NYU Langone Health Announces 'Major Leadership Transition'

Aug. 27, 2026 — NYU Langone Health has appointed Sunil Rao, MD, an internationally recognized clinician-investigator whose work has introduced new approaches to treating patients with complex cardiovascular conditions, as director of the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology.  

The health system also welcomes Susheel K. Kodali, MD, who is widely known for his impactful contributions to structural heart disease and minimally invasive therapies, as director of interventional cardiology and director of NYU Langone’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in Manhattan, where he will succeed Dr. Rao. Both appointments are effective Sept. 1.

Dr. Rao replaces Glenn I. Fishman, MD, who is stepping down after 25 years of transformative leadership.

“Dr. Rao and Dr. Kodali are exceptional researchers, educators, and leaders whose work has helped shape the future of cardiovascular medicine,” said Alec C. Kimmelman, MD, PhD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health.

“Dr. Rao has played a central role in strengthening our Interventional Cardiology Program and advancing innovative approaches to patient care, while Dr. Kodali brings extraordinary expertise in the development and adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Along with other members of NYU Langone Heart, they will advance our mission of delivering world-class cardiovascular care while building on the foundation established by Dr. Fishman. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Fishman for his years of leadership and the lasting impact he has made on our institution.”

Sunil Rao, MD

As director of the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, Dr. Rao will oversee NYU Langone’s cardiology programs across clinical care, research, and education.

“I am honored to serve as director of this division alongside such extraordinary faculty, trainees and staff,” said Dr. Rao, who is also a professor in the Department of Medicine. “Cardiovascular medicine is entering an exciting era of discovery, with new technologies and treatments creating opportunities to improve care for more patients. I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues across NYU Langone and beyond to translate innovation into better outcomes for the communities we serve.”

NYU Langone’s cardiac catheterization laboratories are among the busiest in the country, with teams performing more than 17,000 procedures annually. Since joining NYU Langone in 2022, Dr. Rao has overseen the expansion of the Interventional Cardiology Program across the health system, increasing access to advanced procedures while maintaining a focus on quality and patient outcomes.

Dr. Rao has written more than 400 scientific publications and led research that has influenced the field of interventional cardiology. Among other advances, he developed approaches that allow physicians to treat blocked arteries through the wrist rather than traditional access points. He currently leads a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–funded clinical trial studying treatments for patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism, a serious condition caused by blood clots in the lungs.

He also developed a care pathway that has helped eligible patients safely recover and return home sooner after certain heart procedures. His commitment to teaching and mentorship has been recognized through numerous honors, including the American College of Cardiology’s W. Proctor Harvey Teaching Award, the Duke Cardiology Fellows’ Mentoring Award, and the Robert M. Califf, MD, Award for Fellow Mentoring.

With a legacy spanning more than a century, the division traces its origins to the founding of the first adult cardiology clinic in the United States and is recognized today as a national leader in cardiovascular care, ranked No. 1 in the nation for cardiology and heart and vascular surgery by U.S. News & World Report for the last two consecutive years.

Susheel K. Kodali, MD

Dr. Kodali joins NYU Langone from NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he has been a faculty member since 2005 and most recently served as director of the Structural Heart and Valve Center, co-director of the Mitral & Tricuspid Center, and the Avanessians Professor of Medicine. During his more than two decades at Columbia, Dr. Kodali helped build a nationally recognized structural heart program and expand treatment options for patients with complex heart valve conditions.

As director of interventional cardiology, Dr. Kodali will oversee NYU Langone’s programs focused on minimally invasive treatments for patients with complex heart conditions, including structural heart disease and heart valve disorders.

“I am thrilled to join the NYU Langone Heart community and collaborate with colleagues who share a commitment to advancing what is possible in cardiovascular care,” said Dr. Kodali. “Structural heart disease has transformed how we treat many patients, and I look forward to working with teams across the health system to further expand access to these therapies.”

Dr. Kodali is a leader in the development and adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, he has helped advance a procedure that has transformed treatment options for patients with aortic valve disease and expanded access to life-changing therapies for patients who previously had limited options.

He was among the early investigators in transcatheter valve replacement and has served as principal investigator and steering committee member for landmark clinical trials that established new approaches to treating patients with heart valve disease. His research has helped advance the field of structural heart care, including emerging therapies for mitral and tricuspid valve disease and strategies to identify which patients benefit most from these minimally invasive treatments.

Glenn I. Fishman, MD

Dr. Fishman, the William Goldring Professor of Medicine, professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, professor of neuroscience, and vice chair for research for the Department of Medicine, will continue as a faculty member, focusing on research, mentorship and training in the Division and the Department of Medicine.

During his 25-year tenure as director of the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, Dr. Fishman helped transform the division into one of the nation’s leading academic cardiovascular programs.

Under Dr. Fishman’s leadership, the division grew to include more than 300 cardiology faculty members with expertise spanning nearly every area of cardiovascular medicine.

Dr. Fishman also expanded educational opportunities for future cardiologists and researchers and helped build a nationally recognized cardiovascular research program whose faculty have secured more than $800 million in grant funding. His commitment to mentorship has helped prepare generations of physicians and scientists who have gone on to leadership roles in cardiovascular medicine.

“Serving as director of the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” said Dr. Fishman. “I am incredibly proud of what our faculty, trainees, and staff have accomplished together, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the research, education, and mentorship missions of the Division and Department of Medicine.”

NYU Langone Heart is recognized nationally for excellence in cardiovascular care, with leading programs in heart rhythm disorders, coronary artery disease, valve disease, heart failure, and congenital heart disease.