American Heart Association logoAmerican Heart Association

Northern California

A relentless force for longer, healthier lives in our community.
Northern California

Our Vision for a Healthier Greater Bay Area

Our Vision for a Healthier 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

Implementing a Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure Program in Visalia

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

Access to Critical Resources Helps Alleviate Food Insecurity Issues in Modesto

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.

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.

Events in Your Area

Bay Area Go Red for Women Luncheon

Location: The Palace Hotel

Date: Friday, February 28, 2025 - 10:30 AM

Register

Research Roundtable

Location: Rosewood Sand Hill

Date: Friday, March 21, 2025 - 10:30 AM

Register

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.

Community

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.

Central Valley Community

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.

Bay Area Community Impact

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.

Greater Valley (Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto)

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.