Transplant Center: Meet the Team

Strong results reflect a multidisciplinary approach to patient care that draws on the combined talents and experience of transplant physicians, transplant surgeons, nurse coordinators, transplant assistants, social workers, financial counselors and psychologists.

UF Health Shands Transplant Center team members offer state of the art immunosuppression protocols to improve patient and graft survival rates.

Transplant Center Director

• Jaison Abraham

Transplant Surgeons

• Thiago Beduschi, M.D.
  Chief, Division of Transplantation & Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Georgios Vrakas, M.D.
  Director, Adult Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program
• Ashraf El-Hinnawi, M.D.
  Director, Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program; Associate Director, Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Program
• Mark Johnson, M.D.
• Ali Zarrinpar, M.D., Ph.D.
• Daiki Soma, M.D., Ph.D.
• Wen Y Xie
• Alp Demirag

Transplant Physicians

• Alfonso Santos, Jr., M.D.
  Medical Director, Adult Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program
• Muhanned Leghrouz, MD
• Hisham Ibrahim, MD
• Rohan Mehta, MD

Physician Extenders

• Nicole Gazzola, PA-C
• Amber Mauldin, DNP-BC
• Samantha Folsom, MSN, FNP-C
• Ashley Booe, PA-C

Manager of Kidney and Pancreas Transplant and the Living Donor Programs

• Sandra Demasters-Reynolds, MSN, RN, CCTC

Living Donor Team

Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Coordinators and Assistants

Pre-transplant Coordinators

Post-transplant Coordinators

• Ke'van Brown, RN, BSN
• Alex Saveland, BSN, RN
• Jessica King, BSN, RN
• Gena Johns, RN, BSN

Pre-Transplant Assistants

• Phyllis Mitchell
• Maria Oxendine
• Stephanie Mitchell
• Trisha Eccles

Post-Transplant Assistants

• Viva Brown
• Tiera Sermons
• Kathy Henderson
• Latosha Williams

Financial Coordinators

UF Health is contracted with most transplant networks. Check with your employer or insurer for more information about accessing UF Health for transplant services or our call financial coordinators with any questions.

• Stephanie Achour, 352.265.0358
• Katina Rees, 352.265.0359
• Samathan Cerrato, 352.594.6951

Social Worker, Kidney Transplant

• Jennifer Adams, LCSW

Dietician

• Clancy Bryant

Pharmacist

• Danielle McKimmy