Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the ultimate governing authority of the Foundation. Its mission is to govern the Foundation, protect the organization's image and assets, and be the moral voice of the Sarnoff community.

The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Foundation require that a majority of seats on its Board of Directors shall be persons nominated by the Foundation's designated medical institutions ("Publicly Supported Organizations," defined in the Internal Revenue Code). Dr. Sarnoff's successor nominates candidates for the remaining positions on the Board. Elected members who were nominated by the PSOs shall always constitute a majority of the Board. Director vacancies are filled on an annual basis; the Directors serve staggered terms. The present Board consists of fifteen voting members. The Executive Director serves as a non-voting member. Mrs. Stanley J. Sarnoff is a non-voting honorary member of the Board.

The Board of Directors of the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is required to be controlled by Directors who are nominated to the Board by Publicly Supported Organizations (PSOs), as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code. PSOs must be actively engaged in developing, encouraging and maintaining a cardiovascular science program in the United States. The seven nominating PSOs of the Foundation are: Columbia University, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Northwestern University, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and the University of Washington. These seven PSOs are thus entitled to nominate candidates for election to the Board of Directors. The Permanent Successor to Dr. Stanley J. Sarnoff nominates the remaining candidates for election to the Board of Directors. The current Permanent Successor to Dr. Stanley J. Sarnoff is Dr. Jon Lomasney.

	Debra Schwinn, MD Chair Dr. Schwinn is Professor & Chair of Anesthesiology, as well as Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Genome Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. She completed medical school at Stanford University, clinical internal medicine internship and anesthesiology residency at the University of Pennsylvania, and clinical cardiac anesthesiology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Schwinn has served as Chair of the Scientific Committee and is a former Sarnoff Fellowship Sponsor. Term ends: 2013
	Ann Marie Schmidt, MD Immediate Past Chair Dr. Schmidt is the Iven Young Professor of Endocrinology and Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at New York University School of Medicine. She received her medical degree from New York University and completed her training in Hematology/Oncology prior to pursuing basic studies in vascular biology. She is a former Sarnoff Fellowship Sponsor and Preceptor and is a former Chair of the Scientific Committee. Dr. Schmidt holds numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health (NHLBI and NIA) and from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Term ends: 2012.
	Philip Tsao, PhD Vice Chair Dr. Tsao is Associate Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford School of Medicine. Dr. Tsao received his PhD in cardiovascular physiology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford before joining the faculty. He is a former Chair of the Scientific Committee, Sarnoff Fellowship Sponsor and Preceptor. Term ends: 2014.
	Jon Lomasney, MD Permanent Successor and Treasurer Dr. Lomasney is Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry at Northwestern University Medical School. He received his medical degree from Dartmouth and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins. He was a Sarnoff Fellow and Sarnoff Scholar at Duke University Medical Center. He served on the Scientific Board from 1993-96. Term ends: N/A. Permanent successor to Dr. Stanley J. Sarnoff.
	Ivor Benjamin, MD Secretary Dr. Benjamin is the Chief of the Division of Cardiology at University of Utah Health Sciences Center. He received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins, and completed his residency at Yale’s New Haven Hospital and his clinical fellowship at the University of Chicago. Previously, he was Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center. Dr. Benjamin has served as Chair of the Scientific Board, the precursor to the Scientific Committee, and has sponsored Sarnoff Fellows. Term ends: 2012.
	H. Scott Baldwin, MD Dr. Baldwin is Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and the Katrina Overall McDonald Professor of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He also serves as the Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology and the Vice Chair of Pediatric Lab Services at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Baldwin received his medical degree from the University of Virginia. He is currently the Chair of the Scientific Committee. Term ends: 2012
	Michael Cain, MD Dr. Cain is the Dean of the School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. Previously, he was the Director of the Cardiovascular Division at Washington University School of Medicine, and President of the Board of the Heart Care Institute at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Dr. Cain is a graduate of Gettysburg College and the George Washington University School of Medicine. He is a past President of the Heart Rhythm Society, and is a Fellow of the ACC, AHA and HRS. Dr. Cain chaired the Scientific Committee and co-chaired the Strategic Planning Task Force and Transition Steering Committee. Term ends: 2012
	Anne Curtis, MD Dr. Curtis is Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Buffalo. She received her medical degree from Columbia and completed her fellowships in cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophsiology at Duke. She has served as President of the Heart Rhythm Society and Chair of HRS's Women's Leadership Initiative. Dr. Curtis is a Fellow of AHA, HRS and the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program. Term ends: 2012.
	Joseph Hill, MD, PhD Dr. Hill is Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Biology, Chief of Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Director of the Harry S. Moss Heart Center. He was graduated from Duke University with MD and PhD degrees in 1987. Dr. Hill has served on the Scientific Committee since 2008. Dr. Hill’s research examines molecular mechanisms of structural, functional, and electrophysiological remodeling in cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Term ends: 2013.
	Charles Lowenstein, MD Dr. Charles Lowenstein is the Chief, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine at the University of Rochester. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, and trained at Massachusetts General Hospital for his medical residency. Dr. Lowenstein is Immediate Past Chair of the Scientific Committee and has served on the Strategic Planning Task Force and Transition Steering Committee. Term ends: 2014.
	Clay Marsh, MD Dr. Marsh is Senior Associate VP for Health Sciences Research, Vice Dean of Research for the College of Medicine, Executive Director of the Center for Personalized Health Care, Director of the Center for Critical and Respiratory Care and Professor of Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center. He received his medical degree from West Virginia University and completed his residency and fellowship in pulmonary/critical care at Ohio State. He is a former Sarnoff Fellowship Preceptor and Sponsor, and he has served as Chair of the Scientific Committee. Dr. Marsh was a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force and the Transition Steering Committee. He has received awards for distinguished mentoring, outstanding teaching and has been recognized as an outstanding faculty member. Dr. Marsh holds several NIH/NHLBI research grants. Term ends: 2013.
	Andrew Plump, MD, PhD Dr. Plump is Vice President and Worldwide Discovery Head for Cardiovascular Diseases. He received his Bachelor's degree from MIT, an MD from UCSF and a PhD in atherosclerosis from the Rockefeller University. Andy completed an internal medicine residency and a clinical genetics fellowship as well as post-doctoral training in neurodevelopmental biology at UCSF. Dr. Plump was a 1989-90 Sarnoff Fellow and a 1998-2000 Sarnoff Scholar. Term ends: 2012
	Wendy Post, MD Dr. Post is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Cardiology Division at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore,  MD. She completed medical school at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, internal medicine internship and residency at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard University, and  cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.  She also received a Masters Degree in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Post is a current member of the Scientific Committee. Term ends: 2014
	Akhilesh Sista, MD Dr. Sista is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, at Weill Cornell Medical School in New York, NY. He graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.  He completed his medical internship at Stanford, residency in Radiology at UCSF, and fellowship in interventional radiology at Stanford.  Dr. Sista was a Sarnoff fellow in 2002-2003. He is currently the Chair of the Alumni Committee. Term ends: 2013
	John Stone, MBA Before retiring Mr. Stone was the Senior Associate Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer of The Ohio State University Medical Center (OSUMC). Prior to joining OSUMC Mr. Stone spent ten years as a consultant responsible for project direction and/or analysis of the operational and financial components of consulting engagements.