Seymour I. Hepner, M.D., F.A.C.C. , F.A.A.P.

A native of New York, Dr. Hepner received his undergraduate degree from Queens College of the City University of New York. In 1972, after graduating from the Georgetown University School of Medicine, Dr. Hepner returned to New York for postgraduate training. He served as an intern and resident in pediatrics at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. His fellowship in pediatric cardiology was at Cornell University Medical College under Mary Allen Engle, M.D., a founder of the field. Dr. Hepner was asked to return to Georgetown where he served on the medical school faculty as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology from 1976-1987. During that period, he provided teaching and consultative services to Fairfax Hospital. Seeing a need for full-time services, the Chief of Pediatrics at Fairfax Hospital requested that Dr. Hepner establish a practice to service the hospital and surrounding community.

In 1987, Pediatric Cardiology Associates opened as the first full-time practice in the field in Northern Virginia. In 1995, Dr. Hepner founded The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at Fairfax Hospital, the longest running clinic of its type in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Dr. Hepner is a member of the clinical faculty of the University of Virginia School of Health Sciences, teaching students and residents on a regular basis.

He is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology. He has served as Section Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at the Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children. Dr. Hepner has also served as a representative on the National Congenital Heart Disease and Pediatric Cardiology Committee of the American College of Cardiology. He has been recognized, on numerous occasions and most recently in 2008, by his peers in the “Top Doctors” survey by the Washingtonian Magazine. He has also been recognized by the Washington Consumers Checkbook as one of the best pediatric cardiologists in the Washington, D.C. area.

He is the father of two young adult sons. 

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Sherif Tawfik, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Tawfik finished his internship and pediatric residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He completed a pediatric cardiology research fellowship at The Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, MD and a pediatric cardiology clinical fellowship at Emory University’s Egleston Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, GA. He is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology. Dr. Tawfik is a member of the clinical faculty of the University of Virginia School of Health Sciences.

He joined Pediatric Cardiology Associates in 1992 and has since been caring for infants, children, adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease. Dr. Tawfik’s professional interests include interventional heart catheterization in congenital heart disease, particularly transcatheter device closure of congenital heart defects in children and adults.

He has been recognized by his peers in the 2008 “Top Doctors” survey by the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the best pediatric cardiologists in the Washington, D.C. area.

His personal interests include swimming, diving, biking, traveling and reading. His family includes his wife, son, and step-daughter.

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Alan Benheim, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Benheim is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology. A 1987 graduate of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, he joined Pediatric Cardiology Associates in 1993. In addition to clinical practice, Alan remains active in medical education. He is a regular speaker on a variety of pediatric cardiology topics. He continues to write for academic publications and textbooks. Dr. Benheim holds an appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia School of Health Sciences.

He has been recognized, on numerous occasions and most recently in 2008, by his peers in the “Top Doctors” survey by the Washingtonian Magazine. He has also been recognized by the Washington Consumers Checkbook as one of the best pediatric cardiologists in the Washington, D.C. area and in the “Guide to America’s Top Cardiologists”.

A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Benheim convinced his Pennsylvanian wife to join him here, where they are raising their three children.

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Sharon S. Karr, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Karr is a board certified pediatric cardiologist. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at Tufts University. After moving to New York City, she obtained her medical degree from New York University and then completed her pediatric residency training at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She completed her fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center and then remained there as Assistant Director of Echocardiography for 5 years before joining Pediatric Cardiology Associates. Dr. Karr is a member of the clinical faculty of the University of Virginia School of Health Sciences.

She has been recognized, on numerous occasions and most recently in 2008, by her peers in the “Top Doctors” survey by the Washingtonian Magazine. She has also been recognized by the Washington Consumers Checkbook as one of the best pediatric cardiologists in the Washington, D.C. area.

Dr. Karr’s research and clinical interests have been in the area of echocardiography with a special emphasis on fetal cardiology.

In her free time she enjoys skiing, biking, swimming, running and spending time with her husband and two sons.

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Jin H. Park, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Park is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He completed his pediatric residency at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. He finished his pediatric cardiology fellowship at the University of California at San Diego in 2002. He is board certified in pediatric cardiology and general pediatrics and is also a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Park’s interests include the care of infants and children in both office and hospital settings with special emphasis in transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography, as well as cardiac catheterizations.

He has been recognized by his peers in the 2008 “Top Doctors” survey by the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the best pediatric cardiologists in the Washington, D.C. area. He also has been recognized in the “Guide to America’s Top Cardiologists".

His personal interests include spending time with his family, as well as golf, tennis, and snowboarding.

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Robert B. Escalera II, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Escalera returned to the area to join Pediatric Cardiology Associates in 2007. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C. in 2000 and was excited to return to the northern Virginia community with his family. He is fluent in Spanish.

Originally from California, Dr. Escalera has an undergraduate Biology degree from the University of Notre Dame. After receiving his M.D. from Georgetown University, he completed his pediatric internship and residency at the University of California, San Francisco-Fresno, and then served as Chief Resident in Pediatrics. He completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Iowa.

Dr. Escalera’s primary clinical and research interests include non-invasive pediatric cardiology with an emphasis on fetal cardiology and genetic determinants of congenital heart disease. Dr. Escalera enjoys family outings with his wife and three children, bike riding, golfing and watching Notre Dame football.

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Annette K. Ansong, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Dr. Annette Ansong returned to the area to join Pediatric Cardiology Associates in 2009, after completing her residency in Pediatrics and fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, where she also earned a Masters in Clinical Research.  After growing up in the Northern Virginia area, she stayed close to home, graduating from the University of Virginia and the Howard University College of Medicine.     Dr. Ansong has also received several honors for her research, including a Children’s Miracle Network Research Grant Award and presentations at the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology conferences.

Dr. Ansong’s primary clinical and research interests include non-invasive pediatric cardiology with an emphasis on fetal cardiology.

Her personal interests include spending time with her family, reading, traveling, staying fit and discovering fine cuisine.

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