Our Team

The Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society Data Center Staff would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Please feel free to contact us at:

Toll Free number: 1-866-477-2477
E-mail: chss.dc@sickkids.ca

CHSS Data Center

Jeffrey Poynter, MD
Kirklin/Ashburn Fellow

Dr. Jeff Poynter is the 6th John W. Kirklin/David A. Ashburn Fellow in the CHSS Data Center, and began his tenure with us in July 2011.

He completed his B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan in 2005. He went on to complete his medical education at the University of Michigan, graduating in 2007. Currently a 3rd year General Surgery resident at Indiana University, Dr. Poynter obtained support from the National Institutes of Health for his research concerning the role of stem cell-based therapies in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. The NIH has continued to fund him during his two year tenure at the Data Center.

Jeff has been pursuing a career in congenital heart surgery since his first exposure in high school. Since that time, he has authored or co-authored over twenty publications. Jeff will earn a Master's of Science in Biostatistics during his Fellowship. His wife, Liz and their two dogs will accompany him to Toronto. After completing his training, Jeff will finish his training in congenital heart surgery.

Brian W. McCrindle, MD, FRCPC
Statistical Consultant, CHSS Data Center
Staff Cardiologist & Section Head of Epidemiology in Cardiology
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
 

Dr. Brian McCrindle is a Co-Director/Statistical Consultant for the CHSS Data Center and is a Cardiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.  He obtained his BMedSc, MD at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada and continued to complete his FRCPC, MPH from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Read more...

Christopher Caldarone, MD, FRCSC
Managing Director, CHSS Data Center
Staff Cardiovascular Surgeon,  The Hospital for Sick Children
Professor and Chair, Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Toronto
 

Christopher Caldarone, M.D. is a staff cardiovascular surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He also participates extensively in day-to-day operations of the Congenital Heart Surgeons Society Data Center with Dr. Bill Williams.  He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from John Hopkins University in Maryland and continued to complete his M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Read more...

Eugene Blackstone, MD
Statistical Consultant, CHSS Data Center
Head of Clinical Investigations, Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute
Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
 
In 1985 Dr. Eugene Blackstone & Dr. John Kirklin proposed that the CHSS surgeons pool their experience in managing infants with rare congenital anomalies of the heart and this concept lead to the establishment of the CHSS Data Center. Read more...
 
Maulik Baxi, MD, MPH
Research Program Manager, CHSS Data Center

Maulik Baxi joined the CHSS Data Center in August 2008 as Research Program Manager. Maulik has background in clinical medicine and public health with diverse research and leadership experiences. He graduated from Medical College, Baroda (India) in 2006. After a year’s primary care practice, Maulik joined Columbia University in New York for graduate education. Maulik graduated in 2008 with Master of Public Health in Environmental and Molecular Epidemiology. His final research topic focused on environmental molecular cardiology. Read more...

Sally Cai, MSc
Database Manager, CHSS Data Center

Sally Cai is the Database Manager for the CHSS Data Center.  Prior to the CHSS Data Center, she completed her Master of Science in Probability and statistics at Beijing Normal University. Read more...

Annette Flynn
Clinical Research Project Assistant, CHSS Data Center

Annette is a 20-plus year veteran of the Hospital for Sick Children. Her interest in congenital heart disease began in the early nineties when she transferred positions to the outpatient cardiac care clinic. She has four children and eight grandchildren. 

Annette currently coordinates the following CHSS studies: Pulmonary Conduit (PC) and Aortic Valve Stenosis (AVS).

Susan McIntyre, RN
Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator, CHSS Data Center

Susan is a Registered Nurse who graduated in 1978.  Susan came to the Hospital for Sick Children in 1981 working on the Cardiac Unit providing care to children both pre and post operatively. Read more...

Veena Sivarajan, BScN, RN
Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator, CHSS Data Center

 

Veena Sivarajan joined the CHSS Data Center in July 2011 as Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator.

Veena completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at McMaster University in 2001.  Prior to starting at the Data Center, Veena worked in the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at Sickkids for the last 5 years and previously worked on the Cardiology inpatient unit as well as the Respiratory Medicine unit.  Veena recently had the opportunity to present her abstract at the Cardiology Conference in Arizona.

William G. Williams, MD, FRCSC
Executive Director, CHSS Data Center
Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of Toronto
 

Dr. Bill Williams is the current director of the Congenital Heart Surgeons Society data center since 1997.  His professional interests are in all aspects of pediatric congenital heart surgery, adult congenital surgery, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, post-graduate teaching and in clinical outcomes research. He maintains a long-standing interest in database development and use. Read more... 

CHILDREN’S MERCY HOSPITAL

Jennifer Marshall, MPH, RN, RRT, CCRC
Manager, Ward Family Center Research & Development
Cardiovascular Surgery Department
2401 Gillham Road,
Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
Toll Free: 1-888-322-3580
Telephone: 816-234-1627
Fax: 816-802-1245