American Heart Association

Florida

A relentless force for longer, healthier lives in Florida.

Florida summer with children playing with bubbles

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.

Try this mouth-watering recipe today!

Check out our other recipes

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!

Learn more and take part in this incredible initiative

Enhancing Nutrition: More Fruits and Vegetables in SWFL

Our Southwest Florida team stepped up to support the Sea Turtle Market in its mission to combat food insecurity in Lee County, Florida, by providing cold storage through the Florida Blue Nutrition Security Grant. The new refrigeration unit allows them to increase access to fresh produce for those in need, enhancing the quality of available food and ensuring that individuals can enjoy a diverse and nutritious diet. In addition, the Association provided them with educational materials to promote healthy eating, heart health, and recipe cards, using our Healthy for Good educational resources.

For more information about Enhancing Nutrition

Mini-grants lead to a giant impact!

In Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, 14 local nonprofits received Culture of Health mini-grants this year to help them complete sustainable health projects. They included purchasing new cold storage for food pantries, so fresh produce and protein could be given to clients and launching blood pressure programs to make screenings free and accessible for area residents. These projects are having long-term, positive impacts on resident health.

Get info about the next round of grants here

Addressing Youth Tobacco Use in Northeast Florida with Florida Blue & Tobacco Free Jacksonville

The American Heart Association has partnered with Tobacco Free Jacksonville to address youth tobacco use in Northeast Florida through support from the Florida Blue Foundation. This initiative is taking a comprehensive approach to this issue and has resulted in the establishment of new Students Working Against Tobacco clubs, school staff cessation training opportunities, an inaugural Youth Tobacco Symposium, as well as a youth vaping campaign.

Learn more about addressing youth tobacco

In 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. Baer
Brooks 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 Chairpersons

Anthony Hucker
CEO
Southeastern Grocers

Elizabeth Thompson
Founder and CEO
Intuitive Quest

2025 First Coast Go Red for Women Health Summit and Luncheon Chairperson

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
Dr. Jim Thompson
Director
Interventional Cardiology
Johns Hopkins
All Children's Hospital

Health Equity Committee Chair
Dr. Kevin Sneed
Senior Associate Vice-President
USF Health
Dean and Professor
USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy
University of South Florida

President-Elect
Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, MD, FACC, FACP, FHFSA
Tampa General Medical Group

Chair-Elect
Amanda Stevens
EVP, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer
Raymond James Bank

Members

Amer Z. Aldeen, MD, FACEP
Acute Care Solutions

Shantha Diaz
Retired, COO
Avalon Healthcare Solutions
Heart Health Champion

Alexander Johnson
Medical Director, Cardiology
Orlando Health

Marcos Murillo
Chief of Innovation & Strategic Planning
Hillsborough County Public Schools

Jason Newmyer
President/CEO
Advent Health Riverview

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

Tampa Bay Event Chairs:

Rhea Law
President
University of South Florida
2025 Tampa Bay Heart Walk Co-Chair

Frank Morsani
Community Philanthropist
2025 Tampa Bay Heart Walk Co-Chair

Stacey Brandt
Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
Tampa General Hospital
2025 Tampa Bay Go Red for Women Chair

Florida

Nation of Lifesavers

Libraries with Heart

Making nutritious food accessible in Riviera Beach

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothie

Local Florida School led the nation in Kids Heart Challenge for a third consecutive year

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

Give Today to QUADRUPLE Your Impact in Honor of Moms

Events in Your Area

Big Bend Heart Walk

In Your Community

Greater Miami - Ft. Lauderdale Event Chairs

Jacksonville Event Chairs

Orlando Event Chairpersons

Event Chairs

Southwest Florida Event Chairs

Members

Tampa Bay Event Chairs:

Live Fierce City Champions

Contact Us

Greater Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Jacksonville (First Coast)

Orlando

Palm Beach

Southwest Florida

Tampa Bay

Florida Communities (Alachua County, Brevard County, Charlotte County, Marion County, Polk County, Suncoast, Volusia County)

North Florida Communities (Northwest Florida, Okaloosa County, Tallahassee)

Heart and Stroke News

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