This group of top physicians and healthcare providers in the CHD field provides expert input and advice for all ACHA activities involving medical, scientific and/or medical profession-related content.
They offer expert opinions on research and medical developments in CHD and the needs of the CHD population and assure that ACHA policies meet the highest standards of scientific need and accuracy.
Ariane Marelli, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine, McGill University
Director, MAUDE Unit (McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart Disease)
Philip Moons, Ph.D, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing Science at the Center for Health Services and Nursing Research, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium
Advanced Practice Nurse, Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, University Hospitals Leuven
Barbara J.M. Mulder, MD, Ph.D
Professor of Cardiology in the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam
President, International Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Koichiro Niwa, MD
Director, Department of Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Pediatrics
Chief, Department of Pediatrics
Chiba Cardiovascular Center, Chiba, Japan
Former President of the Japanese Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (JSACHD)
In Memoriam
William R. Davidson, Jr., MD (1953-2022)
Dr. Davidson was a long-time ACHA advocate and friend with an unwavering dedication to the mission of ACHA. Instrumental in the development of the ACHA Clinic Directory, Dr. Davidson served as chairperson of the Clinic Directory Committee (later renamed the Professional Affairs Committee), beginning in 2004. He recognized the importance of adults with CHD receiving care from appropriately trained cardiologists. After finishing his Cardiology fellowship at the University of Rochester, Dr. Davidson joined the cardiology faculty at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in 1985 where he founded the Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD) at Hershey in 1991. He directed that program from then until his retirement in early 2022. Dr. Davidson served on the ACHA Medical Advisory Board from 2006-2014, where he was also a member of the executive committee for a period of time. Subsequent to that, Dr. Davidson was a member of the ACHA Emeritus Medical Advisory Board from 2015 until his passing. He also served as an ACHA Board Member from 2009-2011, as well as on the steering committee of Vision 2020 and as chair of the Program Accreditation working group.
Thomas P. Graham, MD (1937-2020)
Emeritus Professor, Pediatric Cardiology at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Nashville
Dr. Graham came to Vanderbilt in 1971 to establish the Pediatric Cardiology program, which was renamed the Thomas P. Graham Division of Pediatric Cardiology in 2008. Dr. Graham served the College as the chair of the Pediatric Cardiology Committee twice, the chair of the Credentials and Membership Committee, on multiple Bethesda Conference Steering Committees, and on the Publications Committee. He had also served on the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and as a member of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Graham was awarded the Gifted Teacher award by Vanderbilt in 2006. His major research interest was ventricular function in congenital heart disease and had been the pediatric cardiology editor for the Year Book of Cardiology since 1997.
Joseph K. Perloff, MD (1924-2014)
University of California, Los Angeles
Joseph K. Perloff, the founder and Medical Director of the UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, was pivotal in establishing the field of adult congenital heart disease. In 2008, the American College of Cardiology presented Dr. Perloff with its most prestigious honor—the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Perloff is the author of hundreds of scientific articles and chapters. His books include the 5th edition of the Clinical Recognition of Congenital Heart Disease, a definitive text, the 3rd edition of Congenital Heart Disease in Adults, which was the first book dedicated to this new field, and the fourth edition of the Physical Examination of the Heart and Circulation, a classic text.
Gary D. Webb, MD (1943-2021)
Dr. Webb provided leadership and advice for more than two decades as a valued member of both the ACHA Medical Advisory Board and ACHA Emeritus Medical Advisory Board. He served as the keynote speaker at the very first ACHA National Conference in Boston in 2000 and presented several patient webinars over the years. Dr. Webb was a supporter of the ACHA ACHD Clinic Directory, recognized the importance of and was involved in creating ACHA ACHD Program Accreditation, and shared the voice of ACHA on the Congenital Heart International Professionals (CHiP) network. Throughout his career in ACHD, he was director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic in the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the University Health Network in Toronto, ON, Canada; the Philadelphia Adult Congenital Heart Center at the University of Pennsylvania; and the Adult Congenital Heart Program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Heart Institute.