American Heart Association Florida
Nation of Lifesavers
Thanks to an anonymous gift, The American Heart Association successfully equipped all 46 Hillsborough County parks that have youth sports leagues with the opportunity to save lives by providing CPR training and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). This critical donation not only enhances safety but ensures that in the face of a cardiac emergency, timely intervention is possible.
Libraries with Heart
The American Heart Association has launched Libraries with Heart with the Orange County Library System. Through this program, patrons can check out a blood pressure kit containing a blood pressure monitor, basic heart health literature, blood pressure logs to track measurements, and information about local healthcare providers that serve underinsured and uninsured individuals.
Making nutritious food accessible in Riviera Beach
Families in Riviera Beach, Fla. have new access to the fruits and vegetables that can help fight chronic disease thanks to our Food Farmacy. Residents who go to either the Foundcare or Integrated Health Care System clinic and are at risk for heart disease can get FREE healthy meal kit deliveries. Just ask about the American Heart Association’s “Food Farmacy” when you go in for your check-up.
Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothie
A small handful of ingredients makes a big splash in this smoothie. The smoothie looks deep purple but you can definitely taste the green tea thanks to the strong brew.
Local Florida School led the nation in Kids Heart Challenge for a third consecutive year
North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, FL secured the top spot as the No. 1 Kids Heart Challenge fundraising school nationwide. Students prioritize whole-body wellness raising over $130,000 in lifesaving funds for the American Heart Association. These donations help us make important discoveries that improve health, strengthen our communities, and help kids with special hearts. But the Kids Heart Challenge is more than just that. It's about teaching students essential life skills. Thank you, North Broward Prep, for 30 years of dedication to health and wellness through Kids Heart Challenge!
Enhancing Nutrition: More Fruits and Vegetables in SWFL
Mini-grants lead to a giant impact!
Addressing Youth Tobacco Use in Northeast Florida with Florida Blue & Tobacco Free Jacksonville
Double Your Lifesaving Gift in Honor of the Moms You Love
Events in Your Area
First Coast Go Red for Women Health Summit and Luncheon
Location: Florida Blue Convention Center
Date: Friday, May 2, 2025 - 10:00 AM
Learn MoreSouthwest Florida Go Red for Women Luncheon
Location: Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón
Date: Friday, May 2, 2025 - 11:00 AM
Learn MoreSouth Florida Heart Ball
Location: The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025 - 06:00 PM
Learn MoreIn Your Community
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in Florida through five key priority areas: women, readiness, tobacco and vaping, patients, and healthy living. 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, and with collaboration among local organizations, sponsors, businesses, and others that serve the community, we are working to improve the health and well-being of Florida citizens while saving and improving countless lives.
Throughout the state of Florida, we’ve seen our community impact work grow, including efforts around creating avenues for greater access to care, expanding healthy food access and education, building a network of first responders through CPR kits in schools, supporting blood pressure screenings and education, and educating on the dangers of tobacco and vaping.
People are counting on us as never before. We at the American Heart Association, along with our supporters, will drive change, and we will be relentless.
For more than 40 years, Advocacy has had a mission-critical role in the American Heart Association's work. Our legislative and regulatory priorities help to mitigate risk factors and protect survivors in communities across the country. We support the enactment of evidence-based public policies that lead to longer, healthier lives.
Public policy advocacy is an essential strategy used by the Association to affect necessary and sustainable policy, system and environmental changes that help Florida citizens build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Our efforts in Florida and its communities are focused on the following policy areas: Tobacco and Vaping, Access to Care, Medicaid Expansion, and Hypertension Prevention and Control.
Board Chairperson
Lawrence Franchetti
One Beat Medical
Board President
Farzanna S. Haffizulla, M.D., FACP FAMWA
Nova Southeastern University
Leadership Development Chair
Dr. Andrea Iglesias
Urban Health Partnerships
Members:
Sohail Azeem, MBA, MPH, FACHE
MedSys Health
Deborah Deioma Danto, MBA, LEED AP, CGC
Danto Builders
Melanie Evans, MHA, BSN, RN
Kindred Hospitals
Frank Fernandez
BluePrints 4 Safety
Gregory Holness
Broward Sherriff’s Office Department of Fire Rescue
Francesco Iacona, MD
Schiller Americas Inc.
Cindy Jackson
Florida Blue
Amrit Kapai
Goldstein & McClintock LLLP
Andrew Koenig
CITY Furniture
Veronica McCloskey, MD
HCA Florida Kendall Hospital
Jenna Merlucci, FACHE
Broward Health
Dionne Polite
AARP
Ana Viamonte Ros, MD
Florida International University
Dr. Scott Ross
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Svetlana B. Shugh, MD, FAAP
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Heart Institute
Caitlin Stella, MPH
Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and Pediatric Services
Isis Zambrana
Jackson Health System
Greater Miami - Ft. Lauderdale Event Chairs
2024 Miami-Dade Heart Walk Chairs
Alex Almazan
Almazan Law
Frank Fernandez
Blue Prints 4 Safety
Jose Romano
Miami Zoo Foundation
2025 South Florida Heart Ball Chairs
Dr. Harry K. and Ann Marie Moon
Nova Southeastern University
Board Chairperson
Christina Clohecy
Newfold Digital
Board President
Amy Pollak, M.D.,
Mayo Clinic Florida
Members
Douglas M. BaerBrooks Rehabilitation Center
Christina Clohecy
Newfold Digital
Dana Kriznar, PhD
Duval County Public Schools
Dr. Moez Limayem
University of North Florida
Charu Raheja, PhD
TriageLogic
Elana Schrader, MD
Guidewell/Florida Blue
Christine “Chris” Smith
Baptist Health
Elizabeth Thompson
Intuitive Quest, LLC
Grace Martin Wooten
The Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital
Jacksonville Event Chairs
2025 First Coast Heart Ball ChairpersonsAnthony Hucker
CEO
Southeastern Grocers
Elizabeth Thompson
Founder and CEO
Intuitive Quest
Kate Mays
Chief Operating Officer
CSI Companies
Board Chairperson
Jon Reitz
Walgreens
Board President
Linus Wodi, MD
AdventHealth
Immediate Past Chairperson
Jayne Willis
University of Central Florida
Immediate Past President
Ankur Garg, MD
Orlando Neurosurgery
Brittani Acuff
Crew Health
Michael Armbruster, PhD
Orange County Public Schools
Peggie Burgess
Center for Change
Jewel Calub
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Simon Choy
ADP
David Dominato
WKMG News 6
Vanessa Garner
CVS Health
Jake Kirchner
HCA Healthcare Florida
Dr. Swathy Kolli
Orlando Health Heart Institute
Peace Madueme, MD
Nemours Children’s Health
Giorgina Pinedo-Rolon
GIO Communications
Andrew Shunk
Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute
Samuel Stamps
C & S Companies
Orlando Event Chairpersons
Amenah Ebadi & Jennifer Nelson
Nemour's Children's Health
2025 Orlando Go Red for Women Chairperson
2024 Greater Orlando Heart Walk Chairpersons
Andrew Shunk & Kalei Walker
Orlando Health
2025 Orlando Heart Ball Chairpersons
Board Chairperson
John A. Domenico
Bank of America – Private Bank
Board President
Roger Duncan, MD
Palms West Hospital
Immediate Past Board Chairperson
Grasford W. Smith
Akerman LLP
Immediate Past Board President
Fontaine Timmer, DNP
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Members
Lee Alderton, Retired, Deloitte
Retired, Deloitte
Alina Alonso, MD
Retired, Florida Department of Health - Palm Beach County
Teresita Casanova, MD
Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches
Rebecca Doane, J.D., CPA
Doane & Doane, P.A.
Megan Filoon
TBC Corporation
Hilda Gonzalez
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Michele Jacobs
Economic Council of Palm Beach County
Trey Mahoney
UBS Financial Services
Dawn Nichols
NextEra Energy, Inc.
Troy Rice
Florida Power & Light Company
Erica Whitfield
School District of Palm Beach County
Anita Wilborn, MD
Tenet Physician Services
Event Chairs
2025 Heart Walk Chairperson:
Ken West
HCA Florida JFK Hospital
71st Annual Palm Beach Heart Ball Chairmen
Susan and Bob Wright
2026 Go Red for Women Chairperson
Heather Havericak
Delray Medical Center
Board Chairperson
PJ Bimonte
Arthrex
Board President
Eric Eason, MD.
Lee Health
Members
Dr. Mazen Albaghdadi
NCH Healthcare System
Soren T. Christensen
Advanced Wealth Advisors
Skyler Wanberg
GS Holdings
Commander Jamie Cunningham
Collier County Sheriff
Tracy Duhaney
The Amboseli Group
Jason Grabowski
B&I Contractors
Margo Kidd
Discovery Senior Living
Phil Loiacano
Transcend Capital Advisors
Shadreka McIntosh
Sozo Wellness Pharmacy
Floyd “Tag” Yarnell
Yarnell & Peterson, P.A.
Southwest Florida Event Chairs
Wilfredo Emanuel and Pamela Calligaro
2025 Southwest FL Heart Ball Co-Chairs
Dr. Larry Antonucci
2024 Lee County Heart Walk Chair
Dr. Mazen Albaghdadi
2024 Collier Heart Walk Chair
Board Chairperson
Danny Persaud
MidFlorida Armored
Board President
Guilherme Oliveira, MD, MBA
Tampa General Hospital
Leadership Development Chair
Artemis Emslie
Cadence Rx
Health Equity Committee Chair
Dr. Kevin Sneed
USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy
President-Elect
Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, MD, FACC, FACP, FHFSA
Tampa General Medical Group
Members
Amer Z. Aldeen, MD, FACEP
Acute Care Solutions
Van Ayres
Superintendent Hillsborough County Public Schools
Kevin Edmonson
Edmonson Electric, LLC
Sami Noujaim, PhD
University of South Florida
Lucila Ramiro, MD, FACP, MBA
Community Leader
Robert Sanchez, MD, FACC
West Florida Cardiology Network | HCA Physician Services Group
Alexandra Schaffrath
Ultimate Medical Academy
Stacie Schaible
WFLA-News Channel
Emily Allinder Scott, MHA, LSSBB, FACHE
BayCare Health System
Amanda Stevens
Raymond James Bank
Chuck Sykes
Skykes
Jim Thompson, MD
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Trey Traviesa
Fort Brooke Merchant Partners, LLC
Tampa Bay Event Chairs
Alexandra Schaffrath
Ultimate Medical Academy
2025 Tampa Go Red for Women Chair
Brett Morgan
Morgan Auto Group
2025 Tampa Heart Ball Chair
Lance Zingale
Community Leader
2024 Tampa Heart Walk Chair
Live Fierce City Champions
Contact Us
Greater Miami/Fort Lauderdale
By appointment only:
4000 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 170N
Hollywood, FL 33021
Jacksonville (First Coast)
By appointment only:
7751 Baymeadows Rd East, Suite 106E/F
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Orlando
Mail-Only
5224 W State Road 46 #403
Sanford, FL 32771-9230
Palm Beach
By appointment only:
2300 Centrepark W Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
Southwest Florida
By appointment only:
9200 Estero Park Commons Boulevard, Suite. 7
Estero, FL 33928
Tampa Bay
By appointment only:
11207 Blue Heron Boulevard North
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Florida Communities (Alachua County, Brevard County, Charlotte County, Marion County, Polk County, Suncoast, Volusia County)
Mail-Only
110 Veterans Memorial Boulevard #160
Metairie, LA 70005
North Florida Communities (Northwest Florida, Okaloosa County, Tallahassee)
Mail-Only
10 Veterans Memorial
Metairie, LA 70005
Heart and Stroke News
