American Heart Association

Florida

A relentless force for longer, healthier lives in Florida.

Florida summer with children playing with bubbles

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothie

A small handful of ingredients makes a big splash in this smoothie. The smoothie looks deep purple but you can definitely taste the green tea thanks to the strong brew.

Try this mouth-watering recipe today!

Check out our other recipes

Launch of Food & Nutrition for All Initiative

Leaders across Miami-Dade are steering a community-driven, health-equity action plan to address nutrition security both comprehensively and sustainably. This led to the launch of the Food & Nutrition for All Collaborative after finding the inequities related to nutrition security to be too prevalent during the past four years. Led by the example of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava and her office, numerous organizations showed up to fill the need.

Learn more about this initiative

Enhancing Nutrition: More Fruits and Vegetables in SWFL

Our Southwest Florida team stepped up to support the Sea Turtle Market in its mission to combat food insecurity in Lee County, Florida, by providing cold storage through the Florida Blue Nutrition Security Grant. The new refrigeration unit allows them to increase access to fresh produce for those in need, enhancing the quality of available food and ensuring that individuals can enjoy a diverse and nutritious diet. In addition, the Association provided them with educational materials to promote healthy eating, heart health, and recipe cards, using our Healthy for Good educational resources.

For more information about Enhancing Nutrition

Mini-grants lead to a giant impact!

In Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, 14 local nonprofits received Culture of Health mini-grants this year to help them complete sustainable health projects. They included purchasing new cold storage for food pantries, so fresh produce and protein could be given to clients and launching blood pressure programs to make screenings free and accessible for area residents. These projects are having long-term, positive impacts on resident health.

Get info about the next round of grants here

Addressing Youth Tobacco Use in Northeast Florida with Florida Blue & Tobacco Free Jacksonville

The American Heart Association has partnered with Tobacco Free Jacksonville to address youth tobacco use in Northeast Florida through support from the Florida Blue Foundation. This initiative is taking a comprehensive approach to this issue and has resulted in the establishment of new Students Working Against Tobacco clubs, school staff cessation training opportunities, an inaugural Youth Tobacco Symposium, as well as a youth vaping campaign.

Learn more about addressing youth tobacco

In Your Community

The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in Florida 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 Florida citizens while saving and improving countless lives.

Throughout the state of Florida, 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.

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 Florida citizens build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Our efforts in Florida and its communities are focused on the following policy areas: Tobacco and Vaping, Access to Care, Medicaid Expansion, and Hypertension Prevention and Control.

Board Chairperson
Lawrence Franchetti
One Beat Medical

Board President
Farzanna S. Haffizulla, M.D., FACP FAMWA
Nova Southeastern University

Leadership Development Chair
Dr. Andrea Iglesias
Urban Health Partnerships

Members:

Sohail Azeem, MBA, MPH, FACHE
MedSys Health

Deborah Deioma Danto, MBA, LEED AP, CGC
Danto Builders

Melanie Evans, MHA, BSN, RN
Kindred Hospitals

Frank Fernandez
BluePrints 4 Safety

Gregory Holness
Broward Sherriff’s Office Department of Fire Rescue

Francesco Iacona, MD
Schiller Americas Inc.

Cindy Jackson
Florida Blue

Amrit Kapai
Goldstein & McClintock LLLP

Andrew Koenig
CITY Furniture

Veronica McCloskey, MD
HCA Florida Kendall Hospital

Jenna Merlucci, FACHE
Broward Health

Dionne Polite
AARP

Ana Viamonte Ros, MD
Florida International University

Dr. Scott Ross
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Svetlana B. Shugh, MD, FAAP
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Heart Institute

Caitlin Stella, MPH
Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and Pediatric Services

Isis Zambrana
Jackson Health System

Greater Miami - Ft. Lauderdale Event Chairs

2025 Broward Heart Walk Chair
Scott Wester
Memorial Healthcare System

2025 South Florida Heart Ball Chairs
Dr. Harry K. and Ann Marie Moon
Nova Southeastern University

Board Chairperson
Elana Schrader, MD
Guidewell/Florida Blue

Board President
Fred Kusumoto, MD
Mayo Clinic Florida

Members

Ricardo A. Hanel, MD, PhD
Baptist Health System

Douglas M. Baer
Brooks Rehabilitation Center

Mark Bennett
Bank of America

Tom Van Berkel
The Main Street America Group

Christina Clohecy
Newfold Digital

Yazan Khatib
First Coast Cardiovascular Institute

Dana Kriznar, PhD
Duval County Public Schools

Mark Lamping
Jacksonville Jaguars

Dr. Moez Limayem
University of North Florida

Amy Pollak, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Florida

Charu Raheja, PhD
TriageLogic

Christine “Chris” Smith
Baptist Health

Elizabeth Thompson
Intuitive Quest, LLC

Grace Martin Wooten
The Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital

Jacksonville Event Chairs

Bruce Lowthers
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director
Paysafe
2023 First Coast Heart Ball

Christina Clohecy
Chief Financial Officer
NewFold Digital
2023 First Coast Go Red for Women

Board Chairperson
Jon Reitz
Walgreens

Board President
Linus Wodi, MD
AdventHealth

Immediate Past Chair
Jayne Willis
University of Central Florida

Immediate Past President
Ankur Garg, MD
Orlando Neurosurgery

David Dominato
WKMG News 6

Vanessa Garner
CVS

Jake Kirchner
HCA Healthcare Florida

Dr. Swathy Kolli
Orlando Health Heart Institute

Giorgina Pinedo-Rolon
GIO Communications

Samuel Stamps
C & S Companies

Michael Armbruster, PhD
Orange County Public Schools

Andrew Shunk
Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute

Jewel Calub
Orlando Regional Medical Center

Peace Madueme, MD
Nemours Children’s Health

Orlando Event Chairs

Amenah Ebadi & Jennifer Nelson
Nemours Children's Hospital
2025 Orlando Go Red for Women Chairs

Tom Langer
Brooks Rehabilitation
2024 Greater Orlando Heart Walk Chair

Andrew Shunk & Kalei Walker
Stockworth Realty
2025 Orlando Heart Ball Chairs

Board Chairperson
John A. Domenico
Bank of America – Private Bank

Board President
Roger Duncan, MD
Palms West Hospital

Immediate Board Chairperson
Grasford W. Smith
Akerman LLP

Immediate Board President
Fontaine Timmer, DNP
Palm Beach Atlantic University

Past Board President
Anita Wilborn, MD
Tenet Physician Services

Members

Alina Alonso, MD
Retired, Florida Department of Health - Palm Beach County

Teresita Casanova, MD
Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches

Darcy Davis
Health Care District of Palm Beach County

Rebecca Doane, J.D., CPA
Doane & Doane, P.A.

Hilda Gonzalez
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Michele Jacobs
Economic Council of Palm Beach County

Trey Mahoney
UBS Financial Services

Dawn Nichols
NextEra Energy, Inc.

Shana D. Peterson Sheptak
PNC Bank

Erica Whitfield
School District of Palm Beach County

Palm Beach Event Chairs

2024 Palm Beach County Heart Walk Co-Chairs:
Thomas Bean
NextEra

Megan Filoon
TBC Corporation

Bill Perry
Gunster

2024 Palm Beach County Go Red for Women Chairperson
Pam Rauch
Florida Power & Light Company

2025 Palm Beach Heart Ball Co-Chairs:
Marie Unanue
Tara Vecellio

Board Chairperson
PJ Bimonte
Arthrex

Board President
Eric Eason, MD.
Lee Health

Members

Dr. Mazen Albaghdadi
NCH Healthcare System

Commander Jamie Cunningham
Collier County Sheriff

Tracy Duhaney
The Amboseli Group

Jason Grabowski
B&I Contractors

Margo Kidd
Discovery Senior Living

Phil Loiacano
Key Private Bank

Shadreka McIntosh
Sozo Wellness Pharmacy

Floyd “Tag” Yarnell
Yarnell & Peterson, P.A.

Southwest Florida Event Chairs

Wilfredo Emanuel
2025 Southwest FL Heart Ball Chair

Dr. Larry Antonucci
2024 Lee County Heart Walk Chair

Dr. Mazen Albaghdadi
2024 Collier Heart Walk Chair

Board Chairperson
Danny Persaud
MidFlorida Armored

Board President
Guilherme Oliveira, MD, MBA
Tampa General Hospital

Leadership Development Chair
Artemis Emslie
Cadence Rx

Health Equity Committee Chair
Dr. Kevin Sneed
USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy

President-Elect
Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, MD, FACC, FACP, FHFSA
Tampa General Medical Group

Members

Amer Z. Aldeen, MD, FACEP
Acute Care Solutions

Van Ayres
Superintendent Hillsborough County Public Schools

Kevin Edmonson
Edmonson Electric, LLC

Sami Noujaim, PhD
University of South Florida

Lucila Ramiro, MD, FACP, MBA
Community Leader

Robert Sanchez, MD, FACC
West Florida Cardiology Network | HCA Physician Services Group

Alexandra Schaffrath
Ultimate Medical Academy

Stacie Schaible
WFLA-News Channel

Emily Allinder Scott, MHA, LSSBB, FACHE
BayCare Health System

Amanda Stevens
Raymond James Bank

Chuck Sykes
Skykes

Jim Thompson, MD
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Trey Traviesa
Fort Brooke Merchant Partners, LLC

Tampa Bay Event Chairs

Alexandra Schaffrath
Ultimate Medical Academy
2025 Tampa Go Red for Women Chair

Brett Morgan
Morgan Auto Group
2025 Tampa Heart Ball Chair

Lance Zingale
Community Leader
2024 Tampa Heart Walk Chair

Florida

Nation of Lifesavers

Libraries with Heart

Making nutritious food accessible in Riviera Beach

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothie

Launch of Food & Nutrition for All Initiative

Enhancing Nutrition: More Fruits and Vegetables in SWFL

Mini-grants lead to a giant impact!

Addressing Youth Tobacco Use in Northeast Florida with Florida Blue & Tobacco Free Jacksonville

BE PART OF A CENTURY OF LIFESAVING

Events in Your Area

Marion County Heart Walk

Alachua County Heart Walk

Volusia-Flagler Heart Walk

Collier County Heart Walk

Polk County Heart Walk

Big Bend Heart Walk

Orlando Heart Walk

Palm Beach County Heart Walk

Tampa Bay Heart Walk

Suncoast Heart Walk

Northwest Florida Heart Walk

Miami Dade Heart Walk

Lee County Heart Walk

In Your Community

Jacksonville Event Chairs

Orlando Event Chairs

Palm Beach Event Chairs

Southwest Florida Event Chairs

Tampa Bay Event Chairs

Live Fierce City Champions

Contact Us

Greater Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Jacksonville (First Coast)

Orlando

Palm Beach

Southwest Florida

Tampa Bay

Florida Communities (Alachua County, Brevard County, Charlotte County, Marion County, Polk County, Suncoast, Volusia County)

North Florida Communities (Northwest Florida, Okaloosa County, Tallahassee)

Heart and Stroke News

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