Meet Your Thoracic Team

Royce Calhoun, MD,

Medical Director, Thoracic Surgery

 

Dr. Calhoun comes to St. Elizabeth Healthcare as an established leader in thoracic surgery, having largely created, developed and led two comprehensive thoracic surgical programs, initially as an Associate Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery at UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California and most recently in a multispecialty practice at Rideout Health in Marysville, California.

Dr. Calhoun has published over 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles, has been active in national lung cancer clinical trials as well as an invited national and international speaker regarding staging and treatment options for early stage lung cancer.

Dr. Calhoun sees an incredible opportunity at St. Elizabeth to turn the often dire diagnosis of lung cancer, with only a third of the patients having curable disease at initial presentation, on its head with the roll out of lung cancer CT screening for at risk patients, earlier detection and more curative therapies offered. Dr. Calhoun comments “It is truly exciting to be involved in the management of lung cancer during this pivotal, paradigm shifting time.”

His goal as Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery is to partner in developing a collaborative, multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of lung nodules and lung cancer at St. Elizabeth. As an exclusively General Thoracic Surgeon (no cardiac), 90% of his operations are minimally invasive. Dr. Calhoun also treats other malignancies and benign pathologies in the chest including esophageal cancer, mediastinal tumors, other lung, pleural space chest wall tumors, pleural space diseases such as empyemas, effusions and pneumothorax as well as hyperhidrosis and thoracic outlet syndrome.

Valerie Williams, MD

Associate Medical Director, Thoracic Surgery

Dr. Williams is Associate Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, KY. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at the College of New Jersey and then went on to earn her medical degree at Penn State University College of Medicine. Dr. Williams completed her residency in surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY, during which time she also completed a two-year research fellowship focused on benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus. She then continued on at the University of Rochester to complete a residency in cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Williams specializes in thoracic surgery. Her interests include lung cancer, esophageal cancer, airway surgery and minimally-invasive surgical procedures, such as VATS lobectomy, laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery and minimally-invasive esophagectomy. She has a particular interest in benign esophageal diseases, such as reflux disease, as well as endoscopic therapies for Barrett’s esophagus and dysplasia.

As an established thoracic surgeon, she is the only surgeon in the region to offer LINX, a minimally invasive procedure for patients diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). She has been recognized as a Top Doctor by Cincinnati Magazine for the past five years. She has authored several scientific articles and has presented her work at various forums throughout the country.

Michael Johnson, MD

Thoracic Surgery

Dr. Johnson, an esteemed Cardiothoracic Surgeon, brings leadership honed at UC Davis Medical Center and Rideout Health to St. Elizabeth Healthcare. With a robust publication record and active participation in national lung cancer trials, Dr. Johnson is recognized internationally for his insights into staging and treating early-stage lung cancer.

At St. Elizabeth, Dr. Johnson aims to reshape the landscape of lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. Focused on implementing lung cancer CT screening for at-risk patients, he envisions earlier detection and more curative therapies, presenting a pivotal moment in lung cancer management.

In his role in Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Johnson seeks to establish a collaborative, evidence-based approach to lung nodule and cancer care at St. Elizabeth. Specializing in minimally invasive General Thoracic Surgery (excluding cardiac procedures), he brings his expertise to various thoracic conditions, including esophageal cancer, mediastinal tumors, and pleural space diseases.

Excited about the transformative possibilities, Dr. Johnson comments, “It is truly exciting to be involved in the management of lung cancer during this pivotal, paradigm-shifting time.” With his commitment to innovation, Dr. Johnson is poised to make significant contributions to thoracic surgery at St. Elizabeth Healthcare.