Executive Committee

Jonathan D. Woody, MD, FACS graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and then received his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Woody completed his internship and surgical residency at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was followed by a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He joined Athens Vascular Surgery in 2005. The practice has evolved into University Vascular which employs six vascular surgeons and eight physician extenders. Dr Woody is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Georgia and has served in numerous leadership roles within the Athens medical community.

Dr. Gautam Agarwal is a vascular surgeon in Augusta, GA and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University Hospital Summerville, Associate Professor and Section Chief of Vascular and Endovascular surgery at Augusta University Medical Center. He received his medical degree from SCB Medical College, Cuttack and completed his vascular surgery fellowship at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN and has been in practice 24 years.

Dr. Molnar practices nearly the entire spectrum of vascular and endovascular surgery. His vascular fellowship was at Vanderbilt, following general surgery at residency at Rush, medical school at Ohio State, and undergraduate at Duke. Away from the hospital, he coaches youth basketball and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, traveling to new cities, and reading.

Dr. Escobar is the Program Director for Emory University’s vascular surgery residency and fellowship. He graduated from La Salle University Medical School in Mexico City, and then went to The Mayo Clinic for his general surgery internship. He completed his general surgery training and research at the University of Colorado and stayed in the North 5 more years at the University of Michigan where he completed his fellowship and stayed on faculty. The South called and he joined the University of Arkansas for 4 years and now loves living in Atlanta. When not looking for the next challenging vascular case, he especially likes to watch his son play tennis and joining his wife at the GVS meeting! Dr. Escobar served as GVS Councilor from 2021-2023, Program Committee in 2023.  He has been an active member of the Society since 2017.

Arun Chervu MD, MBA, MHA, FACS, RVT has been with Vascular Surgical Associates, PC in Marietta, GA since 1995. He did his General Surgery Residency and his Vascular Surgery Fellowship at UCLA Medical Center, graduating in 1992. He spent 3 years on faculty at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, TX. His clinical interests are open and endovascular interventions for carotids and AAA.

Juan Ayerdi, MD FACS is a Vascular Surgeon in Columbus Georgia. He is graduated from Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala. He attended a Surgery internship at the University of Massachusetts, completed a General Surgery residency at The Guthrie Clinic in Pennsylvania, and completed a Vascular and Endovascular fellowship at Southern Illinois University in Illinois. He then went on to become the Director of Endovascular Therapies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Dr. Ayerdi is an Associate professor of Surgery with Mercer Medical School. He practices all aspects of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in private practice at River City Vascular specialists in Columbus Georgia.

Dr. Chapman is a board certified in vascular surgery and general surgery.  He graduated from Mercer University School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, GA.  After completing his general surgery residency, he attended the University of Tennessee Medical Center – Knoxville for a vascular surgery fellowship.  After fellowship, Dr. Chapman took a job with Atrium Health Navicent, formerly known as the Medical Center of Central Georgia.  Dr. Chapman is an Associate Professor of Surgery with the Mercer University School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery.  In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, hunting, and fishing.

Dr. Cohn is board certified by the Vascular Surgery Board of American Surgery VSB-ABS. He graduated magna cum laude from The University of Texas at San Antonio and received his medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his residency at The University of Florida Health Science Center and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, and he completed his General Vascular Surgery Fellowship at The University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore.

Before joining Savannah Vascular Institute in 2003, Dr. Cohn was an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Health Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, while serving our country in the Air Force.

He holds dual appointments as Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology for Mercer University Medical Center and the Medical College of Georgia.

He has published numerous scientific articles and remains active in teaching and the participation in clinical trials on a variety of minimally invasive vascular techniques including carotid artery stenting and peripheral angioplasty.

When not in clinic, Dr. Cohn enjoys hunting, fishing, and boating.

Dr. Yazan Duwayri is Professor of Surgery and interim Chief of Vascular Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. He also serves as Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Service Line at Emory University Hospital, where he promotes operational efficiency and alignment across the cardiovascular units. Additionally, he is Co-Director of the Emory Aortic Center, one of the highest volume aortic programs in the United States, where he has grown the volume and quality of care of patients with aortic disease through endovascular innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research trial recruitment.

Along with his Emory institutional roles, Dr. Duwayri serves the vascular surgery community at a national level through several leadership positions in national and regional vascular societies where he has led efforts in Medicare payment reform, government relations and patient safety.

Dr. Duwayri received his medical degree from the University of Jordan, completed his surgical residency in the University of Toledo and his Vascular Surgery fellowship at Washington University in Saint Louis.  He also has an MBA from Emory University Goizueta Business School.

Dr. Siddharth Patel is a board-certified vascular surgeon who provides expert care in all facets of vascular disease, surgical and non-surgical, that is tailored to each patient and their individual needs. He has extensive technical experience, in both open and endovascular procedures, including TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), which is a minimally invasive treatment option for carotid artery disease.

Dr. Patel is one of a few select surgeons in the state that has earned the designation Clinical Operator of Experience for TCAR. This recognition demonstrates the commitment to further improving patient outcomes and delivering the highest quality of care for the treatment of stroke. Dr. Patel is also a member of the nationally recognized faculty that provides education and training on TCAR for new vascular surgery graduates and established vascular surgeons alike. He is closely involved in continued innovation to further improve already excellent outcomes as well as establishing best practices. His commitment to advanced medical training and patient care has played a key role in the leadership of the vascular surgery program at Northside Hospital. Dr. Patel recently served as the Chief of Vascular Surgery and now is the Medical Director for Northside Hospital System’s vascular program.

Dr. Eric Daniel Wellons was born on May 3, 1968, in Yokosuka, Japan.  He grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and then Springfield, Illinois.

In 1990, Dr. Wellons graduated from Dartmouth College, then he completed the Chinese Language Program at Middlebury College in 1992. In 1995, Dr. Wellons graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, VA. While in medical school, he also completed a Traditional Chinese Medicine externship at the Shanghai Mental Health Hospital in Shanghai, China from 1992 to 1993.   After medical school, he completed a general surgery residency at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, MD and then a vascular surgery fellowship at Atlanta Medical Center.

Dr. Wellons has been in private practice at Atlanta Vascular Specialists since 2002.  He Newnan Vascular Center around 2011 and continues to practice in the Fayetteville and Newnan area.