May 5, 2022 – The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), the largest global organization for cardiovascular ultrasound imaging professionals, will recognize eight award recipients at the 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions in Seattle, Wash., June 10-13, 2022.
On Saturday, June 11, during the morning plenary session, ASE will present mentorship, meritorious and ASE Foundation service awards to physicians and sonographers for their many contributions to the field of cardiovascular ultrasound. Awards for lifetime achievement and teaching will be presented at the ASE Foundation Gala on Sunday, June 12.
“These eight deserving individuals have given so much to echocardiography and the field of cardiovascular ultrasound and their work, research and passion doesn’t go unnoticed,” says ASE Chief Executive Officer Robin Wiegerink. “We’re looking forward to celebrating their achievements together in-person during ASE 2022.”
- Arthur J. Labovitz, MD, FACC, FACP, FCCP, FASE, FAHA, Naples Cardiac & Endovascular Center (Retired), Tampa, FL, has been named the 2022 Physician Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Dr. Labovitz has made numerous contributions to echocardiography in his 40-year career as a clinician-researcher, mentor, and volunteer. In addition to serving in a variety of leadership positions at major hospitals in Missouri and Florida, Dr. Labovitz had led and participated in more than 100 clinical research studies and has published over 400 scientific articles, books, and book chapters. As an active member of many healthcare-related organizations, he served on ASE’s Board of Directors from 1995-1997; numerous ASE committees; and most recently he helped establish the ASE Critical Care Specialty Interest group that will become the Critical Care Council in July 2022. He is also a founding member and Past President of the National Board of Echocardiography.
- Carol Mitchell, PhD, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, RT(R), ACS, FASE, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, has been named the 2022 Sonographer Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Dr. Mitchell is being honored for her exceptional capabilities as a sonographer, instructor, and leader in ultrasound imaging and for the many ways she has helped advance the role sonographers play in providing quality patient care. A prolific teacher and education researcher, Dr. Mitchell was awarded the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography’s Distinguished Educator of the Year Award in 2006 and ASE’s Cardiac Sonographer Distinguished Teacher Award in 2010. She has held a variety of volunteer leadership positions on ASE councils, committees, and task forces—including serving as ASE’s Treasurer from 2018-2021. Dr. Mitchell has been instrumental in helping ASE create adaptive learning models and resources that provide quality cardiovascular education to all members.
- Recognized for his passion for education, love of echocardiography, and his ability to combine the two to inspire all levels of learners, Gregory J. Ensing, MD, FASE, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, has been named the 21st annual recipient of the Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Ensing has helped train more than 100 practicing pediatric and adult cardiologists and is proud to have mentored many gifted sonographers, echocardiography lab directors, and pediatric ASE leaders. He is also a recipient of the Morris Green Pediatric Teaching Award at Indiana University and the inaugural Dennis Crowley Pediatric Cardiology Teaching Award at the University of Michigan. This ASE teaching award is given in honor of the Society’s second president, Richard L. Popp, MD, FASE, and recognizes physicians who epitomize the ideal qualities possessed by a mentor and role model.
- Annette Vegas, MD, FASE, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has been named the 9th recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Echocardiography Award. Dr. Vegas is a well-respected perioperative echocardiographer and currently serves as the Director of Perioperative Echocardiography at Toronto General Hospital in Canada. Her clinical interests are cardiac anesthesia, adult congenital heart disease, and TEE. In addition to authoring an impressive list of books, book chapters, and articles on echocardiography, she is an award-winning educator and developer of the popular educational website Virtual TEE. She is also an original organizer of the largest TEE meeting in Canada—the TGH TEE Symposium. The Council recognizes an individual who has made significant clinical, research, or educational contributions to the development of the field of perioperative echocardiography with the presentation of this award.
- Lisa Hornberger, MD, FASE, Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is being honored as the 17th recipient of the Founders’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in Echocardiography for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease which recognizes continued major scholarly contributions to the field of pediatric echocardiography. Nearly 30 years ago, Dr. Hornberger was introduced to research in pediatric and fetal echocardiography by her mentor and friend, the late David Sahn, MD, FASE. She has served as the Director of Fetal Cardiac Programs at internationally recognized institutions in the United States and Canada, and her work has played a role in starting some of the first early fetal echocardiography programs in North America. Dr. Hornberger’s research has spanned clinical, population, health services, and basic science research pillars through strategic collaborations with local, regional, national, and international colleagues.
- The Council on Circulation & Vascular Ultrasound (CAVUS) is pleased to present Soo Hyun (Esther) Kim, MD, MPH, RPVI, FASE, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn., with the inaugural CAVUS Luminary Award for her many contributions to the scholarly, educational, and clinical endeavors in the fields of circulation and vascular ultrasound. In addition to authoring an impressive list of peer-reviewed publications and reviews, Dr. Kim has given more than 100 invited lectures on vascular imaging. Dr. Kim was an author on the ASE document “Recommendations for the Assessment of Carotid Arterial Plaque by Ultrasound for the Characterization of Atherosclerosis and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk” and she chaired the writing committee for the 2020 Society of Vascular Medicine/Society of Vascular Ultrasound Consensus Statement for the Interpretation of Arterial and Venous Doppler Waveforms, a document that will standardize reporting in vascular labs across the world.
- ASE is pleased to present Neil J. Weissman, MD, FACC, FASE, MedStar Health Washington, D.C., with the 2022 Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes individual members for their substantial and generous efforts to the Society’s betterment. Dr. Weissman is an ASE all-star. He served as President from 2014-2015, Chair of two successful Echo Hawaii courses, and has chaired or co-chaired a large number of committees and task forces. His work as Chair of the Governance and Compliance Committee spearheaded changes in the organizations structure and code of ethics. He conceived of, and implemented, the ASE Leadership Academy as a way of growing the future leadership of the Society ensuring they develop the necessary skills to effectively lead ASE into the future. When not going above and beyond as a volunteer, Dr. Weissman works as the Chief Scientific Officer for MedStar Health in Washington, DC and Maryland, and Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
- ASE honors Karen Zimmerman, BS, ACS, RDCS (AE, PE), RVT, FASE, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI, with the 2022 Mentorship Award. Ms. Zimmerman is a founding Editor-in-Chief of CASE. She started as the only sonographer in a small northern Michigan hospital. She became the Advanced Imaging Specialist for Munson Healthcare bringing 3D image-guidance to the open-heart and transcatheter programs. She established the West Virginia University School of Echocardiography, and now provides sonographer education and QA as Quality Facilitator for Henry Ford Health. Ms. Zimmerman has served on various ASE councils, writing groups and special projects. She serves on the Michigan Society of Echocardiography and Michigan ACC Cardiovascular Team. Her career has centered on mentoring across the full spectrum of clinical echocardiographers, those for whom English is a second language, and first-time authors and imagers from around the world.
June 12, 2024 
