DR. DAVID NYE, DO
Vascular Surgeon, General Surgeon
Dr. Nye is native to the Phoenix area and completed his undergraduate degree at Arizona State University. He then earned his medical degree from Midwestern University. Dr. Nye is board-certified in both general surgery and vascular surgery, having accomplished his General Surgery Residency in Massachusetts, and a Vascular Surgery Fellowship in Buffalo, New York. He speaks fluent Spanish after spending two years as a missionary in Bolivia.
Dr. Nye is admired for his compassion, and for providing superlative medical care to people of all backgrounds. He is a proud member of the American College of Surgeons.
He is married to his best friend and has four (soon to be five) young children. Dr. Nye is a sports enthusiast and former Arizona high school championship football player. He now likes to swim, wakeboard, snowboard, hike, and work out. Most of all, though, he enjoys spending time and traveling with his family.
Dr. Grant Fankhauser, MD
Vascular Surgeon, General Surgeon
Dr. Fankhauser grew up in Kansas but considers Arizona his real home. He came to Arizona for general surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic. He stayed here at the Mayo Clinic to complete a vascular surgery fellowship. After training, he started his career in academics, spending six years performing a mix of vascular surgery, general surgery, and trauma surgery at a university medical center. He then moved into private practice for a few years before joining Sonoran Vein and Endovascular.
Dr. Fankhauser enjoys spending his downtime with his wife (a fellow physician), their two young children, and their English bulldog. The family loves traveling, skiing, golfing, spending time at the lake, and dining out. When it comes to caring for patients, Dr. Fankhauser takes to heart an often repeated saying from William Mayo, "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered."
Dr. Luis Leon, MD
Vascular Surgeon, General Surgeon
Dr. Leon attended the Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University in Lima, Peru, obtaining his Medical degree in 1996. He received surgical training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and San Joaquin General Hospital in California, from 1997 to 2003. Dr. Leon later completed a Vascular and Endovascular Fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, in 2005. He was certified by the American Board of Surgery in both General and Vascular Surgery. He is a Registered Vascular Technologist since 2004 and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 2008. Dr. Leon served as the Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Veterans Affairs Hospital (VAH) in Tucson from 2005 until 2008. He served in several VAH committees, including the Research and Development, Limb Preservation and Peer Review Committees. He has authored about 120 peer-reviewed publications and over 10 book chapters. He has presented over 30 abstracts and given over 300 lectures both nationally and internationally. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, Annals of Vascular Surgery and other peer-reviewed Journals. He is a member of several professional societies, including The Society for Vascular Surgery, The American Venous Forum and The International Society for Vascular Surgery. Within these societies, he has served for several committees, including the American Venous Registry (AVR) – Venous Stent Committee, along with being a member of several industry-advisory boards. His academic productivity earned him several awards, including the Charles C Guthrie Award from the Midwestern Vascular Surgery Society in 2004 and the very prestigious E.J. Wylie Traveling Fellowship Award from the American Vascular Association in 2007. His productivity also earned him an Associate Professor of Surgery degree at the University of Arizona, tenure-eligible, since April 2008. He is currently a Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon at Tucson Medical Center (TMC). He was Chief of the Vascular and Endovascular Section at TMC, position that he filled from January 2011 until January 2013. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a current member of the Adjunct Faculty Clinical Associate Professor of the Division of Clinical Education of the Andrew Taylor Still University (ATSU) and the School of Osteopathic Medicine of Arizona.
Kim Hart
MSN, RNFA, APRN, FNP-C
Philosophy
Kimberly Hart’s professional philosophy will always be to offer quality compassionate care geared to each patient’s vascular needs. She stresses the importance of patient education and understanding of their disease processes.
Education
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Ball State University
• Master's of Science in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner: University of Phoenix
Training
• Clinical experience as an RN since 1991
• National Nurse Practitioner Certification in 2006
• RNFA
• Multiple certifications in Vein ablative procedures
• Certification as Laser Safety officer
Emphasis
Extensive training in vascular surgery and vascular medicine
Qualifications
Nationally board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner
Education
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Ball State University
• Master's of Science in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner: University of Phoenix
Training
• Clinical experience as an RN since 1991
• National Nurse Practitioner Certification in 2006
• RNFA
• Multiple certifications in Vein ablative procedures
• Certification as Laser Safety officer
Emphasis
Extensive training in vascular surgery and vascular medicine
Qualifications
Nationally board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner
Jennifer Clark
Physician Assistant
PA Jennifer Clark is a United States Air Force Veteran having served from August 2000-March 2011. While serving, she completed both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physician Assistant Studies in 2007 through the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) University of Nebraska Medical Center. Additionally, while serving in the USAF, she earned an Associate's Degree in Allied Health Sciences in 2003. One year after completing her Physician Assistant training, she forward deployed to Afghanistan with a team of US Army Green Berets for six months. After the deployment, she returned to Tyndall AFB and completed the rest of her commitment to the USAF. In 2011 Jennifer separated from the service and began working in vascular surgery. She has been treating patients with vascular conditions since 2011, with a niche focus on venous disease and finds the specialty highly rewarding.
She most recently completed her MBA (Masters of Business Administration) through Baylor University in 2020. She is currently residing in Tucson, AZ where she continues to practice. She has been a part of setting up multiple vein centers throughout her career and knows the ins and outs of how to run an efficient and profitable vein center with the patient’s best interests at heart. She has published articles in Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Journal of Vascular Care. She is also Clinical Preceptor of Physician Assistant students with Franklin Pierce University and soon to be preceptor with the University of Arizona Physician Assistant program. She has a strong interest in both clinical and research aspects of venous disease. She has a vast knowledge of venous disease and teaches procedure techniques to US physicians and residents as well as international providers. She is a highly sought-after consultant in the venous and lymphedema space and is co-chairing Allied Health education track at the International Venous Symposium in New York City.
She is happily married with three beautiful kids, Griffen, Ayla, and Dylan. Her fur baby is a golden retriever named Jocko. In her free time, she loves hiking, golfing, camping, and spending time with her family.
Margarita Ortiz
MSN, FNP-C
Margarita Ortiz is a dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner with a specialized focus on wound care. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Margarita began her nursing career by earning her Certificate of Practical Nursing from Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) in 2010. She furthered her education by obtaining an Associate Degree in Nursing from CNM in 2012. She continued her academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New Mexico Highlands University in 2014 and a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner from Chamberlain University in 2019. Margarita has been nationally certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) since 2019.
With over a decade of clinical experience, Margarita has spent the last three years specializing in wound care, practicing advanced treatment modalities in Colorado. As a certified wound care specialist, she has treated a wide range of chronic wounds, from minor skin ulcerations to complex bone infections. Margarita is passionate about guiding her patients through their healing journeys and values the relationships she builds with them.
Outside of her professional life, Margarita is a devoted family member who enjoys spending time with her loved ones. She takes pleasure in watching her children participate in various sports, keeping her home tidy, and cooking. Margarita believes that with dedication and hard work, anything is possible.
Joseph L. Eliason
FNP-C, CNP, CCRN, CFRN
Joseph is an experienced Nurse Practitioner with nearly 25 years in nursing. His career began during 9 years of service in the Army National Guard and Reserves, where he trained through an Army nursing program to be a Licensed Practical Nurse. In 2007 Joe finished his Registered Nursing degree. Over the years, Joe has gained expertise working in skilled nursing, intensive care, emergency care, home health, and other specialty areas. He served as a flight nurse for 10 years in Williston, North Dakota, supporting the Bakken oil field community. He holds advanced certifications as a Certified Flight Nurse, Critical Care Nurse, an Emergency Medicine Nurse.
In 2020, Joe relocated to Gallup, New Mexico, where he continued to serve the local community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe completing his Master’s degree in Family Nurse Practitioning in June 2021, passing board certification in August. While working in the Emergency Department at Gallup Indian Medical Center Joe recognizing a growing need for advanced wound care and shifted his focus toward this specialty, working alongside Dr. Nye and his team at Sonoran Vein to develop a mobile wound care program aimed at serving New Mexico. This program has now expanded to not only serve the Gallup, Farmington, and Albuquerque areas of New Mexico, but also the Phoenix, Tucson, and central areas of Arizona.
Jennifer Hill
NP
Jennifer Hill is an Arizona native that grew up in the Glendale area. She attended Arizona State University and completed her undergraduate degree in nursing in 2005. She worked as a registered nurse in the adult intensive care unit prior to returning to ASU and completing her master’s in the science of nursing and adult health nurse practitioner. She is nationally certified and an active member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Jennifer’s nurse practitioner experience has been in vascular surgery for the past 12 years. Her expertise is well-rounded within the vascular arena with additional training and certifications in sclerotherapy, wound care, and lymphedema management. Jennifer’s professional philosophy is to provide patients with a compassionate environment that promotes quality care specific to their individual vascular needs. She emphasizes the importance of trust between a patient and his/her provider and prioritizes communication and education with her patients.
Jennifer is married with four children. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, an avid reader, loves to travel, and likes working out at the gym and running.