HEART
Meet The Team

The Texas Transplant Institute's multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care includes highly skilled physicians, advanced practice nurses, transplant coordinators, dietitians, social workers, pharmacists, and other caregivers dedicated to the care of transplant candidates, recipients, and donors. The patient and their referring physician is an integral part of the transplant team as well.
	Michael D. Kwan, MD, FACC Medical Director, Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Heart Hospital Dr. Kwan graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science, and obtained his medical degree at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He trained in both Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and subsequently completed a fellowship in cardiac transplantation at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas. He then returned to San Antonio to join the academic faculty of a combined Army and Air Force cardiology fellowship program, and served as the Medical Director of the military’s only cardiac transplant program until 2001. Dr. Kwan is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine, is a member of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Kwan is an independent practitioner with Texas Transplant Physician Group.
	Leopoldo Zorrilla, MD Surgical Co-Director, Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Heart Hospital Dr. Zorrilla is an independent practitioner with South Texas Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the National University of Mexico with a Bachelor of Science degree and obtained his medical degree at the National University of Mexico Medical School. He trained in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the Bexar County Hospital District, and completed a fellowship in Cardiovascular Surgery at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas under the direction of Dr. Denton Cooley. Dr. Zorrilla is board certified in Thoracic Surgery, and has been a Clinical Professor in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine since 1972.
	Lawrence R. Hamner, III, MD Surgical Co-Director, Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Heart Hospital Dr. Hamner is an independent practitioner with South Texas Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates in San Antonio, Texas where he has served as President since its inception in 1997. He is a graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School where he received his medical degree. He completed a general surgery residency at Emory University Hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia, and returned to Texas to complete a cardiovascular and thoracic surgery residency at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas. Throughout his career, Dr. Hamner has served as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been honored and recognized in “The Best Doctors in America: Central Region 1996-1997” and “The Best Doctors in America 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006”.
	Chandra Kunavarapu, MD, FACC Associate Medical Director, Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Heart Hospital Dr. Kunavarapu graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from Siddartha Medical College in India. He completed an adult cardiovascular fellowship at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, and a heart failure and transplant fellowship at the renowned Columbia-NY Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. He is board certified in internal medicine, adult cardiovascular diseases, comprehensive echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. He is also a certified cardiac rhythm specialist by the IBHRE. Prior to moving to San Antonio, Dr. Kunavarapu successfully started the heart transplant program at the Medical College of Georgia and served as the medical director of the heart failure and heart transplant program. His interests along with heart failure and transplant include device therapy in advanced heart failure patients, pulmonary hypertension, cell based therapy and pharmacogenomics of heart failure. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant and the Heart Failure Society of America. He has published several book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals in the field of heart failure and transplant as well as other areas of cardiology. Dr. Kunavarapu is an independent practitioner with the Texas Transplant Physician Group.

Heart Clinic Staff

Clinical Director
J.J. Piper, RN, BSN

Heart Coordinators
Jennifer Hiller, RN, BSN
Mark Lopez, RN
Shawna Bruton, RN
Social Worker
Merri Cohoe, LMSW