Key Insights and Strategies for Better Heart Health

Dawn Witt serves as a program director II for the Joseph F. Novogratz Heart Rhythm Center and the Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center. She has been with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation for more than 16 years in roles ranging from research assistant to senior scientist, giving her extensive knowledge of the organization’s clinical research.

Before joining MHIF, Dawn worked as a research assistant at the University of Minnesota, where she also earned her PhD, MPH and BA. Her advanced education in public health and nursing has led her to projects that combine health care research with community-driven health interventions to create accountable care communities. She brings strong research skills, cultural competency and a creative outlook to projects focused on cardiovascular disease in populations that are often underrepresented in research.

Dr. Sengupta is director of the Joseph F. Novogratz Family Heart Rhythm Center at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. He is board-certified in cardiac electrophysiology and specializes in the treatment of arrhythmias, performing procedures including catheter ablation and cardiac rhythm device implantation and management. Dr. Sengupta also serves as director of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Genetic Arrhythmia Center and co-director of the Cardiac Pacing and Device Clinic at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

He is a graduate of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and completed his residency training in internal medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis. He then completed fellowship training in cardiology and, subsequently, cardiac electrophysiology at the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Sengupta is actively involved in educating future cardiologists and physicians as faculty in the Hennepin County Medical Center/Minneapolis Heart Institute cardiovascular disease fellowship and as a yearly mentor for MHI summer research interns. His recent awards include the Ray Bentdahl MHIF Distinguished Service Award, the Distinguished Teaching Award in the Hennepin County Medical Center/MHI cardiovascular disease fellowship and recognition as a Rising Star/Top Doctor in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.

Dr. Peterson is director of the electrophysiology lab and cardiovascular chair at United Hospital. His passion is bringing the highest level of cardiovascular care to patients locally and around the world.

As a member of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation board of directors, he believes the foundation’s mission of research and education is a pivotal component of clinical care and that MHIF is uniquely positioned to connect researchers, educators, providers, patients and their loved ones to achieve the best outcomes.

Dr. Peterson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin.