Honoring a Legacy.
Investing in the Future of EP.
James H. Youngblood, FHRS, served as CEO of the Heart Rhythm Society for 18 years, joining in 2001 when the organization was still NASPE. His leadership transformed HRS into a global force in electrophysiology and helped shape the field as we know it today. Learn more about his legacy in this EP on EP interview with Eric N. Prystowsky, MD, FHRS.
Donate Today
Your support opens doors to new science, new collaborations, and new leadership pathways.
During his tenure, James:
- Relocated HRS headquarters to Washington, DC
- Led the transition from NASPE to the Heart Rhythm Society
- Expanded membership to more than 70 countries worldwide
- More than doubled overall membership
- Launched the Society’s first scientific journal
- Grew Heart Rhythm into the premier global meeting in EP
About the Award
Established in 2018, the James H. Youngblood Excellence in Leadership Award honors early- to mid-career HRS members who are already demonstrating exceptional leadership and driving meaningful, community-wide impact.
Award recipients receive support to attend Heart Rhythm, including:
- Complimentary registration
- Hotel accommodations
- Travel stipend
2024 Award Winner
Kevin Thomas, MD, FHRS
Dr. Thomas is a Professor of Medicine with Tenure in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular disease, Section of Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at Duke University Medical Center. He maintains multiple leadership positions across Duke Health and the School of Medicine including Vice Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, the Director of Faculty Diversity and Health Disparities Research at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), Co-founder and Co-director of the Duke Health Disparities Research Curriculum, and Co-director of the research, education, and training core of Duke Center for REsearch to AdvanCe Healthcare (REACH) Equity.
Dr. Thomas is well published in racial and ethnic differences in cardiovascular care delivery and outcomes and therapies to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. He has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has an established record of longitudinal funding through various entities including the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and multiple industry partners. He has been the principal investigator or co-investigator of 14 multi-year funded projects including studies to assess the effectiveness and implementation of interventions to improve the quality of cardiovascular care. Throughout his career, he has shown a steadfast commitment to sponsorship, mentorship and fostering professional development opportunities across the learning continuum.
Previous Winners
Dr. Michael Orlov has an MD and PhD Degrees from the Moscow Medical and Dental Academy. Dr. Orlov has completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, Fellowships in Cardiovascular Diseases at the University of California Irvine and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Nassir F. Marrouche is a globally renowned electrophysiologist and pioneer in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and its outcomes. He is a tenured Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine within the Department of Internal Medicine at Tulane University and is Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Division. He initiated a collaborative arrhythmia center that is bringing together a cross-departmental team of physicians, scientists, researchers, MRI and imaging specialists, and digital health experts dedicated to working collaboratively to improve successful prediction, prevention and outcomes in the treatment of cardiovascular disease using innovative approaches and technologies.
Jared Bunch, a native of Logan Utah, graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine with alpha omega alpha honors. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Department of Medicine, Resident Research Award, and Donald J. Feist Primary Care Clinic Award for Clinical Excellence. He completed fellowships in cardiovascular diseases and electrophysiology at the Mayo Clinic and received the Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award for clinical care and Donald C. Balfour Award for meritorious research. He served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic from 2003-2008. He joined the cardiovascular team at Intermountain Heart Institute in 2008, directed heart rhythm research, and served as medical director of heart rhythm services from 2010-2019. He received the Physician Researcher of the Year for Intermountain Healthcare in 2014 and 2017. In 2012, he was awarded a Healthcare Hero Award for Innovation by the Utah Business Association. He was an Affiliated Clinical Associate Professor for Stanford University from 2015-2019 while at Intermountain. Currently, Dr. Bunch directs the electrophysiology laboratory at the University of Utah as a Professor of Medicine.Why Your Support Matters
Your gift helps identify, elevate, and empower the next generation of leaders in electrophysiology.
It fuels:
- Breakthrough research and innovation
- Broader access to the global EP community
- Leadership development at a critical career stage
“
HRS [has been] blessed to have James Youngblood serving as its CEO over the past many years. He has built a culture of excellence within the society. I am pleased to support the James H. Youngblood Excellence in Leadership Award.
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– Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS
Make an Impact
Help the next generation of EP leaders explore new science, share their work, and drive innovation forward.
