Fellowship Inductees

Election to Fellowship of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (FELSO) identifies global recognition of select physicians, nurses, perfusionists, therapists and researchers who have advanced extracorporeal support delivery in diverse and lasting ways.

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Fellowship of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (FELSO)

What is FELSO?

Induction into Fellowship of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization is an honor bestowed on select physicians, nurses, perfusionists, therapists and researchers who have provided distinctive contributions to the global art and science of extracorporeal support delivery. Election to FELSO identifies global recognition of those who have advanced the field in diverse and lasting ways. The charter class of FELSO inductees was selected in 2015. Annually, a small number of awardees will be presented with the honor.

Qualifications for Fellowship:

Extraordinary, distinctive contributions to the art and science of extracorporeal support.
Examples:
- Outstanding innovations in extracorporeal support
- Significant research and/or device development
- Extensive publication in the field
- Distinctive leadership/public advocacy
- Objective evidence of extraordinary compassionate care
- Recommendation by other recognized leaders in extracorporeal support and by Fellows
Emphasis on diversity in:
- Discipline
- International representation

Nominations for Fellowship of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (FELSO)

The ELSO community can now make nominations for induction to FELSO, the honorary designation recognizing extraordinary contributions to the art and science of ECLS. Applications will receive consideration by the FELSO Nominations Committee. Please see the application below for more information. Self nominations will not be accepted.

Application period is April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026.

2026 Application

For more information please email FELSO@elso.org

Fellowship of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization

Select a date below to jump to that year.

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Inaugural Class-2015

Robert H. Bartlett, MD

Surgeon and Intensivist
Widely recognized as the Father of ECMO and Founder of ELSO
Pioneered the development and clinical application of extracorporeal life support, transforming survival for critically ill patients worldwide.

Konrad Falke, MD

Luciano Gattinoni, MD

John Gibbon, MD

Robert E. Gross, MD

J. Donald Hill, MD

Theodor Ted Kolobow, PhD

Pearl O'Rourke, MD

Billie Short, MD

John Toomasian, CCP

Class-2016

Warwick Butt, MD

Pediatric Intensivist
Founded ECMO in Australia
Started an ECMO program in Melbourne in the 1980s

J. Devn Cornish, MD

Neonatologist
Charter ELSO Steering Committee Member
Innovator in VV ECMO and ECMO Transport

Robin Chapman, RN

ECMO Coordinator
First ECMO Coordinator at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Defined and developed the ECMO Coordinator role

Jean-Yves Chevalier, MD

Pediatric Intensivist
Performed the first ECMO case in France
Early leader in ECMO development in France

Richard Firmin, MD

Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Developed ECMO in the United Kingdom
Authored ECMO RCT demonstrating benefit in neonates in 1996

Masahiro Nagaya, MD

Pediatric Surgeon
Specialist in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
Performed first ECMO in Japan

Antonio Pesenti, MD

Surgeon
Partnered with Luciano Gattinoni to perform groundbreaking ECMO work with extracorporeal CO2 removal

Giles Peek, MD

Surgeon
Lead author of the CESAR Trial, the landmark multicenter RCT in adult respiratory failure
Editor of the ELSO Red Book 5^th Edition and the ELSO Red Book 6^th Edition

Peter Rycus, MPH

Healthcare Executive
First employee and Executive Director of ELSO
Crucial to the ELSO Registry and global organizational infrastructure

Charles Stolar, MD

Pediatric Surgeon
Founded the ECMO Program at Colombia University
Advanced care for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)

Jay Zwischenberger, MD

Innovator and Surgeon
Invented the double lumen venous cannula and bicaval cannula
Former Chair of the ELSO Steering Committee

Warren Zapol, MD

Anesthesiologist
Lead author of the first adult ECMO randomized controlled trial
Developer of inhaled Nitric Oxide

Class-2017

Steve Conrad, MD

Pediatric & Adult Intensivist
Led the transition of the ELSO registry to the SQL Server database we know today
Contributed to the development of the regional ELSO Chapters
Former ELSO Steering Committee & Registry Chair

Heidi Dalton, MD

Pediatric Intensivist and former ELSO Steering committee chair
Pediatric Intensivist
Researcher in pediatric critical care
Former ELSO Conference Committee Chair

Rodrigo Diaz, MD

Cardiovascular Anesthesiologist
Established the first Adult ECMO Center in Latin America and helped develop other programs on his continent
Major contributor to ELSO and LATAM ELSO, and ECMO Education

Bjorn Frencker, MD

Pediatric Surgeon
Established the ECMO program at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden with colleague Palle Palmer
Active in ELSO and EuroELSO, and hosted the second meeting of EuroELSO in 2013

Barb Haney, RN

ECMO Coordinator
Established the ECMO program at Children’s Mercy in 1986
Co-Founder of the ELSO Center of Excellence Award

Phoebe Hankins

Healthcare Administrator
Inaugural Executive Director of ELSO
Organized the original ECMO courses at Michigan and helped to establish ELSO in 1989

Micheal Heard, RN

ECMO & Advanced Technologies Coordinator
Co-Founder of the ELSO Center of Excellence Award

Tracy Morrison, RN

Quality Coordinator
Co-Founder of the ELSO Center of Excellence Award
Current ELSO Quality Committee Chair

Andrezj (Andrew) Sosnowski, MD

Cardiac Surgeon
Established the ECMO program at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, UK with colleague Richard Firmin
Conducted the first successful UK ECMO case at Bristol Children’s Hospital Collaborator in both the “classic” neonatal trial and the CESAR Trial

Palle Palmer, MD

Pediatric Intensivist
Established the ECMO program at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden with colleague Bjorn Frenckner
Pioneer of awake, prolonged, and mobile ECMO

Class-2018

Alain Combes MD, PhD

Professor of Intensive Care Medicine
Lead investigator of the EOLIA Trial
Inaugural member of the EuroELSO Steering Committee

James Fortenberry, MD

Pediatric Intensivist
Longstanding member of the ELSO community and former Chair of the ELSO Steering Committee
Former ELSO Board President

Roberto Lorusso, MD PhD

Cardiac Surgeon
Inaugural Conference Chair for EuroELSO and former Chair of the EuroELSO Steering Committee
Editor of the ELSO Red Book 6^th Edition
ELSO Research Committee Chair

Graeme MacLaren, MD MSc

Adult and Pediatric Intensivist
Former ELSO Board President and Inaugural Chair of APELSO
Senior Editor of the ELSO Red Book 6th Edition as well as the ELSO Blue Book 5th Edition

Class-2019

Dan Brodie, MD

Adult Critical Care Physician
Chair of the International ECMO Network (ECMONet)
Current ELSO Board President and former Protocols Chair

Thomas (Tom) Brogan, MD

Pediatric Critical Care Physician
Long-time member of the ELSO Steering Committee and edited the ELSO Red Book 5th Edition and the ECMO Specialist Training Manual 4th Edition

James Connelly, RRT

Respiratory Therapist
Among the first Respiratory Therapists inducted as FELSO
Contributor to the creation of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s ECMO Program and became ECMO Center Manager in 2006
One of the first RTs to become an ECMO Specialist

Don Granoski, RRT

Respiratory Therapist
Among the first Respiratory Therapists inducted as FELSO
ECMO Specialist and Coordinator at Stollery
ECMO Educator and ELSO Simulation Faculty Member

Thomas Mueller, MD

Adult Intensivist
Inaugural member of the EuroELSO Steering Committee and organizer of the 4th EuroELSO Congress
Current ELSO Board Member

Ravi Thiagarajan, MD MPH

Pediatric Cardiologist and Cardiac Intensive Care Physician
Former ELSO Registry Chair and avid researcher utilizing the ELSO Registry
A leading advocate for ECMO in the pediatric cardiac ICU

Class-2020

Gail Annich, MD, MS

Pediatric Intensivist
Editor of the ELSO Red Book 4th Edition and ECMO Specialist Manual 4th Edition
Former ELSO Steering Committee member and Chair of the Communication Committee
Gave the Inaugural Robert H. Bartlett Lecture at ELSO 2025

Venkat Goyal, MD

Interventional Cardiologist
Leader within the ECMO Society of India as well as SWAAC ELSO
Co-Authored the first textbook on ECMO in India with Dr. Pranay Oza

Richard Martin, BS, MBA

Biomedical Engineer
First biomedical industry recipient of the FELSO
Founded OriGen to produce neonatal VVDL cannula, becoming the sole global supplier for over a decade
Lifelong advocate for ECMO and ELSO through sponsorship of meetings and educational opportunities

Mark Ogino, MD

Neonatologist
Contributed to the creation of ELSO Education courses and curriculum
Former ELSO Board President

Class-2021

W. Cory Ellis, CCP

Perfusionist and ECMO Program Leader
Contributed to ELSO Center of Excellence site evaluations and program assessment
Advanced ECMO education, pediatric perfusion practice, and program development, including key contributions in Denver

John Fraser, MD

Intensivist and Research Leader
Founder of the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium, uniting global partners for "The Common Good"
Recognized for international collaboration and mentorship of junior investigators

Class-2022

Alois Philipp

Perfusionist and ECMO Innovator
Pioneer of pumped and pumpless ECLS systems, mobile ECMO, awake ECMO, and out-of-hospital ECPR in Germany
Long-standing ECMO educator and researcher with over 160 publications; key ambassador for ELSO across Eastern Europe and beyond

Leen Vercaemst, CCP, RN

Perfusionist and Nurse
Practicing perfusionist for over 30 years and EuroELSO Perfusion Liaison
First non-physician Editor of the ELSO Red Book; internationally respected ECMO educator and speaker

Ryan Barbaro, MD, MSc

Pediatric Critical Care Physician and Outcomes Researcher
Transformed the ELSO Registry as Chair through modernized data definitions, quality benchmarking, and real-time reporting; led seminal registry research during the COVID-19 pandemic
Current ELSO Board Member; former ELSO Registry Chair

Vincent Pellegrino, MD

Intensivist and Clinical Trialist
Investigator in EOLIA and chief investigator for major ECMO RCTs including BLENDER, REDEEM, HELP-ECMO, and early-mobilization trials
Co-developer of the RESP and SAVE scores in conjunction with ELSO; leader in ECMO education and capacity expansion through innovative care models

Class-2023

Melania (Mela) Bembea, MD, MPH, PhD

Pediatric Intensivist and ECMO Researcher
Led landmark research on pediatric ECMO anticoagulation variability, ECPR outcomes, and ECMO nomenclature standardization
Contributed extensively to ECMO education and authorship, including chapters in the ELSO Red Book

Derek Best

ECMO Nurse and ECLS Coordinator
Long-standing ECLS Coordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Australia's first and highest-volume neonatal and pediatric ECMO center
Advocate for nursing leadership in ECMO; contributor to ELSOEd curriculum development and international nurse education

David Michael (Mike) McMullan, MD

Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon
Served ELSO in multiple leadership roles, including former ELSO Board President
Advanced ECMO education, research, and simulation, including development of a realistic ECMO cannulation simulator

Matthew (Matt) Paden, MD

Pediatric Intensivist and ECMO Innovator
Transformed the ELSO Registry and advanced ECMO and CRRT device development through academic collaboration
ELSO Board President during the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding registry expansion, global guidance, and organizational transformation

Class-2024

Lars Mikael Broman MD, PhD

Intensivist and ECMO Specialist
International leader in mobile ECMO, ECLS physiology, circuit and cannula fluid dynamics, and COVID‑19 ECMO outcomes; author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications
Led the International Maastricht Nomenclature for ECLS; Founding Member, EuroELSO Scientific Committee; co-organizer of the ELSO-endorsed Stockholm International ECMO Course and founder of Nordic Light on ECLS

Class-2025

Christine Stead, MHSA

Healthcare Executive
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ELSO, providing executive leadership across all aspects of the organization’s global mission and operations
Instrumental in strengthening ELSO’s role as the global leader in extracorporeal life support through strategic growth, operational excellence, and worldwide engagement

Elizabeth Moore RN, MBA, BSN

ELSO Education Director,
instrumental in advancing global ECMO education, curriculum development, and training standards
Recognized leader in building and scaling education programs that support multidisciplinary ECMO teams worldwide

Pranay Oza, MD

Critical Care Physician and ECMO Specialist
Leader within the ECMO Society of India and SWAAC ELSO, advancing ECMO education and access across South West Asia and Africa
Co-author of the first textbook on ECMO in India