For the Heart of MN

Laura Biewer, NP, is a cardiology and heart failure nurse practitioner with Allina Health, caring for patients across clinics in Baxter, Crosby, Staples, and Aitkin, Minnesota. She partners closely with patients and their families to manage complex cardiovascular conditions, with a special focus on heart failure care, symptom management, and long-term risk reduction. Laura’s practice emphasizes clear communication, shared decision-making, and evidence-based treatment plans tailored to each patient’s goals and lifestyle, helping them understand their condition and feel confident in their care journey. 

Katie is a Registered Nurse Clinician with Minneapolis Heart Institute for the Cardiovascular Emergency Program. In her years as a nurse, she has worked primarily in the Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care at Abbott Northwestern hospital, with additional experience in the emergency department, and education. In her current role she works closely with the ECMO program and ECPR activation, as well as providing education to outreach sites and pre-hospital staff with the use of multidisciplinary simulation. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN.

Dr. Dirks completed his medical degree at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. He completed a Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Minnesota and currently practices Cardiology at the Minneapolis Heart Institute on the medical campus in Crosby.

Dr. Dirks’ patient philosophy is, “My fundamental interest in medicine has not changed since I started medical school. I have always enjoyed developing relationships with patients and working thoughtfully with them to meet their medical needs. Being a cardiologist in a nationally recognized group such as Minneapolis Heart Institute allows me to provide greater opportunity to meet patient needs.”

He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Dirks has special interests in echocardiography, nuclear medicine, and preventative cardiology. He joined the medical campus in Crosby in 2005.

Coleton “Cole” Hanson, MPH, RDN, LD, is a clinical inpatient dietitian at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of Allina Health, where he works with patients across Abbott’s cardiac, mental health, and intensive care units. His practice focuses on nutrition intervention in acute care, including malnutrition diagnosis, identifying the impacts of GLP-1RA therapies, and the role of food insecurity in cardiac outcomes before and after discharge.

 Before returning to clinical work, Cole coordinated SNAP-Ed programming at University of Minnesota Extension, where he worked on food access and community nutrition education in rural Minnesota. He trains future dietitians as a preceptor for Philips Neighborhood Clinic; a free clinic located in South Minneapolis. He earned his Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health alongside his Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Licensed Dietitian (LD) credentials in 2020.

 Cole often writes on nutrition policy, housing, and public health for the STAT News, the Minnesota Reformer, the Pioneer Press, Streets.mn, and ForksAndFigures.org. He lives in St. Paul with his daughter.

Autumn Pechan graduated from the University of MN, Duluth with a degree in Exercise Science. She spent 20+ years in the fitness industry working as a fitness coach, multi-club owner and as trainer/mentor for a large franchise system which focused on circuit training, weight-management and behavior change. She has experience working with individuals of many different ages and fitness levels. Autumn is passionate about helping others increase their Cardiopulmonary fitness through Cardio and Strength training thus improving quality of life and making daily activities easier and more enjoyable.

Krishna Prabhu, MD, joined Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in August 2025 as a cardiologist. He sees patients at the Crosby Clinic and the Minneapolis Heart Institute’s Baxter location.

Dr. Prabhu grew up in Ames, Iowa, before moving to the East Coast for college. He completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, earned a master’s degree in social policy at Oxford University, and then returned to Harvard for medical school. He went on to complete his residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has also worked in Bemidji and Duluth as a hospitalist and completed his cardiology fellowship at the Minneapolis Heart Institute and Hennepin County Medical Center.

He is passionate about the dynamic field of cardiology, which offers a wide range of tools to treat common medical conditions and provides opportunities to care for patients in need.

In his spare time, Dr. Prabhu and his wife enjoy fishing, hiking, and spending time with their two children.

Dr. Otto Sanchez joined the prevention team as a senior scientist, having earned his medical degree in Venezuela and PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. He brings extensive experience in MRI methods, biostatistics, epidemiology, and clinical trial methods to test different approaches to prevent and treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Dr. Sanchez's professional interests include identifying early markers of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and developing strategies that will help individuals implement a healthy lifestyle. He is also interested in the beneficial effects of exercise on overall health and how to promote physical activity among the population. In addition, Dr. Sanchez is assessing the potential clinical applications of natriuretic peptides as they may be an important factor in salt-sensitive hypertension, obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, peripheral artery disease, and individuals with low cardiorespiratory fitness.

Dr. Retu Saxena is a cardiologist at Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute and serves as co-director of the Cardio-Obstetrics Program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. She has extensive expertise in women’s heart disease, noninvasive imaging and critical care, with specific research interests in cardiovascular risk factors that emerge during pregnancy.

She has provided training to OB-GYN and women’s health practitioners to help them better manage cardiovascular risk among their patients as part of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s BROACH initiative (Broadening the Role of Ob-Gyns in Assessing Cardiovascular Health). Dr. Saxena recognized as a 2020 Top Doctor by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and was named one of the 2025 Top Doctors for Women by Minnesota Monthly.

Stephanie Sheldon is a cardiovascular clinical services and operations manager at Allina Health in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she oversees multidisciplinary teams, optimizes workflows, and aligns cardiovascular clinical services with organizational goals to support high-quality patient care. Building on prior roles as a Senior Cardiology Technologist at Fairview Health Services and as a Cardiac Therapist, she brings extensive hands-on experience in cardiac diagnostics, rehabilitation, and patient-focused care to her leadership work. Stephanie holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business, an MS in Clinical Exercise Physiology from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, and a BS in Kinesiology – Clinical Movement Science from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, combining clinical expertise with business training to drive operational improvements and strategic initiatives in cardiovascular medicine.

Jenna Williams is a cardiopulmonary rehab therapist at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center who helps patients improve their heart and lung health through safe, guided exercise.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health, Wellness and Fitness and brings experience from her previous role at Minnesota Regenerative Institute. Jenna has a strong interest in exercise-based therapy and supporting patients as they build strength, confidence, and endurance.

Jenna believes a positive, encouraging environment is key to success. She works closely with each patient to create a plan that feels manageable and helps them stay motivated throughout their recovery.

Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, Jenna was drawn to CRMC for the opportunity to grow her knowledge and expand her skills while serving a close-knit community.

Outside of work, Jenna enjoys spending time with her family. She and her husband, Austin, stay busy with their children, Myla and Bennett, and enjoy camping, hiking, and fishing together.