Ellen O’Brien

Ellen joined VentriFlo in 2020 as Director of Clinical Operations & Device Innovation. As a Registered Nurse and Clinical Perfusionist, she brings 35 years of clinical experience in the high acuity and operating room environments. Ellen’s direct clinical perspective combined with 10 years of medical device development offers VentriFlo unique and critical insight into patient safety, human factors and product innovation.

Ellen began her perfusion career within the University of Penn Health System in Philadelphia in 1992. Shortly after, she joined Abiomed Inc. in Danvers MA, as a Clinical Educator/ Consultant and was the primary Perfusionist for the in vivo studies for Abiomed’s Abiocor™ totally implantable artificial heart.

Ellen returned to clinical practice, serving several hospitals the greater Boston area, and became one of two primary Perfusionists supporting the cardiac surgery program at North Shore Medical Center in Salem. Meanwhile, Ellen received her MBA and a master’s in Healthcare Management.

She moved back to Philadelphia in 2008 to lead the Perfusion programs at Penn Presbyterian and Pennsylvania Hospital. Her direct and extensive experience supporting patients during heart surgeries, her passion for patient safety and desire for innovation informed her decision to join Spectrum Medical Inc., as Director of Operations, quickly rising to Vice President of US Operations.

After hearing of her departure from Spectrum Medical Inc., Doug Vincent (a colleague from Abiomed aware of her clinical and device expertise), reached out and asked Ellen to join the VentriFlo team.

Ellen has an MBA and a Masters in HCM from University of Phoenix, a BSN from Gwynedd Mercy College and maintains a RN license in the state of Virginia. After 25 years as a clinically active perfusionist (CCP), Ellen was granted CCP Emeritus by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion in 2016.