As you all hopefully know by now, I joined the American Heart Association full time in 2024 because I felt it was important to tie my career to what mattered to me most - making a difference in healthcare in tangible and lasting ways. While I've been hanging around the healthcare hoop for (gulp)over 35 years, the connection between the work and the impact always felt a little too distant. I feel like I've closed that gap by joining AHA, and it is a gratifying experience. By the way, that's me with my some of my very awesome American Heart Association Ventures team on a recent trip to Nashville, where we successfully proved that I am the same height as everyone else if I stand on a large cement block.
I am fortunate to lead the venture capital initiatives of the AHA, including our recently formed Go Red for Women's Venture Fund focused on women's health. Did you know that cardiovascular disease is far and away the number one cause of death in women? Too many don't realize the toll that cardiovascular and brain health take on women due to the way they disproportionately, differentially and specifically affect women and the ways in which these problems are under-diagnosed, undertreated and underappreciated. I have had more than one experience of this my own self. We are setting out to change that.
AHA is where I've planted my stake because cardiovascular disease, stroke and broader brain health issues have been pretty prevalent challenges in my family and the families of most everyone I care about. My mother died of a stroke. My grandmother died of heart failure. My father-in-law died of a brain disorder. I, myself, had a crazy run in with Superventricular Tachycardia, now corrected by cardiovascular interventions that would not exist were it not for the research and scientific advancement funded by the AHA, among others, that share the mission to change the trajectory of heart disease. I've lost more than a few friends to heart and brain issues and I'd appreciate this being the end of that.
In addition to my work and my own financial contributions, I want to keep supporting AHA's efforts by helping the organization raise money during Heart Walk month and this, their Centennial year. That money will support great efforts in clinical discovery, program development, health equity and innovation. As someone who basically raises money for a living and turns around and gives it to innovators to help all of us be healthier, it would make my heart even warmer if you would join me in this endeavor. Please consider making a donation, however large or small, to this great organization to which I have now committed both my career and my passion for change. When you look around and realize how many people you love have been affected by heart disease and, hopefully, helped by the efforts funded and proliferated by the AHA, you will know it's a great investment :)
Thanks for considering supporting my fundraising efforts here. Your donation, no matter how big or how small, will make a real difference.
Warmly, Lisa
