JACKSONVILLE, Fla., November 28, 2022 — The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit committed to advancing heart and brain health for all, is pleased to announce that Caitlin Brunell is the new First Coast executive director. In this role, Brunell will lead a staff of 12 who are responsible for the organization’s initiatives in the First Coast community, including advocating for healthier policies and laws, improving access to food and healthcare, promoting the Association‘s funded research, and increasing awareness of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, she will oversee revenue, field operations, board of director development, volunteer recruitment and fundraising and community engagement initiatives to reduce health disparities.

This new role aligns with Brunell’s personal mission to increase community awareness of heart and brain health and passion of working alongside the community to reduce health disparities through initiatives that address issues such as healthy food access, hypertension, maternal health and tobacco use.

“Heart disease and stroke run in my family. I recently had a family member undergo open heart surgery and I’m thankful the surgery performed was research funded by the American Heart Association,” Brunell said. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and improving heart health means a fuller, stronger, more sustainable community. I consider it an honor to lead the First Coast toward achieving this.”

Brunell has more than 15 years of communications, fundraising and leadership experience. She most recently served as vice president of development with the American Heart Association First Coast. In that role, she oversaw campaign management including market goals, quarter tracking and volunteer pipelines while managing a development staff and was successful in the assistance of securing new relationships and partnerships. She joined the American Heart Association as the Heart Ball director two years ago, running one of the largest campaigns on the First Coast after working as marketing and engagement coordinator for the Tim Tebow Foundation.

“I am honored to be the next executive director of the American Heart Association,” Brunell said. “As a champion for health equity, I look forward to working closely with staff and volunteers to address the most pressing health concerns of our region in alignment with the American Heart Association’s mission to achieve longer, healthier lives.”

The American Heart Association is working alongside the community to reduce health disparities through initiatives that address issues such as healthy food access, hypertension, maternal and women’s health, CPR training and education and tobacco/vaping use. In the last year and a half, the American Heart Association is making a difference on the First Coast by providing over 56,000 residents more food access, reaching over 10,000 patients with hypertension through Target: BP and high blood pressure cuff loaner programs, and educating over 5.5 million on heart, brain and women/maternal health through community events, media engagements and programs. Also, 1,500 Hands-only CPR Adult and Infant Anytime training kits were placed in the community and approximately 89,000 youth in grades K-12 were educated on how to achieve healthier lifestyles throughout Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.

“The American Heart Association is excited to welcome Caitlin into the executive director role and support her as she leads the way for the First Coast,” said Julie Taylor, senior vice president of the American Heart Association in the Southeast Region. “She is a thought-leader, an innovator and a colleague who truly creates impact in every role she plays. We are excited to see her step into this leadership role as we continue to build a healthier First Coast community.”

Brunell’s passion for nonprofit work started as a child through her family’s foundation, which served critically ill children and their families in the First Coast area. Inspired by her family’s work, she created the nonprofit Caitlin’s Closet in 2006, which provides young women without resources the opportunity to outfit themselves in donated clothes for proms, dances, academic ceremonies and sports banquets. Also, Brunell was heavily involved in the Miss America Pageant, which advocates for women’s education and is the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women in the United States. She was crowned Miss Alabama in 2014. A graduate from University of Alabama, Brunell received her Master of Nonprofit Management from The New School.

For more information about the American Heart Association First Coast, or how to get involved, please email ahafirstcoast@heart.org.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

For Media Inquiries:
Marissa Cockrell: marissa.cockrell@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org