AAES Officers (April 2015 – April 2017)
Medical Advisor
Kunjan Bhatt, M.D.
Dr. Bhatt is board certified in general cardiology, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology. His studies began at the City University of New York (Brooklyn College), where he graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology. He then attended the SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn College of Medicine) and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Montefiore, Bronx, NY. He completed his Fellowship at North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, Long Island, NY, serving as Chief Cardiology Fellow during his final year there, 2006 to 2007. Dr. Bhatt has been practicing in Austin since 2007. His personal interests include classical music, violin, piano, and spending time with his family.
President
Ashley Wells, RDCS, RVT
Ashley Wells, RDCS, RVT graduated from Baylor University with a B.A. in Biology in 2006. She immediately became a high school physics and chemistry teacher, then realized that she wanted to do something that she had more of a passion for. Ashley discovered sonography and fell in love with the field because it merged science, technology and people. She graduated from the Austin Community College Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography (DCS) program and has been working in the echo/stress lab at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center ever since. In addition to working in the hospital, she is also a DCS lab assistant and serves on ACC’s Advisory Committee for the Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Programs. Ashley lives in Round Rock with her ever supportive husband and their cat, Boomer.
Vice President
Danna Thomas, AAS, RCS
My Cardiac Sonography profession began at the Denver VA Medical Center in 1993. I obtained my Registry shortly after. We moved to Texas in 1999 and I continued my career at Austin Heart. I achieved many goals during my 9½ year endeavor at this facility. These included perfecting Adult and Stress
Echo, obtaining Lead Sonographer and Technical Director titles and completing the ICAEL Accreditation for the facility. From 2000 to 2010, I assisted at Austin Community College as Adjunct Faculty in the Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography Program. In May 2010, I joined the ACC
full-time Faculty as an Associate Professor and Clinical Coordinator in the DCS Program. In the last decade, working in the field of Echocardiography has brought me closer to the Austin Community. I have assisted in the Championship Hearts Foundation Screenings of young athletes, the Cardiac Screenings at the University of Texas Athletics Department and the American Heart Association Heart Walks. Most recently I have had the privilege of being a founding member of the Austin Area Echo Society, serving as past President and Treasurer, and current Vice President.
Secretary
Jamie James, RDCS (AE, PE)
Jamie James is a native Texas and graduated from Austin Community College in 2007. She earned her ARDMS registry (RDCS) in Adult Echocardiography in 2008, and went on to study pediatric echo, earning her RDCS in Pediatric Echocardiography in 2011. Jamie has worked for the Seton Family of Hospitals since 2007, and now works full-time at Dell Children’s Medical Center. She also works prn at Pediatrix Cardiology Group of Austin, and has worked for Champhionship Hearts as well. She has been the Team Captain for Seton’s representation in the Austin Heart Walk (annually in October) for several years. Jamie also serves on ACC’s Advisory Committee for the Cardiac and Vascular Sonography programs, and is a member of ASE and SDMS.
Assistant Secretary
Janet Barlow, RDCS, RVT
I am the current Program Director and Lead Instructor of the Cardiac Sonography Program at Austin Community College and have been active in cardiac sonography education since 2001. I received my echocardiography credentials in 1992 and vascular technology in 2003 through the ARDMS. I also serve as representative for the Joint Review Commission on Diagnostic Medical Sonography as a site visitor in the accreditation process of sonography programs across the country. However, closest to my heart is the Austin Area Echo Society. As the organizer of the AAES, I am very proud of the growth and strength it has demonstrated. I am also very proud to see so many former students become colleagues and supporters of the field of cardiac ultrasound.
Treasurer
Andy Isaacks, RDCS, RVT
Andy Isaacks, RDCS, RVT, worked many years as a software quality test engineer and as a project manager. He then graduated from Austin Community College in Austin, Texas, where he earned American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer in adult echocardiography and vascular technology. Andy has worked with the Seton Family of Hospitals since 2007, and now serves as as team lead of the Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics Department at Seton Medical Center Hays in Kyle, Texas. He has assisted Championship Hearts in the Austin area as well. Mr. Isaacks is a clinical instructor at Seton Hays for Austin Community College (ACC) as well as serving on ACC’s Advisory Committee for the cardiac and vascular sonography programs. He has been vice president for the Austin Area Echo Society and is a member of American Society of Echocardiography and Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.