Department of Medicine Clinical Excellence Society Cardiology Members
The Clinical Excellence Society (CES) recognizes exceptional faculty members in the CU Anschutz Department of Medicine for their commitment to patient care. Members who meet the competitive requisite criteria are nominated by Division Heads after rigorous divisional selections. Established in 2023, the CES aims to uplift the deep compassion and tireless efforts of the Department’s most outstanding clinicians and dedicated commitment to centering patient care, and all the heart that such practice requires.
Every two years, the Society accepts new members from across affiliate sites, and from every subspeciality within the CU Anschutz Department of Medicine. These individuals play a key role in promoting clinical excellence, mentorship, and wellness across the department.
The Division of Cardiology is honored to have three members in this esteemed society.
Kristy Gama, NP is a cardiology nurse practitioner originally from New Orleans. She graduated from LSU Health Sciences Center in 2006 and relocated to Colorado in 2007, where she earned her Master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from the University of Colorado Hospital in 2012. She has practiced as an advanced practice provider in cardiology since 2012 and has been with the University’s Division of Cardiology since 2015.
Kristy has held numerous leadership roles, including Colorado American College of Cardiology Chapter Representative from 2020 to 2024 and Co-Chair of the University APP Advanced Practice Council. She currently serves as Lead General Cardiology APP, Cardiology Director of APP Education, and Cardiology APP Fellowship Director. Passionate about integrating patient care and education, she has led quality improvement initiatives in valvular heart disease and created Colorado’s first Cardiology APP Fellowship, which welcomed its inaugural fellow in January 2026.
Dr. Robert Quaife is a Professor in the CU Anschutz Division of Cardiology.
Dr. Quaife writes that his clinical mission is to: “to provide high-quality, clinical cardiology care and serve as a consultant for difficult critical care cases,” as well as to “serve as a well-rounded but clinically excellent cardiovascular imaging consultant.” These goals allow Dr. Quaife a unique and critical role in our medical community, allowing him to consult and solve difficult clinical problems through various imaging modalities.
Dr. Quaife’s reputation as a provider willing to do almost anything for his patients is well known. Dr. Joseph Cleveland, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery here at CU writes, “Dr. Quaife is one of the most caring people I have ever met. He will escort strangers, walking them to the appropriate elevator to make an appointment. He truly serves his patients and any visitor to our sprawling medical campus with respect and no task is beneath him.” Further emphasizing this sentiment is the narrative from a patient of Dr. Quaife’s and their family member. Upon the patient’s passing, the patient’s family needed to complete the Jewish tradition of opening the door and laying her body upon the ground to allow her spirit to depart. Because the patient’s grieving family was unable at the time to do this, Dr. Quaife did.
Dr. Matthew Zipse is an Associate Professor in the CU Anschutz Division of Cardiology.
Dr. Zipse’s clinical mission has “always been to provide the best possible care to my patients, treating them with the same attention, focus, and respect that I would lend my own friends or family.” Dr. David Lee and NP Che Pimentel, of Montrose Regional Health write that, over the last three years of collaboration with Dr. Zipse, more than 100 patients have been referred his way from their rural catchment area of five distinct communities, including mountainous resort towns and smaller agricultural areas.
Dr. Lee and Mr. Pimentel continue that despite this incredibly diverse patient population, all their patients who have seen Dr. Zipse, without exception, comment “on his willingness to spend time with them, and his ability to make complicated medical issues and procedures understandable.” Numerous patient reviews reveal the same. One testimony reads, “This was my first meeting with Dr. Zipse... I could not be in better hands! He spent more than 40 minutes with me and provided the best explanation of A-Fib that I have heard to date. He also described possible futures in my condition and how he would approach each one, including the options he would discuss with me at that time. I came away very impressed with the level of care I received.”
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