Medical Student Leadership
4 Executive Board Members
9 Committee Chairs
26 Committee Members

Projects & Proposals
Committee

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Harrison Dean

Harrison is a fourth-year medical student at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University and a graduate of the University of Arkansas, where he earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Originally from Northwest Arkansas, his interests in engineering, education, and cardiovascular medicine have shaped his path throughout medical school. He previously completed a dedicated research year as an Academic Scholar in Anatomy, where he contributed to anatomical research, led cadaveric dissections, and mentored medical students in anatomy and academic development.

His research interests span cardiovascular medicine, surgical education, anatomical imaging, and outcomes research, with projects involving congenital heart disease screening, anatomical imaging using SPICE-CT and DICE-CT, and barriers to long-term follow-up after aortic dissection. More recently, he has helped develop educational primers for medical students and early surgical trainees focused on cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation systems, as well as bedside awareness and workflow in robotic cardiac surgery.

Through leadership roles with the Thoracic Surgery Medical Student Association (TSMA), American College of Osteopathic Surgeons Medical Student Section (ACOS-MSS), Osteopathic Research Initiative for Growth and INnovation in Surgery (ORIGINS), and HeartBridge Health, Harrison is passionate about expanding access to cardiothoracic surgery education, research, and mentorship. Outside of medicine, he enjoys trading card and board games, local coffee, golf, pickleball, and exploring the outdoors. He is excited to serve as Co-Chair of the TSMA Projects and Proposals Committee and help create meaningful opportunities for students interested in cardiothoracic surgery.

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Leena Awni

Leena Awni is a second-year medical student at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM), originally from Sacramento, California. She completed her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and spent her gap years conducting clinical research in uro-oncology and radiology, an experience that solidified her dedication to a career in academic medicine. Aspiring toward adult cardiac surgery, her academic interests center on translational surgical innovation, medical device development, and health-tech solutions designed to address complex clinical challenges.

At VTCSOM, Leena is the Founder and Co-President of the school’s inaugural Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group (CTSIG), where she is establishing a dedicated CTSIG research group to foster early scholarly productivity among trainees. Nationally, on the TSMA Projects and Proposals Committee, she is excited to create medical education initiatives that expand trainee access to cardiothoracic surgery. This addresses a critical workforce need, as an aging patient population increases the demand for specialized critical care cardiology. Concurrently, she is focused on exploring patent translation pathways to help bring practical, student-led surgical innovations from bench to bedside.

Outside of medicine, Leena enjoys running, weightlifting, and watching horror movies with her tuxedo cat, Mango. She is thrilled to join the TSMA Projects and Proposals Committee and contribute to the future of academic cardiothoracic surgery.

Kavi O'Conner

Kavi O'Connor is a third-year medical student at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell with a strong interest in cardiothoracic surgery. Originally from New York City, he studied Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University and, prior to medical school, spent two years in the Ross Levine Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center studying myeloproliferative neoplasms. Kavi's research interests center on structural and valvular heart disease, perioperative coagulation, and applications of artificial intelligence to cardiovascular imaging and surgical documentation.

Outside of medicine, Kavi enjoys aviation, mechanical watches, skiing, and playing music. As a Projects & Proposals Committee Member, he looks forward to helping TSMA build new opportunities for medical students entering the field.

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Nicolás Pinzón

Nicolás Pinzón is a second-year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Raised in Bogotá, Colombia, he immigrated to the United States at age 14 with the dream of becoming a professional tennis player, a passion that has since evolved into a firm commitment to cardiothoracic surgery. He earned his B.S. in Genomics with a minor in Neuroscience from Davidson College, graduating summa cum laude with First Honor while competing as an NCAA Division I tennis student-athlete.

Nicolás began his work in cardiothoracic surgery as a Stanford Cardiovascular Institute Summer Research Fellow, studying outcomes following complex pulmonary artery reconstruction. In the cardiac operating room, the technical challenge, high-stakes environment, teamwork, and shared responsibility reminded him of what he valued most in competitive tennis: performing under pressure and working in synchrony toward something larger than oneself.

Nicolás now conducts cardiovascular and thoracic surgery research at Mount Sinai and Columbia, investigating long-term outcomes and health disparities across mitral valve disease, ECMO, and congenital heart disease. He hopes to become an academic cardiothoracic surgeon while paying forward the mentorship he has received by teaching and supporting the next generation of students entering the field. Outside medicine, Nicolás enjoys learning new sports and card magic.

Shaan Mukadam

Shaan grew up in Southern California and continues to call it home as a third-year medical student at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. Before medical school, he worked as a registered nurse in dialysis, providing continuous renal replacement therapy to patients in the ICU. He is pursuing a career in academic cardiac surgery, with research interests in heart transplantation, congenital heart disease, surgical outcomes, and translational cardiovascular science. Much of his involvement in cardiothoracic surgery has developed through mentorship and collaboration beyond his home institution, shaping his interest in expanding opportunities for students with limited access to the field.

Outside of medicine, Shaan is a car enthusiast who enjoys automotive detailing and watching films. He is excited to serve as Co-Chair of the TSMA Projects & Proposals Committee and looks forward to helping advance collaborative initiatives, strengthen partnerships, and carry promising ideas through completion.