Project ECHO Vasculitis
Introducing Project ECHO Vasculitis
In early 2026, the Vasculitis Foundation (VF) launched the first-ever vasculitis-focused hub in the global Project ECHO network to help clinicians strengthen their knowledge and confidence in vasculitis care. Because vasculitis is rare, many providers encounter these diseases only occasionally—making it difficult to build expertise in diagnosing and managing vasculitis. By making connections between community providers and vasculitis specialists, we aim to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment, and improve patient care.
What is Project ECHO?
Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a collaborative learning model developed at the University of New Mexico that connects community clinicians with expert teams through virtual, case-based learning to improve patient care—especially in rural and underserved communities.
Upcoming Sessions
IgA Vasculitis: Cutaneous Manifestations and Systemic Disease
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET
Faculty: Alex Villa-Forte, MD, MPH; Vidya Sivaraman, MD
Fellow: Akhila Arya P. Vasudevan, MD
Large Vessel Vasculitis
(GCA)
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
6:00 to 7:00 PM ET
Faculty: Kevin Byram, MD; Jason Springer, MD
Fellow: Tina Arkee, MD
FAQs
Who is Project ECHO designed for?
The VF’s ECHO program is designed for healthcare professionals who care for—or may encounter— patients with vasculitis, including rheumatologists, nephrologists, pulmonologists, dermatologists, ENTs, primary care providers, and advanced practice providers.
What will participants get out of the program?
Participants will gain practical tools, greater confidence in diagnosing and managing vasculitis, mentorship from experienced specialists, a network of peers and experts, and knowledge they can immediately apply to patient care.
How does it work?
Through regularly scheduled, one-hour, virtual sessions, participants learn from real patient cases, brief didactic presentations, and peer discussion to strengthen their knowledge and clinical skills in diagnosing and managing vasculitis—including when and where to refer patients for specialized care. Sessions are interactive and collaborative, not lectures.
Who are the experts and other clinicians participating?
Each Project ECHO session includes:
1. One or more members of a multidisciplinary team of vasculitis experts
2. A healthcare provider who presents a de-identified patient case
3. A learner audience of community clinicians and other healthcare professionals
NOTE: You do not need to be a vasculitis expert to participate.
How can I submit a challenging patient case for a Project ECHO session?
Clinicians can submit challenging patient cases in advance for consideration. Case submission instructions will be provided to participating clinicians. Our Project ECHO Steering Committee members will select cases based on their educational value, potential for peer learning and applicability to clinical practice.
Is there a cost to participate and is CME available?
The program is free. CME is not currently available but may be offered in the near future.
How do I register and participate in a session?
You can register via iECHO here. You will be prompted to fill out a simple registration form and on the day of the session, you will log-in at the same spot. Each ECHO session is hosted on ZOOM within the iECHO platform.
Steering Committee
Kevin Byram, MD
Associate Professor, Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Vasculitis Center Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Byram is Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Vasculitis Clinic, where he actively sees and treats patients. As Co-Director, Dr. Byram and his team are establishing cohorts of patients with vasculitis so that they can study disease-related outcomes.
In recent years, he has also been a member of the American College of Rheumatology’s Vasculitis Guidelines Committee as part of the literature review team.
Additionally, as Past-President and current member of the VF’s Board of Directors, Dr. Byram wants to use his position to ensure opportunities are available for trainees and investigators interested in vasculitis, having benefited from the foundation’s support during his own training.
Vimal Derebail, MD, MPH, FASN
Nephrologist, Professor of Medicine
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Dr. Derebail is Vice Chief of Clinical Operations and the Nephrology Lead at UNC’s Multidisciplinary Vasculitis and Connective Tissue Disease Clinic and Faculty Lead, Clinical Trials, at UNC’s Kidney Center.
Dr. Derebail’s clinical expertise lies in managing glomerular diseases, vasculitis, and kidney complications in sickle cell disease. He is the Faculty Lead in UNC Kidney Center’s clinical trials and collaborates with researchers studying these areas, as well as venous thromboembolism in nephrotic syndrome and vasculitis. UNC is home to the Glomerular Disease Collaborative Network, a network of nephrology providers primarily across the southeast US. The network supports collaboration in patient care and research in glomerular disease and vasculitis.
Dr. Derebail also is a member of the Governing Board of the American Nephrologists of Indian Origin. He serves as a Workgroup Chair for the Kidney Health Initiative project Sickle Cell Kidney Disease (SCKD): Natural History and Clinical Trial Endpoints.
Anisha Dua, MD, MPH
Rheumatologist, Associate Professor
Northwestern Medicine
Dr. Dua is Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Director of the Northwestern Vasculitis Center.
She has been extensively involved with the Vasculitis Foundation (VF) for years, participating in patient education programs, grant review initiatives, and the development of vasculitis guidelines in collaboration with the American College of Rheumatology.
Dr. Dua is dedicated to advancing the early recognition, diagnosis, and individualized management of vasculitis through multidisciplinary care and research. As a member of the VF Board of Directors’ Research and Fellowship Committee, she supports innovative research, education, and collaboration to improve care, resources, and outcomes for patients with vasculitis.
Vidya Sivaraman, MD
Pediatric Rheumatologist
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Dr. Sivaraman is a pediatric rheumatologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She serves as Associate Fellowship Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and Director of Quality Improvement in Rheumatology. Her clinical and research interests include pediatric ANCA-associated vasculitis, localized scleroderma, and vaccination in immunocompromised children.
She is a leader of the ANCA-associated vasculitis and vaccination workgroups within the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance, an international pediatric rheumatology research network.
In addition, she serves as Medical Liaison for the Scleroderma Foundation Ohio Chapter and co-chairs the annual Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rare Disease Day event.
Jason Springer, MD, MS
Rheumatologist, Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Vasculitis Center
Vanderbilt Health
Dr. Springer is Co-Director of The Vanderbilt Vasculitis Clinic. His clinical practice focuses on rheumatology with a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of systemic vasculitis.
Dr. Springer’s research centers on vasculitis and the advancement of clinical care through participation in multicenter studies and pharmaceutical clinical trials. He serves as a site principal investigator on multiple industry-sponsored studies and is involved in national efforts to advance vasculitis research.
Dr. Springer completed his residency at the University of Utah Health and his rheumatology and vasculitis-focused fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic. He is a member of the Vasculitis Foundation Research Committee.
Alexandra Villa-Forte, MD, MPH, FACP
Rheumatologist
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Villa-Forte is a physician with more than 20 years of experience dedicated to improving care for patients with vasculitis. Her clinical and research work has contributed to advances in the treatment of granulomatosis with polyangiitis and to the understanding of complications such as recurrent venous thrombosis.
A respected educator and national leader in rheumatology, she supervises rheumatology and vasculitis fellows, delivers national lectures, and has contributed to the development of vasculitis management guidelines.
Dr. Villa-Forte has held leadership roles within the American College of Physicians and the American College of Rheumatology. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Vasculitis Foundation, where she works to expand access to specialized care, education, and research.