American Heart Association Minnesota
Leading with Survivors
Meet Luca—a true heart champion! Born with Tetralogy of Fallot, Luca has faced more surgeries in his first three years than most do in a lifetime. His courage and resilience inspire us every day and remind us why the American Heart Association’s mission matters.
Luca's story was shared at the 2025 Twin Cities Heart Ball.
Screening for Hypertension
High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” and many of our communities are disproportionately affected. We’re partnering with our neighbors in these communities to provide accessible blood pressure screenings through community BP Hubs, so that everyone can know their numbers and take better control of their health.
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!
Featured Recipe
End your day on a sweet note with these chicken-and-peach kebabs brushed with a honeyed citrus glaze.
CPR & First Aid Training
Emergencies leave us feeling helpless, but they don’t have to. Take two minutes to learn Hands-Only CPR™ now. 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes. When a person has a cardiac arrest, starting the chain of survival by calling 911 and immediately starting CPR can double or triple their chance of survival. Prepare to save a life, find a CPR course near you today.
Outpatient Quality Improvement
Our comprehensive suite of ambulatory care quality improvement initiatives - Target: BP™, Target: Type 2 Diabetes and Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™ - work together to reduce cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, and strokes. Local mini-grants can help you advance further and faster in the quest for better outpatient care.
He Felt Fine. His Artery Said Otherwise.
Events in Your Area
Northland Heart Walk
Location: Fitger's Courtyard & The Lakewalk
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026 - 09:00 AM
RegisterIn Your Community
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in Minnesota 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 Minnesota citizens while saving and improving countless lives.
Throughout the state of Minnesota, 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. Thank you for your continued support.
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 Minnesota citizens build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Our efforts in Minnesota and its communities are focused on the following policy areas: Tobacco and Vaping, Access to Care, Medicaid Expansion, and Hypertension Prevention and Control.
Board Chair
Ian Wildenborg
KPMG
Board President
Robin Germany, MD, FACC
ZOLL Respicardia
Members
Kerry DeLaney
Lactalis
Carol Droegemueller
Regions Hospital
Richard Dujmovic
Boston Scientific
Chris Ellis
Medtronic
Ahmed Elmouelhi
Tricares
John Heinbigner
EY
Matt Hunt
Blue Cross Blue Shield MN
Jaya Kumar
M Health Fairview
Mark Thompson
Marsden (company)
Peter Olson-Skog, PhD
School District 197
Pat Schmitt
UCare
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
By Appointment Only:
2750 Blue Water Road, Ste. 250
Eagan, MN 55121
Heart and Stroke News
