Karl H Lembcke

Harneet Walia, M.D., FAASM, is the medical director of sleep medicine at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and chief of clinical transformation for Baptist Health. She is also a professor at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Dr. Walia joined Baptist Health in January 2021 from Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. She is a national thought leader and has contributed substantially to mentorship and outreach. She has presented on more than 100 international and national platforms and in media relations to raise awareness of sleep disorders. Dr. Walia has led numerous clinical trials and real-world research projects on sleep apnea treatment, including upper airway stimulation and health outcomes, ranging from patient-reported outcomes to cardiometabolic disorders. She and her team have demonstrated that improving sleep disorders can improve patients’ quality of life, depressive symptoms and insomnia symptoms, and have garnered various national awards. Her research has also shown that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with recalcitrant blood pressure and that treatment can improve blood pressure. Her research has been published in several high-impact, peer-reviewed journals such as CHEST, JAMA Otolaryngology and Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. She serves on numerous local and national committees for sleep medicine. As chief of clinical transformation at Baptist Health, Dr. Walia continues to drive innovation and excellence in healthcare delivery. Her leadership is instrumental in implementing evidence-based practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement to meet the evolving needs of patients and the community. She has also led multiple professional and leadership development initiatives. She has been recognized for her leadership and scholarly achievements, and received the prestigious Gidwani Mid-Career Scholarship from the Women’s Professional Staff Association at Cleveland Clinic in 2020. This scholarship facilitated her professional development at Harvard Medical School’s leadership course, where she honed her leadership skills and strategic vision in healthcare transformation.

Marcus St. John, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, is an interventional cardiologist with Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and is the Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Baptist Hospital. He specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide range of cardiovascular diseases through catheter-based procedures, such as angioplasty and stenting. In addition to interventional cardiology, his clinical interests include general and preventive cardiovascular medicine. Dr. St. John has conducted clinical research studies and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles on cardiology. He has lectured extensively throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. on heart disease and preventive cardiovascular medicine.