Our Physicians
The physicians and staff strongly believe in disease prevention through patient education, lifestyle changes and
medications proven to lower morbidity and mortality from vascular disease. Each of the ten physicians at Savannah
Vascular and Cardiac Institute is board-certified and all have undergone additional fellowship training from
accredited Vascular
Surgery or Interventional Radiology centers of excellence throughout the world, including the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo
Clinic, Emory University, Ohio State, and the University of Ultrecht, Netherlands. The institute remains actively involved
in multiple clinical research trials in areas of vascular pharmacology, wound healing and minimally-invasive treatment
options.
- Anthony M. Sussman, M.D.
- Anthony J. Avino, M.D.
- Christopher L. Wixon, M.D.
- E. Jerry Cohn, Jr., M.D. FACS
- Christopher Walls, M.D.
- Sheppard Mondy, III, M.D.
- Larry Horesh, M.D.
- Kirstin Nelson, M.D.
- Mary C. Downing, M.D.
- Jeremy London, M.D.
- Michelle L. DesChamplain M.D.
- Catherine Bradley, MSN, FNP
- Kara M. Harner, MSPAS
- Cynthia C. Drown, MSN
- Averel Snyder, M.D.
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Anthony M. Sussman, M.D., received his
undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and completed medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr.
Sussman completed his surgical residency at Memorial University Medical Center and his vascular surgery fellowship
at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Medical
Association of Georgia.
Anthony J. Avino, M.D., received his undergraduate
degree cum laude from Vanderbilt University and completed medical school at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
He completed his surgical residency at the University of Florida Health Science Center and the Mayo Clinic. He then
completed 2 additional years of training in vascular surgery at the University of South Florida and is board certified
in both general surgery and vascular surgery. Dr. Avino is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an active
member of multiple societies, including the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery and the American College of
Phlebology. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Mercer University School of Medicine and has remained
active in numerous clinical research trials in minimally-invasive vascular surgery.
Christopher L. Wixon, M.D., received his
undergraduate cum laude and with Honors, in physics from Franklin and Marshall College located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
He completed medical school at Pennsylvania State University Hospital where he participated in the artificial heart research program.
Dr. Wixon completed his surgical residency at the University of Eastern North Carolina and his vascular surgery fellowship
at the University of Arizona Medical Center. Prior to joining Savannah Vascular Surgery, Dr. Wixon was an Associate
Professor of Vascular Surgery at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands. Dr. Wixon is a Fellow of the American College of
Surgeons and a member of the Society of Vascular Surgery, the International Society of Endovascular Surgery, and the Society
for Clinical Vascular Surgery. He is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Mercer University Medical School and has received
the William S. Halstead Award for excellence in teaching in 2002 and 2006. Dr. Wixon participates in several clinical
research projects, routinely participates in national vascular conferences, and is published in numerous medical journals.
Dr. Wixon has served as the Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services, Chairman of Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and
Surgery and currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Memorial Health University Medical Center.
E. Jerry Cohn, Jr., M.D. FACS, graduated
magna cum laude from The University of Texas at San Antonio and received his medical degree from The University of
Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his residency at The University of Florida Health Science Center
and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, and he completed his General Vascular Surgery Fellowship at The University of
Maryland Medical System in Baltimore. Before joining Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 2003, Dr. Cohn was an assistant
professor of surgery at the Uniformed Health Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, while serving our country
in the Air Force. He holds dual appointments as assistant professor of surgery and radiology for Mercer University
Medical Center and the Medical College of Georgia. He has published numerous scientific articles and remains active in
teaching and the participation in clinical trials on a variety of minimally invasive vascular techniques including
carotid artery stenting and peripheral angioplasty.
Christopher Walls, M.D., received his
undergraduate degree from Yale University in New Haven, CT, and his medical degree from Emory University in
Atlanta. He completed both his residency and vascular surgery fellowship at Emory University. Dr. Walls was also an
assistant professor of surgery at Emory University. He joined Memorial Health University Physicians -- Savannah
Vascular Institute in 2004. Dr. Walls is board-certified in vascular surgery and general surgery.
Sheppard Mondy, III, M.D., received his
undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and his medical degree from Medical College of Virginia,
Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Mondy completed his surgical residency at University of Alabama Hospitals
and Clinics, University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is board-certified in general and vascular surgery with added
qualifications in surgical critical care. Dr. Mondy is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Larry Horesh, M.D., is a graduate of Yale
University Medical School in New Haven, CT. He completed his internship and two years of training in
general surgery at Washington University. He then completed his radiology residency at St. Louis University in St.
Louis, Missouri. Dr. Horesh was fellowship-trained in interventional radiology at the University of Alabama in
Birmingham.
Kirstin Nelson, M.D., received her undergraduate
degree from Ohio State University and completed medical school at Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr.
Nelson completed her radiology residency at Ohio State University Hospitals and her interventional radiology fellowship
at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Mary C. Downing, M.D., completed her Bachelor of Arts in
Art History from Duke University and received her medical degree from Tulane University. She completed her residency
in Internal Medicine at Memorial Health University Medical Center. Dr. Downing recently completed her Vascular
Medicine fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Downing is board-certified in Internal and Vascular
Medicine.
Jeremy London, M.D., received his undergraduate degree
from Washington University in St. Louis Missouri and completed medical school at the Medical College of Georgia.
Dr. London completed his internship and residency in General Surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, Colorado
and General Vascular, Endovascular, Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte,
North Carolina. Dr. London is a member of the Society of Vascular Surgery and a Fellow of the American College
of Cardiology. He joined Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 2010 after working in a Private Practice.
Dr. London is board certified in General Vascular, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. He brings almost 10 years
of experience to our office.
Michelle L. DesChamplain M.D. received her undergraduate degree in history from the University of Virginia. She subsequently achieved a Masters Degree summa cum laude in Biology at Old Dominion University. Dr. Deschamplain completed medical school at the Medical College of Virginia. She fulfilled her general surgical residency requirements at Geisinger Medical Center and the Medical College of Virginia. She then completed two additional years of fellowship training in Vascular Surgery at the Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Deschamplain has presented several scientific articles and will continue to participate in clinical research projects. Dr. Deschamplain joined Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in July 2010. She is a candidate member for the Society of Vascular Surgery and the Southern Society for Vascular Surgeons as well as an associated fellow with the American College of Surgeons.
Catherine M. Bradley, MSN, Family Nurse
Practitioner joined Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 1997. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
from Armstrong Atlantic State University in 1989, and a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Georgia Southern University
in 1995. Mrs. Bradley has been board certified as a nurse practitioner since 1995 through the American Nurses Credentialing
Center and earned Registered Nurse First Assistant certification in 2008. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor
Society of Nursing, American Nurses Association, and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Mrs. Bradley is currently
pursuing a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from Georgia Southern University.
Kara M. Harner, MSPAS, Physician Assistant joined Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 2009. Kara earned a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from South University with post graduate clinical training at Memorial University Medical Center, St. Josephs Hospital of Atlanta and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Prior to joining Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 2009, Kara spent three years as a cardiothoracic surgery physician assistant in a high volume cardiovascular and thoracic surgery group in Atlanta. Kara is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Georgia Association of Physician Assistants, and the Association of Physician Assistants in Cardiovascular Surgery/Critical Care.
Cynthia C. Drown, MSN, Family Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Family Nurse Practitioner joined Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute in 2010. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Armstrong Atlantic University in 1990, and Masters of Science in Nursing from Georgia Southern in 1997. Cynthia has been a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner since 1997 and a board certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner since 2000. She is a member of American Nurses Association.
Averel B. Snyder, M.D.completed his general surgery residency at St Francis Medical Center of New Jersey and his cardiothoracic fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Snyder has practiced cardiothoracic surgery at St Josephs Hospital of Atlanta for the last 18 years. His specialty of practice includes adult cardiac surgery, aortic valve surgery including stentless valves, general and minimally invasive thoracic surgery and transmyocardial laser revascularization. He is one of few cardiothoracic surgeons in the United States that will be participating in stem cell therapy for heart disease. Dr. Snyder is board certified in general, thoracic and cardiac surgery and is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Snyder is also a certified age management/wellness physician.