Julia Jones Akhtarekhavari, BSN, RN

Julia earned a BA as a Presidential Scholar at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, and completed Post-Baccalaureate Studies at the University of Kentucky Graduate School. She earned a BSN Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky College of Nursing in Lexington, Kentucky, and is pursuing a DNP–Executive Nursing Graduate Program at the UK College of Nursing.

She worked at the bedside in the Cardiovascular ICU at UK HealthCare until assuming her current role where her responsibilities include monitoring quality and program improvement for the ventricular assist device and ECMO program; ensuring VAD program maintains disease specific certification from The Joint Commission; working in conjunction with medical and surgical directors, primary care areas, and multidisciplinary team to coordinate care and improve outcomes for VAD and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients; leading projects to create the MCS specialist and ECMO transport program; ensuring the MCS program continues robust outreach program to increase visibility in the community; managing the daily operations of heart transplant, VAD, and MCS Coordinators and support staff; and monitoring costs and reimbursement for VAD and ECMO programs.