Faculty > Vascular Surgery | Atrium Health > NC & SC


	Charles S. Briggs, MD Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship Charles S. Briggs, MD grew up in the Charlotte area. He received his BA from the College of William and Mary in 2003 and his MD in 2008 from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Briggs completed his General Surgery internship and residency at Boston University Medical Center in 2013 before traveling to Chicago to complete training in vascular surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Following completion of his fellowship training in 2015, Dr. Briggs joined the faculty at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Dr. Briggs is dedicated to developing and mentoring the vascular fellows by serving as the Site Director for Vascular Surgery in the General Surgery Residency and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship. He was also appointed the Associate Program Director of the Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center in 2018, before beginning current tenure as Program Director.

	Fanny S. Alie-Cusson, MD, FRCSC, FACS Associate Program Director Dr. Alie-Cusson completed her bachelor’s degree and General Surgery medical training at the University of Montreal in Quebec. She trained as a Vascular Surgeon at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia before joining the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery in 2020. In January 2024, Dr. Alie-Cusson moved to Charlotte where she currently serves as an Associate Program Director and faculty member in the Vascular Surgery Fellowship program. Her interest in clinical research is an asset to the program and the fellows she trains at Carolinas Medical Center.
	Halime Yammine, MD Associate Program Director Dr. Yammine is a board-certified general and vascular surgeon. He obtained his bachelor’s as well as his medical degree from the American University of Beirut. He then completed two years of post-doctoral research fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital. He finished his general surgery residency at the Houston Methodist Hospital. He completed his fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the Carolinas Medical Center and stayed on board as faculty. Dr. Yammine is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of complex abdominal and thoracic aortic diseases, carotid artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, thoracic outlet syndrome, vascular access and other vascular diseases. He is passionate about academics and research and is currently the Director of Research for the Division of Vascular Surgery at the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute.
	Frank Arko, MD Chief, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Frank Arko, MD is currently Director of Endovascular Surgery and Co-director of the Aortic Institute at Carolinas Medical Center, Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute in Charlotte, NC. He received his BS from Texas A&M University graduating Summa Cum Laude and his MD with honors in 1994 from Texas A&M University. He completed his internship and his residency at Scott & White Hospital, Texas A&M University Health Science Center in 1999. Dr. Arko completed his Clinical Vascular Fellowship in 2000 and his Endovascular Fellowship in 2001 from Stanford University Hospital, CA. He completed a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship from Stanford University Hospital in 2001. Dr. Arko’s clinical expertise is in stent graft treatment of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysmal disease, stenting and endarterectomy in carotid arterial disease, renovascular hypertension, aortoiliac occlusive disease, mesenteric vascular and minimally invasive therapy in venous disease. His research interests include simulation-based medical planning for cardiovascular disease and aortic wall microarchitecture and cyclic strain as well as device development. He is involved with multiple clinical trials and takes the lead in Vascular Surgery Residency research development and support.

	Gregory A. Stanley, MD, FACS Gregory A. Stanley, MD, FACS, is a board-certified general and vascular surgeon. He earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio and completed general surgery residency and vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Prior to joining the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte, he was a faculty member at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Dr. Stanley’s expertise is in the management and treatment of complex aortic and peripheral vascular diseases, including both open and endovascular surgery for thoracic, abdominal and thoracoabdominal aneurysms and aortic dissections. His practice also includes extensive experience in advanced critical limb ischemia and limb salvage.

	Erin Murphy, MD Dr. Erin Murphy graduated from Georgetown University Medical School, earning her M.D. in 2005. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Murphy also completed a 1-year research fellowship in vascular surgery at Stanford University followed by a vascular surgery fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She is board certified in both general and vascular surgery. Dr. Murphy joined the prestigious Rane Center in Jackson, MS in 2014, specializing in venous and lymphatic diseases. In early 2017, she was recruited to the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute at Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte, NC where she serves as the Director of the Venous and Lymphatic Institute. She performs the breadth of vascular surgery related to her specialty and is dedicated to the advancement of the field. Dr. Murphy has extensive research experience in the field of vascular surgery and has authored over 50 medical journal articles, book chapters and editorials. She has given numerous presentations at national and international meetings. She serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Endovascular Therapy (JEVT). She is actively involved in ongoing clinical trials and is serving as the US national principle investigator for the Medtronic Abre Stent.

	Tzvi Nussbaum, MD A native of Israel, Dr. Nussbaum completed medical school at the University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School and he completed his General Surgery and Critical Care training at North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New York. Following completion of his vascular surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in 2006, Dr. Nussbaum joined the CMC faculty.

	Hector O. Crespo Soto, MD, FACS Hector O. Crespo Soto grew up in Puerto Rico. He received his bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico in 2000. He completed his Doctorate in Medicine at Ponce Health Services University in 2006. Dr. Soto completed his general surgery internship in 2007 at Carraway Methodist Medical Center and graduated from his general surgery residency in 2012 from William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX. Following that he became the Chief of General and Bariatric Surgery at Reynolds Army Community Hospital in Fort Sill, OK. He served as an US Army General Surgeon as part of a Forward Surgical Team. He joined the Vascular Fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center and graduated in 2016. He went to work at the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center developing the Vascular Program. In 2018, he returned to Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute. He is primarily at our Pineville location. He is board-certified in general and vascular surgery. Dr. Soto’s interests are in limb salvage, wound care, aortic disease, carotid artery disease, venous disease and in fistula access surgery.