Dr. Craig Michael Walker is a native of Bourg, Louisiana. He attended Nicholls State University on an academic scholarship and completed a four-year pre-medical curriculum in two years. He was also awarded the Pre-Medicine Award. He subsequently attended LSU Medical School in New Orleans earning his doctorate in medicine in 1977. Dr. Walker completed a three-year internal medicine residency where he served as chief medical resident. He completed a cardiology fellowship at Ochsner Foundation Hospital, where he was one of the first interventional fellows in the U.S. Dr. Walker subsequently performed a research fellowship at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Dr. Walker is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and interventional cardiology. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Cardiovascular Interventionists, the International College of Angiology, the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions, the American College of Chest Physicians and the Council on Clinical Cardiology.

In 1983, Dr. Walker returned to Houma to pursue his life’s goal of establishing a world-class cardiovascular program in South Louisiana. Dr. Walker’s mission led him to create Houma Heart Clinic, which quickly expanded to multiple communities in Louisiana prompting a name change to Cardiovascular Institute of the South. The practice is now internally-esteemed with more than 20 clinics in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Illinois. Over the past 30 years, CIS has participated in groundbreaking research recognized across the world. Dr. Walker has served as the principal investigator in the initial stent, atherectomy, and drug-coated balloon trials. He is known as a pioneer in interventional cardiology, particularly in peripheral vascular interventions for which his techniques and inventions have been cited internationally as transformative. He has also trained more than 1,500 physicians in advanced peripheral interventional techniques.

Additionally, Dr. Walker founded New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) which provides multidisciplinary-accredited conferences to advance the field of cardiovascular care. Dr. Walker serves as chairman for the annual conference as well as the 20+ regional meetings throughout the year. NCVH has become one of the largest and most prestigious peripheral vascular conferences in the world.

Dr. Walker has received numerous academic and professional awards. He was the first native Louisianian to be chosen as one of “Ten Outstanding Young Americans” by the Jaycees. He was awarded the “Health Care Hero Award” by New Orleans City Business, the James J. Buquet Jr. Award by the Terrebonne Foundation of Academic Excellence, and an honorary doctorate of nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, to name of few. He was one of the initial four inductees into the Nicholls State University Hall of Fame.

Dr. Walker’s passion to improve cardiovascular healthcare has resulted in a tireless pursuit of education and innovation, and it has improved patient outcomes in Louisiana and beyond.

Dr. Augustin DeLago attended CW Post College where he graduated in 1980. He received his medical degree at St. George’s University in 1987. He completed his medical residency in 1990 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Hartford, CT. Dr. DeLago’s fellowship in general and invasive cardiology was completed at Albany Medical Center in 1993.

Dr. DeLago is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiology. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions. He is on staff at Albany Medical Center, Albany Memorial Hospital, and St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY as well as Samaritan Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. Dr. DeLago is currently the director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory as well as the director of interventional cardiology at Albany Medical Center. Dr. DeLago is also president of Capital Cardiology Associates, PC, as well as founder and director of the cardiac CT imaging suite at Corporate Woods.

Dr. DeLago’s cardiology specialties include general cardiovascular disease with a special interest in invasive and interventional procedures, including cardiac catheterization, coronary angioplasty, coronary stenting, intravascular ultrasound, directional atherectomy, rotational atherectomy, and angiojet. He is the primary investigator for a number of invasive clinical trials performed at Albany Medical Center and the implantation of the Boston Scientific Watchman device.

Dr. DeLago lives in Loudonville with his wife, Darcy, and their three children. When he is not practicing cardiology, Dr. DeLago enjoys spending time with his family.

Named one of the honorees of the 2012 ONEJAX Humanitarian Award, Dr. Yazan Khatib lives a life of commitment to the common good, his patients, and his family.

As a co-founder of the Save a Leg, Save a Life Foundation, he works with medical professionals, caregivers, and patients to prevent amputations in people afflicted with wounds and complications from diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. His foundation hosted national conferences to improve patients’ quality of life.

His passion for outpatient care made him one of the co-founders of the Outpatient Endovascular Interventional Society (OEIS), where he also is a current board member, with a keen interest and dedication to improving outcomes and safety in the office-based cath labs.

His commitment to excellence in healthcare has earned him the title “Health Care Hero” in 2009 by the Jacksonville Business Journal. His huge enthusiasm for repairing even the most difficult cases without major bypass surgery made him one of only a handful of accredited operators across the nation to proctor physicians in the rapidly evolving field of endovascular therapy. He frequently lectures nationally and internationally on cardiovascular medicine, amputation prevention, and endovascular medical innovation, and has trained many physicians across the nation.

After graduating with honors from Damascus University Medical School, Dr. Khatib received his medical training at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, Loyola University in Chicago, the Indiana Heart Institute, and St. Vincent Hospital (Indianapolis, IN), where he had the privilege of working with some of the most renowned experts in the field of cardiovascular medicine. He then returned to Chicago for six months of additional training in the endovascular management of peripheral vessels (i.e., legs, kidneys, aorta, arms, and head).

Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Dr. Khatib built a successful practice in Indianapolis, where he quickly established himself as one of the leading experts in the different treatment modalities of vascular disease. He has been very diligent and successful with endovascular non-surgical techniques, including opening obstructed leg vessels and sparing many patients from amputations, thus attracting patients from neighboring states.

Despite his busy practice, Dr. Khatib was always an active philanthropist, dedicated to inter-cultural dialogue and to the promotion of a greater understanding of the world we live in. He was the main sponsor of the Amity Center dialogue dinner “Alliance of Civilizations” in October 2009, as well as several other similarly themed activities like the first Annual Art and Essay Contest for middle and high school students at Florida State College in 2010 and 2011.

Dr. Khatib previously served as Board President for the American Heart Association, First Coast Chapter, and continues to serve as a board member. He has also served on the Boards of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, the Syrian American Cultural Council, and the Atlantic Institute. In 2009, he was instrumental in bringing 150 children from the Middle East to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Al Farah Choir, a Syrian Christian choir, performed as well in Detroit, Jacksonville, and Disney World. In addition to traditional Christian hymns, the choir gave voice to recitals inspiring unity between all Abrahamic Faiths.

Dr. Khatib, his wife, and three daughters and son have called Jacksonville home since 2002. He gives his better half tremendous credit for being patient and unconditionally supportive of his long, hard-working hours taking care of his patients. Away from work, Dr. Khatib enjoys time with his family and his commitment to the community.

Dr. Jorge Navas was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Navas earned his Bachelor of Science at the University of Notre Dame and his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Puerto Rico Medical School/San Juan VA Hospital and his clinical cardiology fellowship and research fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women’s Hospital, receiving an Individual National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Navas joined Clearwater Cardiovascular Consultants in 1994. Prior to joining the practice, he was an associate physician and instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, a staff physician at the Atlanta VA Hospital, and an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University. Dr. Navas is also an affiliate assistant professor at the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

Dr. Navas is board-certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. His main areas of expertise are clinical cardiology and diagnostic cardiac imaging, including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, vascular imaging, cardiac PET scanning, and Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Dr. Navas serves as chairman of noninvasive modalities at CCC and monitors the regulatory issues that affect these areas.

In 2012, Dr. Navas was awarded “The Excellence in Medicine Award” by the Morton Plant Mease Foundation in recognition of his medical excellence and contributions to the community.

Mark Victor, MD, FACC attended Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital for medical school and a residency at Hahnemann University Hospital before completing a fellowship in cardiology at Hahnemann University Hospital. Dr. Victor sees patients at CCP’s North Broad at Jefferson and South Broad at Jefferson locations and is affiliated with Hahnemann University Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Methodist Hospital.