What: 2026 Annual Chicagoland Perfusion Foundation Meeting
When: Saturday, February 28th, 2026
Where: Rivers Casino 3000 S River Rd. Des Plaines, IL 60018
Please join us for Chicagoland Perfusion Foundation's Annual Meeting! We can't wait for you to join us for a day of educational lectures on various topics including NRP, ECMO, and the future of heart failure in addition to cocktails and dinner.
This event is in the process of approval for CAT1 CEU's by ABCP.
Please note this is a live in-person event only, there will be no virtual option. This event is exclusive to perfusionists and perfusion students only. All event sales are final and there will be no refunds.
Agenda
Saturday, February 28
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
Event Start
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Student Presentation: The Impact of Protamine on Activated Clotting Time
Ashley Fellows
Rush University Perfusion Student
9:15 AM - 9:30 AM
9:15 AM - 9:30 AM
Student Presentation: Atelectasis and Race: Does Race Have an Effect on CPB Outcome?
Nadine Kadadu
Rush University Perfusion Student
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Student Presentation: The Effect of Intraoperative Hyperglycemia during Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Post-operative Complications
Haley Iriondo
Rush University Perfusion Student
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Student Session Questions & Discussion
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
My Japan Perfusion Experience
Greg Mork, CCP
Rush University Medical Center
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Break
Please visit our sponsors
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Working Lunch: Advanced Perfusion Solutions with Spectrum Medical
John Holler
Spectrum Medical
Director of Perfusion Technology
12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
The Use of Thromboelastograpy and Platelet Mapping in Cardiac Surgery
Michael Moront, MD. Thoracic Surgeon, Promedica
Toledo, Ohio
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
The Potential Organ Donor and Emerging Ethical Challenges
Hanna Vollbrecht, MD
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow
Senior Fellow, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics University of Chicago
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Normothermic Regional Perfusion Program Overview: From Referral to the Operating Room
Shannon O'Connor, BSN, RN, CCRN
Gift of Hope Surgical Services Supervisor
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Break
Please visit our sponsors
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
NRP: Technical Applications
Dr. Kiumar Ranjabar Tabar, MD
Surgeon
Gift of Hope
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
OrganOX Normothermic Perfusion
Catherine Rigney, BSN, CCRN
OrganOX Clinical Specialist
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Introduction to Brio VAD
Sejal Loberg, MS, CCP
Perfusion Technologists of Greater Chicago
4:00 PM - 4:20 PM
4:00 PM - 4:20 PM
A Tribute to Dr. Robert Bartlett, the Father of ECMO
A tribute & discussion on ECMO with local perfusionists & surgeons
Mike Kotwas, CCP
Perfusion Technologists of Greater Chicago
4:20 PM - 5:00 PM
4:20 PM - 5:00 PM
ECMO Simulation Session: Spectrum Quantum & Chalice Medical Parallel Simulator
David Engel, CCP, LP and Alex O'Donnell CCP, LP
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Cocktails & Interactive Vendor Session
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Working Keynote Dinner: The Future of Heart Failure
A discussion on the future of heart failure with Dr. Duc Pham from Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
Event End
