Oct. 13, 2026 — Experienced and distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. José P. Garcia, has been selected to serve as Lee Health’s new Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery for the Shipley Cardiothoracic Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute.
Five additional surgeons have also joined the LHHI in recent months, helping expand and strengthen the cardiothoracic surgery team: Dr. Joseph Alesnik, Dr. David Fields, Dr. Darren Rohan, Dr. Shawn Shah, and Dr. Jonathan Waxman.
Dr. Garcia joins Lee Health from Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida, where he served as a Chief of Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support. Nationally and internationally recognized for his expertise in the surgical management of end-stage heart and lung disease.
Dr. Garcia currently serves as Vice Chair of the Heart Transplantation Committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in the United States, contributing to national transplant policy, organ allocation, and efforts to expand access to transplantation. He has also served numerous committees focused on quality assurance, education, and clinical leadership.
His clinical research has focused on expanding access to heart and lung transplantation and advancing surgical treatments for complex cardiopulmonary disease.
Dr. Garcia received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his surgical training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he served as Chief General Surgery Resident, Assistant-to-Surgeon-in-Chief, and Chief Resident of Cardiac Surgery. He also completed a clinical fellowship in thoracic oncology.
“Bringing on our first Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, along with the additional surgeons and support team, marks an important milestone for Lee Health and, most importantly, for the patients and families we serve throughout Southwest Florida,” said Chief Physician Executive of the Lee Health Heart Institute Dr. Daniel O’Hair. “This growing cardiothoracic surgery team not only gives more patients access to the specialized care they need close to home, but it also strengthens Lee Health’s position as a national destination for high-quality, advanced cardiovascular care. As the largest heart program in Southwest Florida, we continue to expand access to highly specialized cardiac and thoracic robotic surgery that many patients previously had to leave the region to receive.”
Under Dr. Garcia’s leadership, the Shipley Cardiothoracic Center brings together experienced surgeons specializing in advanced cardiac surgery, robotic-assisted and minimally invasive thoracic surgery, structural heart procedures, and complex cardiothoracic care.
Dr. Alesnik is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience in advanced cardiac and thoracic surgery. He completed his training at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute, establishing a strong foundation in complex surgical care. Before joining Lee Health, Dr. Alesnik practiced in Bradenton, Florida, for 12 years, providing comprehensive cardiothoracic surgical care to the community.
His clinical expertise includes coronary artery bypass and valvular heart surgery, transcatheter valve therapies, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, and other minimally invasive procedures. He is committed to delivering advanced, patient-centered care with an emphasis on innovative surgical approaches that support recovery, improve outcomes, and help patients return to the activities that matter most to them.”
Dr. Shah joins Lee Health from the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, where he served as Chief Resident of Cardiothoracic Surgery. His clinical interests include multiarterial coronary bypass grafting, complex valve and reoperative cardiac surgery, and minimally invasive and robotic cardiac approaches. His academic contributions include more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations at national conferences.
Dr. Rohan joins the Lee Health Heart Institute as the Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery. He is a nationally recognized thoracic surgeon with expertise in robotic and minimally invasive surgery for diseases of the lung and esophagus. Prior to joining Lee Health, he served as Westchester Regional Director of Thoracic Surgery for Northwell Health and held leadership positions overseeing robotic thoracic surgery programs in New York. His extensive experience in advanced robotic techniques further strengthens Lee Health’s ability to provide highly specialized thoracic surgery close to home for Southwest Florida patients.
Dr. Jonathan Waxman is a double board-certified thoracic surgeon with extensive expertise in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery, clinical leadership, and thoracic surgical program development. He completed his general surgery residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, followed by fellowship training in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Tennessee and advanced minimally invasive thoracic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Prior to joining Lee Health, Dr. Waxman served as Chief of Thoracic Surgery at RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center at Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Illinois. His experience in leadership and program development across academic and community-based healthcare systems brings a broad perspective and a commitment to surgical excellence, innovation, and patient-centered care to Lee Health.
These new surgeons all join Dr. Mick Eskender, board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon who has been with Lee Health since 2024. Dr. Eskender is director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support program at Lee Health and has helped to triple our ECMO volume over the past year, helping further strengthen Lee Health’s position as a regional leader in cardiothoracic surgery.
Together, the team represents Southwest Florida’s largest cardiothoracic surgery program and offers extensive expertise in advanced cardiac procedures and thoracic surgery. This breadth of experience enables Lee Health to provide patients with access to leading-edge surgical care, including sophisticated cardiac and thoracic robotic surgery, without leaving the region.
For more information on the Lee Health Heart Institute, please visit https://www.leehealth.org/heart.
About Lee Health
Lee Health has been a cornerstone of health care in Southwest Florida since opening its first hospital in 1916. As a non-profit, integrated health system, Lee Health is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. With a strong commitment to community health and wellness, Lee Health commits to evolving with the growing and changing needs of the region. The system offers comprehensive services through four acute care hospitals, Golisano Children’s Hospital, three skilled nursing locations, outpatient facilities, urgent care centers, and a wide network of primary care and specialty practices. Lee Health supports every step of the health journey, from preventive care to advanced treatment for every member of our community. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.
