Co-Director, The Heart Center at Children's Hospital New Orleans
Dr. Thomas Kimball is the Director of the Heart Center and Division Chief
of Cardiology at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. A native of Oakland,
California, he received his undergraduate degree at Stanford University.
Dr. Kimball attended medical school at New York University followed by
a pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. He
completed a cardiology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
and remained at that institution as an attending cardiologist for 34 years.
Dr. Kimball is currently the Nelson K Ordway Professor of Pediatrics at
the LSU Health Center, and is board-certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric
Cardiology. His clinical interests include non-invasive cardiac imaging
and pediatric coronary artery disease (Kawasaki Disease and congenital
anomalies of the coronaries). His research interests relate to the cardiovascular
effects of obesity and decreasing patients lost to follow-up rates. Dr.
Kimball values the physician/patient relationship because it is career-defining
to see his patients who were once critically ill babies develop into healthy
husbands/wives, college graduates and elite athletes.
Frank A. Pigula, MD
Co-Director, The Heart Center at Children's Hospital New Orleans
One of the country’s most accomplished congenital heart surgeons,
Dr. Frank Pigula joined Children’s Hospital New Orleans as Chief
of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery and Co-Director of The Heart Center
in January 2021. Dr. Pigula brings a level of experience and expertise
in congenital heart surgery that is unmatched in the region.
Dr. Pigula’s extensive background includes 12 years as Clinical Director
of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital,
the number 1 ranked Children’s Hospital in the country by US News
& World Report. Dr. Pigula has also held leadership positions in cardiac
surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Norton Children’s
(formerly Kosair Children’s), and most recently at AdventHealth
Children’s Hospital in Orlando, FL.
After completing his residency in surgery at the University of Vermont,
Dr. Pigula completed fellowships in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University
of Pittsburgh and in Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at Boston Children’s
Hospital. An accomplished academician, he is the author of more than 140
peer reviewed articles and 25 book chapters and invited reviews.
Melvin Almodóvar, MD
Director, Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care
Co-Director, The Heart Center at Children's Hospital New Orleans
Dr. Almodóvar joined the Children’s Hospital New Orleans Heart
Center team in 2023. He most recently served as the George E. Batchelor
Chair in Pediatric Cardiology, Director of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive
Care Unit, and Co-Director of the Children’s Heart Center at the
University of Miami and Jackson Health System. He attended medical school
at Stanford University School of Medicine and completed his residency
in pediatrics and fellowships in pediatric cardiology and cardiac intensive
care at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Almodóvar has held leadership positions at Boston Children’s
Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Johns Hopkin’s
All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He brings a
wealth of experience and expertise in the management of complex congenital
heart disease, has authored more than 50 peer reviewed publications and
book chapters, and has mentored many trainees and junior faculty now practicing
in or leading cardiac intensive care units across the country.
