Overview
The Preoperative Assessment, Communication and Education Center provides access to perioperative services where medical staff evaluate and optimize patients for surgery.
A complete preoperative assessment may include:
- A patient history and physical exam
- Laboratory testing, as needed
- An electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or chest radiograph, as needed
- Collection of documentation from outside facilities
Senior anesthesiology residents spend four weeks and junior residents spend one week in PACE, directly supported by anesthesiology faculty, learning the principles of cost-effective, evidence-based preoperative evaluation.
Appointments are held Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at three Richmond area locations. Visits typically last 45 minutes.
Contact Us
VCU PACE Center Office Address and Contact Information
PHONE NUMBERS:
(804) 828-4396 (Front Desk)
(804) 828-3453 (Appointments)
(804) 828-0463 (Fax)
MAILING ADDRESS:
Box 980148
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0148
Locations
Downtown
Gateway Building, 1st Floor
1200 East Marshall Street
(804) 828-4396
(804) 828-0463 (fax)
NOW Center
11958 W. Broad Street
Second Floor, Buttermilk Trail
Henrico, VA 23233
(804) 364-6619
Stony Point
9109 Stony Point Drive
Second Floor, Pauley Heart
Richmond, VA 23235
(804) 998-1253
Anesthesiologists

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Biochemistry (University of California, Los Angeles)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU School of Medicine)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Albany Medical Center)
Email: shilen.thakrar@vcuhealth.org

Brian J. Cocchiola, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Brian J. Cocchiola, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Biomedical Science, Lynchburg College
Graduate: M.D., St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Interests: General Anesthesia, Transplant Anesthesia, Trauma

Catherine Cooper, M.D.
Associate Professor

Catherine Cooper, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.A. Psychology, University of North Carolina
Graduate: M.D., University of North Carolina
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia
Interests: Transplant, Vascular, Preoperative Evaluation, Safety & Quality Assurance

Geoffrey Fisher, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Geoffrey Fisher, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas)
Graduate: M.S., Mechanical Engineering (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas); M.D. (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Transplant Anesthesia, TEE for non-cardiac Surgery

John Heath, M.D.
Assistant Professor

John Heath, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: BS in Biology (Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL)
Graduate: MD (The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK)
Residency: Anesthesiology (The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL)
(No fellowship)
Interests: Neuroanesthesiology, POCUS, ERAS, Crisis Management in Anesthesiology
Email: john.heath@vcuhealth.org

Gordon Kerr, MBBCh
Assistant Professor

Gordon Kerr, MBBCh
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Assistant Professor; Medical Director, Ambulatory Surgery Center
Graduate Degree: MBBCh (Univ of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Univ of Natal, Durban, South Africa)
Interests: Regional, Ambulatory, Acupuncture
Email: gordon.kerr@vcuhealth.org

Tamara D. Lawson, M.D.
Associate Professor

Tamara D. Lawson, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Biological Sciences (Univ of Maryland Baltimore Co., MD)
Graduate: Master of Public Health; M.D. (VCU Sch of Medicine, Richmond, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (National Capital Consortium, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center)
Interests: Ultra Sound Guided Regional Anesthesia
Email: tamara.lawson@vcuhealth.org

Spencer Liebman, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Spencer Liebman, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S.-Biology (Trinity College, Hartford CT)
Graduate: M.D. (State University of New York Downstate, College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY)
Residencies: Internal Medicine (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, J Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program); Anesthesiology (Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA)
Fellowship: Cardiothoracic Anesthesia (VCU School of Medicine)
Interests: Cardiothoracic Anesthesia

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Business Information Technology (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA)
Graduate: M.D. (Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU)
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (VCU)
Interests: Regional, resident education, ERAS
Email: maliha.nowrouz@vcuhealth.org

Kenny Potter, M.D.
Assistant professor

Kenny Potter, M.D.
Assistant professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Neuropsychology (Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA)
Graduate: M.D. (The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, PA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA)
Fellowship: Critical Care Medicine (Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA)
Interests: Critical Care Medicine, Perioperative Ultrasonography
Email: kenneth.potter@vcuhealth.org

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.
Associate Professor, Residency Program Director

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.
Associate Professor, Residency Program Director
Department of Anesthesiology
Interim Residency Program Director
Graduate: MBBS, Bachelor of Surgery (Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India)
Post Doctoral Training: Fellow of the College of Anaesthetists Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FCARCSI) (Royal College of Anaesthetists United Kingdom)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Baystate Medical Center, Springfield MA)
Interests: Regional and General Anesthesia

Christa L. Riley, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Christa L. Riley, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Engineering (Tulane University, New Orleans LA)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU School of Medicine, Richmond VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, General Anesthesia, Patient Safety
Email: christa.riley@vcuhealth.org

Michael Scott, M.B., Ch.B.
Professor

Michael Scott, M.B., Ch.B.
Professor
Department of Anesthesiology

Olga Suarez-Winowiski, M.D.
Assistant Professor, PACE Medical Director

Olga Suarez-Winowiski, M.D.
Assistant Professor, PACE Medical Director
Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Director of PACE Clinic, Director of Global Anesthesia Program
Undergraduate: B.S. Biology (Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Mexico)
Graduate: M.D. (Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Mexico)
Perinatal Anesthesia Fellowship, INPER Mexico
Graduate: MSc Health Services Administration (University of Detroit Mercy, Michigan)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Perioperative Medicine. ERAS and prehabilitation. Complex maternal cases. Global anesthesia education

Vishal Yajnik, M.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor

Vishal Yajnik, M.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.A., Public Health (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD)
Graduate: M.S., Physiology & Biophysics (Georgetown University, Washington, DC; M.D. (VCU School of Medicine)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Fellowship: Critical Care Medicine (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh PA)
Interests: Neurocritical Care, Quality Improvement, and Serious Illness Conversations
Email: vishal.yajnik@vcuhealth.org
Advanced Level Providers

Kathleen Allen, NP

Kathleen Allen, NP
Department of Anesthesiology

Scottie Bowie, CRNA

Scottie Bowie, CRNA
Department of Anesthesiology

Elias D’Alessio, NP

Elias D’Alessio, NP
Department of Anesthesiology

Christina Foster, NP

Christina Foster, NP
Department of Anesthesiology

Ann Ripley, NP

Ann Ripley, NP
Department of Anesthesiology

Julie Varnier, PA

Julie Varnier, PA
Department of Anesthesiology