Women's Heart Health Series

Women's Heart Health Series

In honor of Heart Month, the GW Heart & Vascular Institute is pleased to launch a new interactive and free Women’s Heart Health Webinar Series designed to empower women with the information they need to protect their heart health. This live series offers direct access to the GW Cardiology Team and other experts through discussion and Q&A, covering critical topics such as women-specific risk factors, early warning signs, and practical prevention strategies.

Join us for the first session, Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Identifying Your Risk, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Gurusher Panjrath, MD, will facilitate this first session featuring colleagues Jannet Lewis, MD, and Dorys Chavez, MD.

Facilitator

Gurusher Singh Panjrath, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHFSA, is a professor of medicine at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS). He serves as the director of the GW Heart and Vascular Institute and the Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support Program. A leader in advanced heart failure care, Panjrath has established several specialized programs at GW, including a comprehensive heart failure and cardiomyopathy program, a JCAHO-certified Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) program, and the Cardiac Amyloid Center. He has earned multiple awards and grants for his research. Panjrath pioneered community-based initiatives using mHealth and community health workers to successfully reduce hospital readmissions. He holds national leadership roles within the American College of Cardiology, including serving as past chair of the Heart Failure and Transplant Section; current governor of the Washington, D.C., chapter; and chair of the Solution Set Oversight Committee. He is a section editor for the journal JACC: Heart Failure and deputy editor of the CMP Pathway for Heart Failure. Panjrath has been an author or reviewer for multiple national clinical guidelines and expert consensus decision pathways. He has published more than 100 manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts. His clinical excellence is recognized through consistent selection as a Washingtonian Magazine and Castle Connolly “Top Doctor,” and he received the 2022 GW Distinguished Service Award.

Speakers

Jannet Lewis, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist and professor of medicine at GW SMHS. She is the immediate former director of Noninvasive Cardiology, and is an expert in echocardiography. During her tenure at the GW Hospital and The GW Medical Faculty Associates, Lewis has developed the noninvasive cardiology services to provide excellent patient service and an academic environment for education of students, residents, and fellows. She also has worked to provide cardiovascular care specific to women, educating both lay and academic communities and engaging in research specific to the care of women. Lewis is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and has served as governor of the Washington, D.C., chapter. She is also a member and former board member of the American Society of Echocardiography. She has published more than 85 scientific publications and book chapters, largely related to echocardiography and cardiovascular disease in women.

Dorys Chavez, MD, is a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiology fellow at GW SMHS. She completed her internal medicine residency and cardiovascular disease fellowship at GW and is currently pursuing advanced training in electrophysiology, with a strong clinical and academic focus on cardiac arrhythmias, device therapy, and complex pacing strategies. Chavez has extensive experience in cardiac implantable electronic devices and has been deeply involved in global cardiovascular health, including long-standing participation in medical missions providing pacemakers and defibrillators to underserved populations in Honduras. She is actively engaged in research, with numerous peer-reviewed publications, book and book chapters, and national and international conference presentations spanning electrophysiology, heart failure, structural heart disease, and health disparities. She is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha, a current fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society, and has received multiple national awards, including Fellow of the Year at GW, American Heart Association scholarships, and recognition from the National Hispanic Medical Association. Chavez is passionate about education, mentorship of international medical graduates, and advancing equitable cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, research, and advocacy.

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GW Heart & Vascular Institute
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
GW Medicine