Dr. Emily A. Farkas is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon and one of only 3% of female cardiac surgeons, also holding the distinction of being the first woman accepted to train in the specialty at Yale University. Following graduation, she spent 5 years on the faculty at Saint Louis University as Assistant Professor of Surgery. During her time there, she was honored with a Mayoral Proclamation designating August 3rd “Dr. Emily Farkas Day” in the city St. Louis due to her extensive community and international volunteer work. This passion for humanitarian surgery eventually led her to leave the University to focus on providing free heart surgery overseas, and Dr. Farkas now partners with different charity organizations to do this every 6-8weeks. She spends the balance of her time as a Cardiac Surgeon on staff at the ThedaCare Heart Institute in Wisconsin.
Dr. Farkas began volunteering with CardioStart International at the very beginning of her career, and has been committed to the vision of the charity for nearly 10 years. She has participated in multiple missions as an Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon and Mission Director, and serves as the Director of Surgical Services for CardioStart’s International Mission Committee. Bringing experience from leadership committees and workforces for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Women in Thoracic Surgery, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for other non-profit organizations, Dr. Farkas joined the CardioStart Board of Trustees in 2016.