American Heart Association Kansas
Find Local Blood Pressure Support Locations
The American Heart Association has made blood pressure kiosks available at various community locations across Kansas.
Help Your Students Become Heart Heroes
Two 9-year-old students are heroes after learning the lifesaving skill of CPR through Kids Heart Challenge. Watch Logan and Magnolia's stories, and help your students become heart heroes. Register your school today!
Grilled Tequila-Lime Chicken with Grilled Asparagus
This summer favorite gets it smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and its tartness from the citrus marinade. The chicken needs some time to soak up the flavors, but it's well worth the wait.
Kaley Peterson's Cautionary Tale for Expecting Moms
Six days after giving birth, Kaley Peterson found herself fighting for her life. What began as sudden chills and shortness of breath quickly turned into a terrifying medical emergency, leading to a diagnosis of postpartum cardiomyopathy — a rare and potentially deadly form of heart failure. Today, she is grateful to be here watching her son grow. Read Kaley's powerful story of survival, resilience and the importance of recognizing the warning signs.
Wichita Heart Ball Ambassador Program
Ambassadors are a group of selected high school students who participate in educational and servant leadership activities. The Ambassador program is intended to be fun and prepare young leaders to be future heart advocates, while serving as an excellent resume builder, since these young men and women have the opportunity to learn valuable leadership development skills and network with peers. The Ambassadors will be presented at the American Heart Association's Wichita Heart Ball on February 6, 2027. The activities will occur during the 2026-2027 school year. Students from all high school grade levels in Wichita and surrounding areas are welcome to apply! Scholarships are available.
Application deadline: June 19, 2026
Hudson’s Story
Wichita family makes it a priority to participate in Heart Walk every year after their son, Hudson was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
He Felt Fine. His Artery Said Otherwise.
Events in Your Area
Kansas City Heart & Stroke Walk
Location: National WWI Museum and Memorial
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026 - 08:00 AM
RegisterIn Your Community
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in Kansas through five key priority areas: women, COVID-19, tobacco and vaping, patients and healthy living. Equity is 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 all Kansans while saving and improving lives.
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 Kansans build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Our efforts in Kansas communities are focused on ensuring access to health care coverage through Medicaid Expansion, protecting comprehensive insurance and equitable enforcement of tobacco retail licensure.
Board Chair:
Chris Rea
Foundation Properties
Dr. Emily VinZant, M.D.
Centurion
Giving Society Ambassador:
Yvette Connor
CohnReznik
Members:
Debi Devor-Mullins
White Eagle Credit Union
Corie Forbes
Ascension Via Christi St. Francis
German Galaso
Wesley Health Care
Harrison Helms
Equity Bank
Shawn Jiwanlal
Bank of America
Clayton Kaiser
Foulston Siefkin, LLP
Alison Lacy
Kansas Acute Care Midlevel Staffing
Dan Mize
IMA
Matt Morris
Forvis Mazars
Dr. Tuan Nguyen, MD, FAAP
Kidz Cardiology
Kolbe Sheridan
MK Wound and Limb Preservation
Kevin Strecker
Kansas Heart Hospital
Ryan Tittsworth
Rusty Eck Ford
Scott Wilson
INTRUST Bank
Heather Smart
Senior Development Director
[email protected]
402-770-7704
Madi Dinkel
Development Director
[email protected]
316-285-2225
Krystle Sherrell Steed
Marketing Communications Director
[email protected]
501-690-2382
Kari Rinker
State Government Relations Director
[email protected]
316-768-3841
Board President
Dr. Natalie Jayaram
Children’s Mercy Hospital
Board Chair
Carla Duryee
Duryee Consulting
Leadership Development Chair
Kalinda Calkins
Bank of Oklahoma
Members
Patricia Beatty
Mindy Brissey
MRB Strategies
Brian Burkett
JE Dunn Construction
Tim Castaneda
Amazon Web Services
Jayson Cuba
The Miller Group
Carla Duryee
Duryee Consulting
Phil Eilers
HNTB
Dr. Nia Jenkins
University Health Women's Care Center
Dr. Steven Kaster
Spira Care
Adriana Martinez
ECCO Select
Stephanie Moss
SYMBII Holistic Health
Matt Sogard
Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Marvin Szneler
Amanda Nichols
VP, Development
(913) 652-1902
[email protected]
Angie Galindo
Senior Vice President,
Western Region
(913) 652-1905
[email protected]
Deb Debusk
Development Director,
Heart Challenge
(913) 652-1903
[email protected]
DeEtta Lee
Sr. Marketing Communications Director
(913) 652-1914
[email protected]
Erin Gabert
Sr. Community Health Director
(913) 652-1909
[email protected]
Jackie McMahon
Sr. Development Director,
Gala
(913) 652-1904
[email protected]
Jenny Nguyen
Development Coordinator
(816) 745-1703
[email protected]
Kari Rinker
State Government Relations Director
(316)768-3841
[email protected]
Kayli Saathoff
Quality Improvement Manager
(913) 901-6902
[email protected]
Kevin Harker
Executive Vice President
(913) 652-1908
[email protected]
Laura Lopez
Executive Director
(913) 652-1929
[email protected]
Natalie Cronkhite
Development Coordinator,
Heart Walk
(913) 652-1901
[email protected]
Natalie Spar
Development Director,
Impact
(314) 518-2961
[email protected]
Sami Hess
Development Director,
Go Red for Women
(913) 242-3582
[email protected]
Teresa Allen
Office Manager
[email protected]
President
Mary Boylan, MD
President
Retired: St. Luke's Regional Heart & Vascular Center
Kim Bors
Business Owner/Leader
Dover Corporation
Members
Heather Baker, EdD
Director of Teaching and Learning
Rockton School District #140
Tasha Blackmon
President & CEO
Cherry Health
Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA
Chair and Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Marc Gerdish, MD
Professor of Clinical Surgery, School of Medicine
Indiana University
Joseph Haas
Immediate Past Chair
SVP of Private Wealth
Associated Bank
Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN
EVP, Chief Caregiver Officer & Chief Administrative Officer
Cleveland Clinic
Karen Harbin
President & CEO
Commonwealth Credit Union
Delores Hargrove-Young
Vice Chairwoman
d.e. Foxx & Associates, Inc.
William (B.J.) Hicks II, MD
Ex Officio
Vice President, Neuroscience Service Line, OhioHealth
Vascular Neurologist
OhioHealth Neurological Physicians
Linda Imonti
Director, Strategic Advisor and Retired Managing
KMPG LLP
Joshua J. Joseph, MD
President Elect
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Devray Kirkland
Vice President
Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Cardinal Health
Brett Kissela, MD, MS
Executive Vice-Dean
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Chief of Research Services
UC Health
Sharon Langshur
Research Project Coordinator
Northwestern Medicine
Chief Medical Officer,
ACCESS Community Health Network
Keith Miller, MD, PhD, FACC
Cardiologist
Bryan Health
John Mongelluzzo, J.D.
Managing Partner
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
Howard O’Brien
Associate
Howard & O’Brien Executive Search
Karen Rieck
Vice President, Human Resources
Farm Bureau Financial Services
Lee Shapiro, JD
Ex Officio
Managing Partner
7wire Ventures
John Walsh, DSc, MBA, FACHE
Louisville, Kentucky
Heath Wilt, D.O., FACC
Cardiologist
North Kansas City Health
Contact Us
Wichita
By Appointment Only:
121 S Whittier Rd, #220
Wichita, KS 67207
Phone: 316-768-3830
Media Requests: (501) 690-2382
Kansas City
By Appointment Only:
5800 Foxridge Drive #108,
Mission, KS 66202
Phone: (913) 652-1900
Media Requests: (913) 652-1914
Heart and Stroke News
