Cardiologist | University of Michigan

Dr. Barnes is a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist at the University of Michigan. His clinical and research interests center around the care of patients with thrombotic conditions and/or who require the use of anticoagulant medications. He is also a health services researcher with expertise in implementation science. He serves as co-director for the Michigan Anticoagulation Quality Improvement Initiative and is currently funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to improve the delivery of anticoagulation care. He serves in leadership roles with numerous organizations, including the Anticoagulation Forum, American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association.

Director of Programs | Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Chris serves as the director of programs for the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health. With two decades of experience in public affairs, communications and campaign politics, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the public arena. Previously, he served as chief strategy officer & assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance and special assistant to the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health. A campaign veteran, Chris worked on two presidential campaigns and a gubernatorial campaign. He also served as a director at a global public affairs firm where he focused on a variety of public policy issues.

Coalition Advocacy Director | Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Allison brings more than a decade of expertise in nonprofit management to support the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health’s coalition advocacy work where she directs coalition building, strategic alliance engagement and advocacy-related projects. Allison has spent most of her professional career advocating on behalf of individuals with severe health conditions and worked tirelessly to expand access to treatment and care. As a co-founding member of Epilepsy Alliance America, she continues to serve on the board where she volunteers to teach the importance of advocacy on a local, state and federal level and help empower communities to use their voices.

Chief Communications Officer | DC Fire & EMS Department

Jennifer is the chief communications officer for the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Previously she served as Prince George’s County director of public information for Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Her service in public safety followed a twenty-year Emmy award-winning career in television news. Jennifer has been featured on NBC’s Dateline, ABC’s 20/20 and, most recently, on HBO’s “Black and Missing” series. Jennifer’s passion is fighting back against the number one killer of women: heart disease. Jennifer suffered a heart attack at the age of 36. She is an ambassador for the Heart Truth campaign and was a campaign spokeswoman for WomenHeart’s SisterMatch program. Jennifer has been interviewed by Dr. Drew Pinsky and featured in Essence, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and In Style magazines. She has worked closely with a host of organizations to help bring awareness to heart disease. In 2015, Donelan received the Red Dress Award from Woman’s Day magazine for her work as a heart health advocate.

Executive Director | Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Ryan is the Executive Director of the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health, where he regularly convenes influential stakeholders to address access barriers to appropriate cardiovascular care and improve awareness about cardiovascular disease. Ryan’s background spans a decade in public policy advocacy and campaign politics. He now focuses on helping PACH and other organizations make change in creative and compelling ways.

Executive Director | The Sycamore Institute

Eric is the executive director of the Sycamore Institute, an independent, nonpartisan public policy research center. His leadership reflects his commitment to public service through thoughtful engagement with diverse perspectives while working on complex challenges. He began his career in state government with the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, where he analyzed health care finance and authored an award-winning report on health care for the uninsured. Eric helped develop Tennessee’s first comprehensive population health improvement plan, led the design and implementation of a statewide community health improvement process and founded one of the nation’s only offices of health policy in a state health department.

Nurse Practitioner | Stanford University

Cindy is an adult nurse practitioner and clinical research nurse coordinator at Stanford University School of Medicine. She received her master’s in nursing science and adult nurse practitioner at University of California San Francisco. Her career’s focus has been on cardiovascular disease, as well as type 2 diabetes and prevention. Her research focus is on insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and its relationship to cardiovascular disease. Her current clinical practice is with the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease with a focus on genetics specific to familial hypercholesterolemia and other lipid disorders as well as other inherited cardiovascular diseases and cardiometabolic disorders. She is a founding member of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

Patient Advocate

Dan experienced chest pain for a couple of years and it was initially misdiagnosed as heartburn. Then, in 2017 at the age of 32, physicians discovered he had familial hypercholesterolemia and he ended up having a quadruple bypass. After surgery, he went on a statin and vegan diet which could not fully control his low-density lipoprotein levels. His physician prescribed a PCSK9 inhibitor. After having access issues, Dan was finally able to get approval for a PCSK9i and his low-density lipoprotein is under control. Today, Dan serves as an advocate for awareness with The Family Heart Foundation and speaks to first year medical students at University of California, Davis to help tell his story and build awareness for heart health.

Cardiologist | University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Owens is the founding director of the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease and director of the Familial Cardiomyopathy Program at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology, Section of Heart Failure, Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support. Dr. Owens completed undergraduate education and medical school at Duke University before completing residency, chief residency and fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Owens has a special interest in genetic forms of cardiomyopathy and emerging novel therapeutics.

Patient Advocate

Pam educates and empowers others as a health and physical education teacher in Washington, District of Columbia. Consistently ranked as a Highly Effective Teacher, this year Pam was recognized as a Physical Education Emerging Leaders Fellowship candidate. Her perspective on life was changed forever when she had a heart attack in 2014. As a result, she now participates in a research study. Pam is a Women Heart Champion, where she shares her story with others to help empower them with education and lifestyle changes to help prevent heart disease.

President | Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Dr. Patel is president of the board at the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health and a practicing cardiologist at the Stern Cardiovascular Clinic in Southaven, Mississippi. He also serves on the Southeast Board of the National Lipid Association and on the National Board of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology.

Director of Policy & Outreach | Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Jasmine serves as director of policy and outreach for the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health. Jasmine has extensive experience working in cardiovascular health, growing patient communities, advancing collaborative partnerships with multi-stakeholder groups and driving public health and global advocacy initiatives.

Chief Science Policy Officer | Global Healthy Living Foundation

Dr. Popovian serves as chief science policy officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation and is the founder of the strategic consulting firm Conquest Advisors. He also serves as vice president of health economics and policy for Equideum Health, visiting health policy fellow at the Pioneer Institute and senior healthy policy fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute. One of the country’s foremost experts on every significant facet of biopharmaceuticals and the healthcare industry, he is a recognized authority on health economics, policy, government relations, medical affairs and strategic planning. He is also a sought-after speaker and has been invited to provide detailed presentations, briefings and expert reviews for the United States Congress, dozens of state legislatures and at conferences and medical symposiums throughout the country and around the world. As an advisor, Dr. Popovian serves on the Board of Councilors at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy.

Patient Advocate

Ann was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease eight years ago after being misdiagnosed with arthritis resulting in unnecessary surgeries and treatments. Although she still experiences pain when walking, she is grateful for the proper diagnosis and a treatment plan to address her peripheral artery disease symptoms. As a retired educator, Ann focuses on healthy habits to improve her physical condition and spends time advocating for peripheral artery disease education and screenings.

Founder & CEO | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association

Lisa started her journey to educate, advocate and support other patients based on her personal experience with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This included medical errors that nearly cost her life, the death of her sister – also due to medical errors – and the diagnosis of several family members. She has published three books on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, several peer-reviewed journal articles, spoken internationally on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and has appeared in TV and print interviews advocating for patients’ rights, research and raising awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Patient Advocate

Beth is an independent patient advocate. In 2003, she experienced life- threatening deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism which were initially misdiagnosed. As a result, she began working towards greater thrombosis education for both patients and health care professionals, cofounding a medical education program at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Clot Connect. She has served as a Member of the Clinical Practice Guideline Panel on Thrombophilia with the American Society of Hematology, Member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Blood Expert Panel on Prevention Research, Advisor on Patient and Family Engagement to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Partnership for Patients initiative targeting hospital- acquired conditions and Member of National Quality Forum Affinity Groups on venous thromboembolism and adverse drug events. She published her recent personal experience with non-medical drug switching in the journal Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis.