Changemakers Impacting Community Health

The following comments from the American Heart Association have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Making an impact in your community while bringing awareness to heart health may be challenging—but our Leaders of Impact nominees are relentlessly focused on educating their communities about cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association believes every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life. That’s why we’re working with leaders across the country to bring our work to life and advance health for all.

Leaders of Impact Live In The Heart of Each Community

The signature national campaign from the American Heart Association starts at the community level by championing diverse local leaders to bring awareness to their communities about cardiovascular disease and stroke, raise critical dollars for lifesaving work and share the American Heart Association mission.

The American Heart Association Leaders of Impact campaign launches annually in cities across the country on World Heart Day. In each community, leaders step up to make a difference where they work and live to drive equitable health for all. With resources and consultation from the American Heart Association, each leader builds a unique campaign plan, recruits a local team and inspires their network to build a legacy of lasting impact on the health of their community.

The nominee who makes the greatest impact and raises the most funds in each community during the seven-week blind competition will be named a local Leaders of Impact winner. The nominee who raises the most funds nationwide will be named the American Heart Association 2023 National Leaders of Impact Winner.

Meet Our 2023 Leaders of Impact Nominees

Local leaders are nominated from within their community and come from a variety of public and private-sector industries and social groups.

Here are the 2023 leaders who are building teams, raising funds and passionately working to save lives and improve their communities.

LISTED NOMINEES CONFIRMED BY 9/1

Bringing Home Healthier Lives For All

Leaders of Impact nominees share a goal of creating healthier lives for all, driving positive change in communities across the nation. With the support of local leaders, their teams and our other American Heart Association volunteers we have:

• Trained 22 million people in CPR each year
• Helped over 19 million patients with a quality care initiative for high blood pressure¹
• Reduced CVD mortality by 70.5%¹ and reduced stroke mortality by 37%²
• Funded more than $5 billion in research³
• Impacted over 16 million people by increasing access to nutrition security in 28 communities⁴

1. From 1968-2020 (excludes congenital CVDs)

2. From 1999-2020

3. Since 1949

4. Potential reach based on estimation in impacted communities