“Along with supporting the overall mission of the American Heart Association to create a world of longer, healthier lives, my goal is to focus on the prevention of cardiovascular risk factors through lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet, to support strong relationships between patients and their health care teams to manage chronic conditions, and to continue to encourage those eligible to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and flu,” Lloyd-Jones said. “I will continue to be a strong advocate for cardiovascular prevention and brain health research and be a leading voice for public policy initiatives supporting healthier kids, health equity, smoke-free air, CPR training and systems of care.”

Vara and Lloyd-Jones take the helm during an unprecedented time for the world and the organization as a global pandemic continues, as well as the continued need to address social and healthcare injustices with far reaching impacts on people of color and sexual minorities. Health equity, mental well-being, maternal health and brain health are just a few sectors of the organization’s mission they will be focused on.

Lee Shapiro, co-founder and managing partner at 7wireVentures, an investment firm located in Chicago, begins a two-year term as treasurer. In this role, Shapiro is responsible for the Association’s funds and securities. Previously, Shapiro volunteered on the Association’s board of directors chairing the audit committee and serving on the business operations committee. He has been actively engaged in other financial and advisory volunteer roles on the national and regional level for the Association and other leading nonprofits and academic institutions including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation.

“With the strong volunteer leadership of Ray Vara, Dr. Don Lloyd-Jones and the entire board, the American Heart Association will continue our strong trajectory toward equitable and accessible health for all,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “I am confident their experience and expertise will advance the organization as a global authority in overall health and well-being.”

The Association also announced its president-elect and chairman-elect.

Michelle A. Albert, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, professor of medicine, associate dean of admissions, and director of the CeNter for the StUdy of AdveRsiTy and CardiovascUlaR DiseasE (NURTURE Center) at the University of California, San Francisco, has been selected as president-elect to serve in 2022-2023. Albert, who is currently the president of the Association of Black Cardiologists Association, will be the first Black women to serve as president. In November 2020, she was awarded the Association’s Population Research Prize for outstanding contributions to the advancement of cardiovascular science via an exceptional laboratory focused on population research. Albert has served on various local, regional and national boards including president of the American Heart Association San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley Board of Directors.

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