining Emory in 2018, she was the director of minimally invasive cardiac surgery and the surgical director of the heart valve program at the University of Louisville. Dr. Grubb is a champion for combating women's heart disease, and is dedicated to improving the lives of all patients, both male and female, through innovation and by building collaborative teams to promote a patient-centered approach to the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Marvin L. Woodall is a veteran leader in interventional medicine with over 50 years of experience developing breakthrough medical technologies. As former President of Johnson & Johnson Interventional Systems, he led the teams behind the first balloon-expandable and drug-eluting stents. He now serves as Chairman of Thrombolex, Inc., continuing his work in innovative catheter-based therapies. Beyond industry, Mr. Woodall is deeply involved in philanthropy and community initiatives in Eastern Pennsylvania, including healthcare nonprofits and the revitalization of the Bucks County Playhouse.