Meet Our Doctors & Providers
Dr. Georg Couturier
Dr. Couturier is the founding cardiologist of Village Heart & Vein Center, and he combines an international perspective—he was educated in Homburg, Germany—with a commitment to excellence formed as a Cardiology Fellow and Resident at the prestigious Beth Israel Medical Center in NYC, New York. He is a strong proponent of patients’ rights and a strict adherent to best medical practices. He is also a firm believer in constantly upgrading technologies, equipment and treatment protocols to give his patients the very best outcomes possible.
Dr. Saroj Tampira
Dr. Tampira is board certified in interventional cardiology with more than 20 years’ experience. He has helped countless patients who suffered from blockage of blood flow to the hearts, arms, and legs be able to return to their active lifestyles and enjoy their times with family and friends. He also helps patients who suffer from chronic leg pain and swelling due to blockage of venous blood flow returning to their hearts. Dr. Tampira is pleased to join Dr. Georg Courturier and his team. This fulfills the goal of Village Heart & Vein Center to provide complete care to patients with heart and vascular diseases.
Dr. Christopher Jones
Dr. Jones has been practicing medicine since 2011. He is an electrophysiologist who specializes in treating abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. He completed his undergraduate studies with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from North Carolina State University. He attended medical school and completed a residency in internal medicine at East Carolina University. He then completed a fellowship in cardiology at Marshall University and then spent two years at the University of Chicago undergoing training in electrophysiology.
Dr. Joel Garcia
Dr. Garcia’s areas of expertise include general and invasive (non-interventional) cardiology, as well as advanced heart failure. He is also an expert in most cardiac imaging modalities. He earned his medical degree from The American University of the Caribbean and then underwent both his residency and fellowship at The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Garcia has enthusiastically shared his knowledge with medical students as an assistant professor of medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine and the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, where he received the Educator of the Year award. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, being outdoors, and immersing himself in art and architecture.
Dr. Michael Ruisi
Dr. Ruisi is a board certified general and interventional cardiologist who is highly trained to perform intricate surgical procedures. He has 12 years of experience practicing medicine and specializes in minimally invasive complex transcatheter aortic valve replacements, helping repair patients’ damaged aortic valves that don’t fully open. Dr. Ruisi, who completed his fellowship at the prestigious Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, is pleased to join Dr. Georg Courturier and his team at Village Heart & Vein Center. Most of all, Dr. Ruisi is eager to provide the best care possible to patients with heart and vascular diseases, so as to improve their quality of life and longevity.
Bryan Carter, MPA-C
Bryan Carter is a previous Army combat medic who obtained his Masters in Physician Assistant studies with a thesis in Venous Disease and Treatment. Mr. Carter has been treating vein problems since January 2003 and was one of the first Physician Assistants to perform thermal ablation—a treatment that soon made traditional vein stripping extinct. Bryan has personally trained physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners throughout Florida and Georgia and is an active member of the American College of Phlebology. He is also one of only a few to be inducted into the American Venous Forum.
Scott Wojciechowski, PA-C
Scott Wojciechowski has a fifteen+-year career as a Physician’s Assistant that spans cardiology, cardiovascular surgery and emergency medicine working for clinics and physicians throughout Central Florida. For the last few years, we have been fortunate to include him as a vital part of the team at Village Heart & Vein Center. Scott received his Physician’s Assistant Degree at the University of Alabama and his Bachelor of Science Degree at Pittsburg State University. He is licensed as a Physician’s Assistant with Prescription Privileges in Florida and holds certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Basic Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
Erica Harden. APRN
Erica Harden is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, board certified in Family Healthcare by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. She specializes in treating hypertension while also spearheading the Village Heart & Vein Center’s wellness program. Erica graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2010 with a Master’s of Science in Nursing. Prior to becoming an ARNP, Erica worked as an RN in a variety of areas including trauma/surgical intensive care and peritoneal dialysis before finding her true niche and spending several years in Cardiology before joining the Village Heart & Vein Center’s team in January 2014.
Julie Howard, APRN
Julie Howard has been a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2012, graduating from University of Central Florida with her Master of Science in Nursing Practice, specializing in Congestive Heart Failure under the tutelage of Dr. Georg Couturier and treats all levels of cardiovascular patients for Village’s Heart and Vein Centers. As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, she has been trained to treat the whole family, from infancy to the elderly and worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner before returning to her passion for Cardiovascular care. Julie began her nursing career over 15 years ago in UF Leesburg / Villages Hospital system ER and Heart Cath Units during which time she initiated the Compassionate Companion Committee, “No One Dies Alone” program and was a member of the Hospital Emergency Response Team (HERT), all of which gave her the inspiration to ultimately follow the Cardiovascular path as a Nurse Practitioner.
Jocelyn Eslinger, APRN
Jocelyn Eslinger, is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse certified in Family Healthcare by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board. Jocelyn graduated from Chamberlain University of Illinois with a Master’s of Science in Nursing and completed their Family Nurse Practitioner program. She has extensive cardiology experience over the course of her career.
Jocelyn specialized in Internal Medicine for 7 years prior to joining Village Heart and Vein Center in January 2022.As an RN, Jocelyn exposed herself to multiple areas including; Labor and Delivery Trauma ICU and Emergency Department, Surgical and Medical ICU, Cath Lab, Hospital Educator and Administration; ultimately achieving her goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner in 2016.
Natalie O’Rourke, APRN
Renee Schafer, APRN
Renee Schafer is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, board-certified in Adult Gerontology Primary Care by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Her area of interest is treating older patients, and she has many years of experience in that field. Renee graduated from the University of South Florida in 2018 with a Master’s of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Adult Gerontology Primary Care. She previously earned an Associate’s in Nursing and a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the College of Central Florida. Renee worked from 2008-2018 at The Villages Regional Hospital, was a licensed practical nurse from 2006-2010, and worked as a nurse’s assistant from 2004-2006 at rehabilitation centers in Citrus and Marion counties.
hospital Affiliations
- UF Health Leesburg
- UF Health The Villages
- Monroe Regional Medical Center
- Ocala Regional Medical Center
- West Marion Medical Hospital