Northern California
Our Vision for a Healthier Greater Bay Area
As champions for health equity, we believe that every person deserves the opportunity for a full and healthy life.
Implementing a Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure Program
Two hundred blood pressure cuffs and educational resources were deployed in Family Healthcare Network’s Mooney location to launch a program where patients could check out equipment and monitor their numbers at home to support improved blood pressure control.
Access to Critical Resources Helps Alleviate Food Insecurity
To address food insecurity in Stanislaus County, we worked alongside the Food Initiative of Greater Stanislaus (FIGS) to introduce mobile food coolers, aiding in the distribution of fresh produce to homebound seniors and those who lack access to nutritious food.
Saving Lives Through CPR
Last year we trained more than 330,000 community members in Northern California in the life-saving skill of CPR.
Recipe: Avocado and Shrimp Spring Rolls
These Asian wrappers are bursting with goodness. Serve them as a party appetizer, a quick weeknight meal or at your next dim sum.
Noticias en español
La tasa de mortalidad materna entre mujeres latinas subió bruscamente en el 2020, y la mayoría de los decesos fueron por problemas cardiovasculares.
The “Silent Killer” Must Be Stopped
High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly half of Americans have it and too many don’t even know! With your help, we can change this.
Your gift today help fund the most promising new medical research, improve care and outcomes for heart and stroke patients in hospitals across the country, and more to help save lives.
In Your Community
Advocacy for Healthier Californians
For over 40 years, advocacy has been at the heart of our mission. We’re committed to creating a healthier future for everyone. Here’s how we’re making a difference in California and in our local communities:
Prioritizing Public Health
Our legislative and regulatory efforts mitigate risk factors and protect survivors across the country. We champion evidence-based public policies that lead to longer, healthier lives.
In California, we focus on five major policy areas: Tobacco Free, Quality Systems of Care, Healthy Eating, Active Living, and Access to Care.
Thanks to advocacy efforts, Californians took a stand in November of 2022. You voted to uphold the law that ends the sale of flavored tobacco products – including menthol cigarettes. Studies consistently show the reason most young people start using e-cigarettes – and why they get hooked – is because they are sold in the candy, fruit and mint flavors kids like. California now has the nation's strongest protections against the tobacco industry’s business model that markets deadly tobacco products to kids, especially those who live in Black and brown communities.
A Landmark Win for Healthy School Meals
In the fall of 2023, California became the first state in the nation to ensure school meals are healthy by limiting added salt and sugar. Aligned with national and pediatrician recommended guidelines, this move will protect young people from diet-related conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The American Heart Association was among the organizations that sponsored Senate Bill 348, championed by Sen. Nancy Skinner.
Standing Strong Against Secondhand Smoke
California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 374 which would have rolled back secondhand smoke protection in workplaces, including allowing cannabis lounges to become restaurants or venues with live music. This is a significant win to protect the health of California workers from being forced to endure a toxic environment to keep thei jobs.
Join our network of You’re the Cure advocates to continue to improve the health of all Californians.
Our Central Valley division serves Fresno, Inyo, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono and Tulare counties.
The American Heart Association in the Central Valley is working with community collaborators to make an impact in three key areas: supporting residents managing high blood pressure, working to ensure our community has access to the healthy and nutritious foods that sustain health and eliminating the use of tobacco and nicotine products.
By bringing together organizations, sponsors, companies and community partners across the Central Valley, we will save and improve lives. Equity is always at the center of our work, and it will continue to guide all that we do. Thank you for your continued support.
Chair
Steve Matejka
Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer
Valley Strong Credit Union
William F. Baker, MD, FACP
Internal Medicine
Centric Health
Didra Cantu, MPA-HCM
Director of Quality and Risk
Encompass Health
Rehabilitation Hospital of Bakersfield
Stacy Ferreira
Community Volunteer
Bonnie Her, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Community Medical Providers
Ken Keller
President and CEO
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
Lisa Kreber, Ph D., CBIS
Director of Operations
Adventist Health Bakersfield
Felice Lin, MD
Cardiologist
University Cardiovascular Center
Luckvinder Malhi
VP of Operations
Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital
Jared Salvo, DO
Cardiologist
Central Cardiology Medical Center
Sarabjeet Singh, MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Centric Health
Vivian Torio, DO
Adult and Family Medicine
Kaiser Permanente
Rachel Yankey, MD
Physician
Saint Agnes Center Physicians
Bringing Validated Blood Pressure Cuffs to Oakland Residents
In the heart of the Greater Bay Area, a powerful alliance is underway. The American Heart Association in collaboration with West Oakland Health, whose clinical sites include West Oakland Health Center, East Oakland Health Center, and AJ Thomas Medical Center are joining forces to make it easier for thousands of under-resourced Oakland residents to manage their high blood pressure.
A validated blood pressure device procurement policy was adopted and implemented by the Population Health Program Manager for West Oakland Health on October 14, 2022. This policy will ensure all blood pressure devices provided to patients, donated to, or purchased by West Oakland Health, are clinically validated according to a recognized validated device list such as the US Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing, the British and Irish Hypertension Society, or Stride BP.
Addressing hypertension in West and East Oakland is vital to the mission of the American Heart Association and West Oakland Health as residents of both neighborhoods have been highly impacted by divestment and gentrification over the years due to structural racism. Patients living in these neighborhoods face challenges including violence, lack of nutrition security, and poor public transit for accessing prescription medications, all of which impacts their ability to manage their hypertension.
Our Greater Bay Area division serves Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties.
President
Sean Wu, MD
Professor of Medicine
Stanford School of Medicine
Chair
Stella Low
Chief Corporate Affairs & Communications Officer
HP
Leadership Development Chair
Renaldo Juanso
Executive Director
Health Policy & Advocacy Communications
Kaiser Permanente
Immediate Past Chair
Mary A. Francis
Corporate Secretary & Chief Governance Officer
Chevron Corporation
Michelle A. Albert, MD MPH
Walter A. Haas-Lucie Stern Endowed Chair in Cardiology and Professor of Medicine / Director
NURTURE Center Admissions Dean
UCSF School of Medicine University of California, San Francisco
Mary Cranston
Retired Senior Partner
Pillsbury Winthrop
Katharine Sears Edwards, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Medicine - Cardiovascular Medicine
Stanford University
Maarten Lansberg, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Stanford University School of Medicine
Justin C. Lee, MD, FACC
General Cardiologist
Stanford Medicine - University Medical Partners Global Faculty
Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education
John Maa, MD
General Surgeon
Marin General Hospital
Kenneth Mahaffey, MD
Professor of Medicine
Stanford University Medical Center
Brian May
Partner Americas Alliance
Managed Services Leader
EY
Rita Ng MD FACC
Physician-in-Chief
The Permanente Medical Group
Fatima Rodriguez, MD
Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
Michael J. Roffler
CEO and President
First Republic Bank
Nicole Rosendale, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
University of California, San Francisco
Jacqueline Shreibati , MD, MS, FACC
Senior Clinical Lead
Google
Erika Simpson-Akpawu, MPH
Former Chief Executive Officer
West Oakland Health Council
Bob Swan
Operating Partner
Andreessen Horowitz
Roberto Ariel Vargas, MPH
Associate Director
Community Health Planning & Policy
UCSF CTSI Community Engagement & Health Policy Program
David B. Vliet, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
LifeLong Medical Care
Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD
Director
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Simon H. Stetzer
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine & Radiology
Stanford School of Medicine
Our Greater Valley division serves Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba counties.
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in the Sacramento Valley through five key priority areas: women, COVID19, tobacco and vaping, patients and healthy living through nutrition and mental well-being. Equity is always at the center of our work, and it will continue to guide all that we do. Through our focus on these key impact areas, we can improve the health and well-being of our community while saving and improving countless lives.
People are counting on us as never before. Together, we will drive change, and we will be relentless. Thank you for your continued support.
Chairman of the Board
Chris Hoffman
Superintendent
Elk Grove Unified School District
President
Dr. Janine Bera
Chief Medical Officer
WellSpace Health
Khuram Arif MD, MBA, CPE, FAHM
Chief Medical Officer
Western Health Advantage
Brian Conner
Partner
Moss Adams
Lorraine Rinker
Community Member
Dr. Kathy Hart
Community Member
Phyllis Baltz
President
Methodist Hospital
Dignity Health
Peter Miles, M.D.
Physician-in-Chief
Kaiser Permanente
Reetu Sharma, M.D.
Sutter Health
Melissa Bassanelli
Superintendent
San Juan Unified School District
Cathrine Misquitta
VP, Quality Management
HealthNet
Alan Shatzel, D.O.
CEO
Mercy Medical Group
Dignity Health
Jita Buño
Associate Chief Operating Officer
UC Davis Medical Center
Dr. Kwan Ng
Director of Vascular Neurology
UC Davis Health
Chrystal Welch
Community Member
Contact Us
Greater Bay Area
By appointment
1111 Broadway
Ste 1360
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 903-4050
Central Valley
For Mail Only
816 S. Figueroa Street, Ste. 200
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (559) 650-4010
Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto
For Mail Only
ATTN: Please include a person or event name
1111 Broadway Suite 1360
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (916) 446-6505
Heart and Stroke News
Find science-based stories about heart and brain health and inspiring survivor profiles from American Heart Association News.