Perfusion Staff
Joe Basha
CCP, LP
CEO of HET
Joseph has been a practicing clinical perfusionist for 40 years. Currently, Joseph is the CEO of Houston Extracorporeal Technologies and is the program director of The New Orleans Conference and MediWeb which includes PerfWeb and NurseWeb.
Rebecca Bolkovac
BS, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2019
Rebecca received a Bachelor of Science from Carlow University located in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2007, she completed her perfusion training through the UPMC Shadyside School of Perfusion. Serving different locations in the state of Virginia, she gained the experience of maintaining an independent perfusion lab and was the lead perfusionist in the start-up of an open-heart program. While working in the newly established heart program, Rebecca discovered a love for education when she helped facilitate the training of nurses in the fundamentals of ECMO use in the ICU setting and other perfusion related topics. She is currently covering adult cardiac, TAVR, and ECMO procedures in the Houston area, serving several facilities with Houston Extracorporeal Technologies. She loves to be a part of the evolving world of perfusion and utilizing every opportunity to improve on both a professional and personal level. When Rebecca is not working, she loves to take her family on weekend trips to explore new places, she also loves being creative through art by painting, drawing and trying DIY’s.
Micheal Ray Brown
BSN, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2014
Micheal is a 1982 graduate of The Texas Heart School of Perfusion Technology. Prior to that he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Baylor University in 1982. He has been a perfusionist for over 38 years in and around the city of Houston, Texas. Mike served as a clinical instructor at The Texas Heart Institute for 11 months after graduation. In November of 1983 he joined Houston Life Support providing perfusion services in the Houston area for over 30 years. He has worked with HET as a clinical perfusionist since 2014. Mike was instrumental in the development of the CPS system for temporary cardiopulmonary bypass and placed the first patient on that device in the county. He also was involved with The Medicines Company to perform clinical trials and protocols concerning the drug Angiomax. He provided relief services to 12 hospitals in the United States and Puerto Rico as well as a two-week perfusion medical mission in Perm, Russia. Mike also serves as faculty for the PerfWeb series. He describes the most inspiring part of his job as seeing a patient do well because of his efforts. When there is down time, Mike likes to spend his time with family as well as traveling and hunting.
Thomas Disalvio
BSN, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2023
Thomas has worked with heart patients since 1988. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, Class of 1990. He has a BS degree in Exercise Technology with a specialty in Corporate Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets, Squadron 10, class of 1990. In 1995 Thomas obtained his Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Cardiopulmonary Perfusion from The Texas Heart Institute School of Perfusion Technology. He has the privilege of being able to say, he has worked with two pioneers in the world of heart surgery, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley. Thomas credits his mom, Irma DiSalvio, for setting an example that hard work, integrity, and service are virtues of success. He pays his respects to the late Dr. Robert E. Gulde, who gave him his first official job working in a private Cath lab. This clinical experience gave him the opportunity to move to Houston, TX, where he eventually became a Perfusionist. Thomas loves Perfusion. He is honored to work with a such high caliber Perfusion organization that HET is. He is grateful to be in a position, with HET, to give back the Perfusion community through HET’s extensive education program, MediWeb. Thomas has over 27 years of experience in long-term and short-term artificial life support devices. He has experience in heart/lung/liver transplant, major vascular repair, major surgeries on the heart, long-term and short-term heart and lung devices, vascular clot removal, and isolated limb/cavity chemotherapy lavage. He enjoys travel. He is an avid mountain biker, adventure racer, and triathlete. He is currently working towards his black belt in karate.
Sharon Kroslowitz
RRT, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2014
Sharon has been a perfusionist for over 29 years and has been with HET since 2014. Sharon received her perfusion degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York in 1991. Immediately post-graduation, Sharon began her perfusion career at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC and specialized in pediatrics. Over the course of nearly 30 years, Sharon has worked in various institutions in New York, Florida, and Texas, including Columbia Presbyterian 1991-1998; Valhalla Medical Center 1998-2001; Arnold Palmer Children’s 2001-2002; Memorial Hermann TMC 2002-2014. Sharon’s experience includes adult, pediatric and neonatal perfusion, heart/lung transplantation, LVAD, ECMO, Hyperthermic Perfusion for Chemotherapy, and Autotransfusion. She also helped establish an emergency ECMO program and devised a novel solution for rewarming of an accidental hypothermia patient. In addition, Sharon attended medical perfusion missions in Guatemala and was a clinical instructor for various perfusion schools in New York. Sharon considers herself fortunate to be a member of Perfusion, a rewarding career that is continually evolving and improving, challenging her to continually strive to do her best for her patients. Since joining the HET team in 2014, Sharon has provided coverage to various Houston area hospitals and is proud to be a part of such an outstanding group. Before beginning her career in Perfusion, Sharon earned her degree in Respiratory Therapy from SUNY, and practiced for 11 years. When Sharon is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, her 3 sons, and her 2 Labrador Retrievers. Her hobbies include cooking, cycling, gardening, and stained glass.
Melisa McNutt
MS, BS, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2022
Melisa grew up in The Woodlands area and relocated to College Station, Texas to receive her undergraduate & graduate degrees in Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. In 2018, she finished her perfusion training at UPMC Shadyside School of Perfusion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from perfusion school, she began her career with SpecialtyCare providing perfusion services for several hospitals in Fort Worth, Texas. Melisa is excited to return to her hometown and join HET as a practicing perfusionist. When Melisa is not holding tubing clamps in a hospital, she enjoys being a wife & mother, traveling, reading, exploring restaurants/coffee shops, and socializing with family/friends.
Clark Millican
BS, RRT, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2017
Clark has been a long-standing Houston area resident and currently works with HET as a Staff Perfusionist. In 1992, he graduated with honors from the Texas Heart Institute (UTHSC) with a Bachelor of Science in Perfusion. During his 28 years in perfusion, he has worked with groups in Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. Prior to becoming a licensed perfusionist, Clark earned a degree in Respiratory Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). As a member of the United States Tennis Association, Clark enjoys playing in local matches and tournaments. His other interests include fishing, field sports and backyard grilling. Clark and his wife Dianne have been married for 37 years and have two married children and a three-year-old grandson; which all live in the Conroe area.
Minh Q. Tran
BS, RRT, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2013
Minh has been involved in health care for over 17 years in which began in the greater New Orleans area where he grew up. He graduated from LSUHSC in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science. A double occupational major in Respiratory Therapy and Cardiac Ultrasonic Sonography. He was also part of the Ochsner medical relief team during Hurricane Katrina, in addition to volunteering as relief help for Hurricane Ike in the Greater Houston area in 2008. He worked in respiratory care from 2002-2008 and then graduated from THI School of Perfusion Technology in 2008. He began his Perfusion career in Richmond, VA where he worked with Specialty Care during 2009-2012. In Richmond he was instrumental with the CV team helping to introduce a HeartMate II LVAD program in addition to performing minimally invasive robotic mitral valve repairs. He then continued his next venture to the Houston area where he became part of the Houston Methodist CV team at TMC. There he was able to continue to build on his experience and knowledge in addition to sharing his own with the perfusion program and became a part of the heart failure program assisting with LVAD, Bi-VAD, Tandem and total artificial Heart implants. After joining HET in 2013 he is involved in the coverage of many areas of Houston from the Woodlands throughout to downtown for coverage relief with TMC Memorial Hermann. He is also a faculty member involved with occasional appearances and offers help with PerfWeb. When Minh is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters on vacations to the beach. His hobby’s and interest are basketball, golf, weightlifting, salsa and ball room dancing.
Bill Watson
BS, CCP, LP
Staff Perfusionist with HET since 2021
William Watson began his career in Cardiovascular Perfusion in 1983, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in perfusion technology from The Texas Heart Institute, where he had the honor of training under Dr. Denton Cooley. In addition to working as a certified clinical perfusionist, William has served as a high-level executive and advisor for Fortune 500, publicly-traded entities as well as the secretary of health and human services (HHS). He has worked with California Heart & Lung Inc., Allied Cardiac Services, Inc., Baxter Healthcare, Edwards Lifesciences, and Fresenius Medical Care (acquired by Specialty Care), serving as Regional Vice President, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, and Vice President of Operations, where he managed approximately $120 million in nationwide operations. In 2007, William founded W Advisors, Inc. to provide advisory and consulting services for; strategic planning, market expansion, acquisition and divestiture valuations, contract negotiation, medical devices, marketing, sales, and operational team development. W Advisors’ clients include private equity firms, public and privately-held entities, hospitals, device/disposable manufactures, IDN’s, GPO’s, clinical service providers.