Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, Chair
Dr. DeVault is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic Florida. He is a member of the Executive Operating Team of Mayo Clinic in Florida. Dr. DeVault is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
Prior to becoming Chair of Medicine, Dr. DeVault was Chair of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic Florida from 2005-2010. He served as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Gastroenterology Board and became chair in 2023. Dr. DeVault is a Fellow of and past president of the American College of Gastroenterology. He is also a member of the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. DeVault conducts research on disorders affecting all aspects of the esophagus and has written more than 250 book chapters, abstracts, editorials and original articles on subjects ranging from treatment of GERD, dysphagia, esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus to laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery and managed care issues in the treatment of GERD. He also has interest in gastrointestinal health in developing nations, improving professionalism in both trainees and practicing physicians and in the development of a diverse and effective health care work force.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and his medical degree from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University and completed a combined clinical and research fellowship at Jefferson Medical College.
As of May 2024, Dr. DeVault reported no ongoing external relationships.
Nikhil Bhargava, DO
Dr. Bhargava is a partner at Digestive Disease Consultants in Bourbonnais, Illinois. He is dually board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Gastroenterology (2018) and Internal Medicine (2015).
His professional appointments include Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois and Program Director for the Gastroenterology Fellowship at Riverside Medical Center. He is actively involved in clinical research and trains medical students, residents and fellows.
He is a fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterology Association and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is also a member of the Illinois State Medical Society and the Kankakee County Medical Society. He serves on the Medical Advisory Committee for the Great Lakes Division of the American Liver Foundation.
Dr. Bhargava attended medical school at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, Illinois. He then completed internal medicine residency at McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He finished his medical training with the completion of gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin/Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee Campus.
As of May 2024, Dr. Bhargava reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Bhargava serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- Riverside Medical Center, leading quarterly leadership retreat with administrators and physicians, and Fellowship Program Director, receiving honoraria
- The Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, delegate, without compensation
- The American Osteopathic Association, without compensation
Dr. Bhargava also reported unfunded research (retrospective) projects, quality improvement studies and case reports with medical students, residents and fellows.
Rocio Castrillon
Ms. Castrillon has over 20 years of experience in advertising, branding and integrated marketing. As a multilingual strategic marketing professional, she is committed to attaining business goals, driving sales growth and effectively communicating brand and value propositions. Fluent in Spanish and French, she has a strong focus on diversity, both personally and professionally.
As a Crohn's disease patient since 2003, Ms. Castrillon has a strong interest in gastroenterology. Since her diagnosis, she has been involved with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation in various capacities, including as a fundraiser, advocate, mentor, stakeholder reviewer, associate editor and task force member within the Foundation. She believes in the power of the patient voice and openly shares her personal experience of living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In 2024, she was inducted to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's National Board of Trustees. As a Latina IBD patient of Peruvian descent, she is committed to addressing the unique needs of diverse IBD communities and expanding patient accessibility to quality IBD information, resources and research. Her commitment to inclusivity extends to her advocacy efforts on social media, where she ensures her advocacy resonates with the Hispanic/Latino IBD population. She posts about advocacy through her social media handle, @VoiceForIBD.
Ms. Castrillon holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, with an emphasis in marketing and international business, and minors in French and Spanish from the University of San Diego. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Business Administration in global business from Pepperdine University.
As of April 2024, Ms. Castrillon reported the following ongoing external relationships:
Ms. Castrillon serves in significant roles with the following organization, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, National Board of Trustees, without compensation.
Andres Duarte-Rojo, MD, MS, Ph.D., FAASLD
Dr. Duarte-Rojo is a clinical investigator and a Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is the Director of Liver Transplantation and Living Liver Donor for the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Northwestern Medicine. Dr. Duarte-Rojo is board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology, and serves as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Board. He has served on multiple editorial boards for prestigious journals in his field of expertise, and various committees for the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Society of Transplantation.
Dr. Duarte-Rojo is an active mentor and advisor for undergraduate and graduate trainees with more than 15 years of experience. He also serves as a Core Mentor for the T32 Transplant Surgery Scientist Training Program at Northwestern University. He is a National Institutes of Health-funded investigator, conducting research focused on disorders of physical fitness and exercise training in cirrhosis, health care informational technology, clinimetrics (mainly noninvasive liver disease assessment) and clinical outcomes in liver transplantation. He is widely published with over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and is sought after as an invited lecturer at national and international meetings.
Dr. Duarte-Rojo obtained his medical degree from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico and continued his clinical training with a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Gastroenterology at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán in Mexico, followed by subspecialty fellowships in Clinical Hepatology at the University of Toronto and Transplant Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. His academic training includes a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical investigation from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
As of May 2024, Dr. Duarte-Rojo reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Duarte-Rojo received in-kind support for clinical research from Echosens.
Hannah M. Herrington, MPH, CPH, CHES
Ms. Herrington is currently a Health Communication Manager, consulting with government agencies and health industry clients on how to best engage people, patients, and caregivers in their health care, utilizing health literacy and clear communication best practices.
She has been working in the healthcare field for over a decade, from humanitarian organizations and insurance companies to corporate wellness firms. Ms. Herrington serves as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Board. She was previously the Senior Manager of Patient Communications at the American Gastroenterological Association, setting up their first-ever patient engagement initiative, drafting and overseeing their 25-topic gastrointestinal (GI) patient education digital library.
Ms. Herrington has a personal connection to GI health as a long-time patient herself. She has had Crohn's disease for over 20 years, diagnosed as a teen. She's spent time educating herself about IBD research and new treatments, and staying involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) advocacy and patient support organizations.
She received her master of public health degree, with a concentration in behavioral science and health education, from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Herrington is also certified in Public Health and a Certified Health Education Specialist.
As of May 2024, Ms. Herrington reported no ongoing external relationships.
Divyanshoo R. Kohli, MD
Dr. Kohli is an interventional endoscopist working at Providence Digestive Health Institute in Spokane, Washington. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of Endoscopy at the Kansas City VA Medical Center in Missouri and as Adjunct Faculty for the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Program at Kansas University School of Medicine in Kansas.
Dr. Kohli has served the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in multiple roles including as a member of the standard setting panel, member and pod leader of the item-writing taskforce, and member of the governance board. He has also received a commendation from the ABIM for his extraordinary performance and exemplary work. Dr. Kohli also serves on the standards of practice committee at the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy where he is involved in developing guidelines and best practices for clinicians. He has been recognized for his outstanding public service and professionalism by the Veterans Health Administration and is a recipient of Saul Zuckerman Humanitarianism in Medicine Award for outstanding scholarship and compassion. He has authored over 60 research papers and has received multiple awards for his leading-edge clinical research.
He received his medical degree from Government Medical College Chandigarh, India, and completed his internship and residency in internal medicine from Georgetown University-Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC. He then completed his fellowship in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he also served as Chief Fellow. He then went on to complete an advanced endoscopy fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
As of May 2024, Dr. Kohli reported the no ongoing external relationships.
Scharles Konadu, MD
Dr. Konadu is a general gastroenterologist and consultant for the multi-specialty group Huguley Medical Associates in Burleson Texas. Prior to her current position she served as faculty and consultant in gastroenterology with Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina and Duke Raleigh Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
She serves as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Board and serves on the American Gastroenterology Association's international committee. She also serves on the board and as secretary for the West African Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases. She was honored by her colleagues as Tarrant County Top Doctor in Gastroenterology 2020.
Her main clinical interests are in colon cancer prevention and irritable bowel syndrome. She has a passion for global health and some of her most esteemed experiences include her time educating and observing in Beijing and Ghana.
She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and obtained her medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She completed both her residency and fellowship at Duke University Medical Center in Durham North Carolina.
As of May 2024, Dr. Konadu reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Konadu serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Gastroenterological Association, International Committee, member, without compensation
Richard K. Sterling, MD
Dr. Sterling is currently a Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Hepatology Professor of Medicine in the Divisions of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and Infectious Diseases, Section Chief of Hepatology and Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis and Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Director. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Liver Transplantation, and serves as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Board. His research interest is in HIV-liver disease which is supported by several NIH grants. He is site Principle Investigator (PI) for the Hepatitis B Research Network and was PI for the HALT-C trial. Other research interests include biomarkers for non-invasive assessments of liver disease, viral hepatitis, and liver transplantation.
He has published over 200 papers and serves on several prominent committees in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and has served on study sections of the NIH. He is on several AASLD committees including the AASLD Transplant Hepatology Pilot Steering Committee, the Development Committee, the Education Committee, as well as on the Liver-Biliary Council of the AGA and has served as the ACG Governor for Virginia for six years.
Dr. Sterling received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and natural science from Muhlenberg College (1982), a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Texas in Austin (1984), a medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia (1988) and a master’s of science in biostatistics and clinical research from VCU (2007). After completing an internship and residency in internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), he went on to complete a fellowship in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at VCU, which includes specialized training in transplant hepatology in 1994.
As of July 2023, Dr. Sterling reported the following external relationships:
Funding for clinical trial expenses, salary support and staff, paid to Virginia Commonwealth University, from the following companies:
- Abbott, for a hepatitis B clinical trial
- Roche, providing test kits for hepatitis B testing in support for a research project grant (R01)
Service on data and safety monitoring boards for the following companies, with compensation for travel expenses and honoraria:
- AskBio
- Pfizer
Continuing medical education supported by the following, with honoraria:
- Practical Reviews in Gastroenterology, for preparing a short synopsis of three articles every three months
Dr. Sterling serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Gastroenterological Association, Guidelines for Noninvasive Assessment of Liver Disease, chair, receiving reimbursement for travel expenses