The American Heart Association: One of America’s Most Trusted Organizations

Suzanne Bartlett: [00:00:00] And one of the things that the Heart Association really has come to know over the last decade, I would say, is that where you live shouldn't determine how you live. And so our, our focus on making sure every community is healthier is so important because we want everyone to have access to healthy food, access to great healthcare, access to knowing your blood pressure numbers or your cholesterol numbers.

You know, that's for everyone under 40 and over 40, because awareness is key.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple, to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the people [00:01:00] they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors, partners, and neighbors alike. This work is made possible through the generous support of our incredible partners, Captrust, offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations.

Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage. It's about caring. Core, executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. And Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years.

For more than a century, the American Heart Association has stood at the forefront of cardiovascular research, public health advocacy, education, [00:02:00] and community impact. But beyond the recognizable name and iconic red heart logo is an organization deeply embedded in the systems that help save lives every single day.

In this episode, I sit down with Suzanne Bartlett, associate executive vice president, to explore the scale, reach, and mission of the American Heart Association. From the research and hospital protocols that have transformed cardiac and stroke care nationwide, to the grassroots education programs teaching children and families how to respond in moments of crisis.

We discuss how the organization collaborates with hospitals, schools, churches, lawmakers, nonprofits, and corporate partners to improve health outcomes across entire communities. Suzanne also shares how Sacramento has become a national leader in support of the organization, especially our Women of Impact and Go Red For Women events, why volunteerism remains at the heart of the mission, and how the American Heart Association continues to evolve to meet modern [00:03:00] health challenges.

This conversation offers a fascinating look inside one of the most influential nonprofit organizations in the world, how it operates, how it raises support, and how it drives change, and why its work matters far beyond the walls of a hospital. Suzanne Bartlett, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network.

Suzanne Bartlett: Thanks, Jeff. 

Jeff Holden: You represent not only an incredible organization, not only a behemoth of an organization with notoriety globally, but it's one that's really near and dear to all of us 'cause it's about our hearts. Mm-hmm. And without that, we don't exist. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. 

Jeff Holden: And I, I remember a conversation I had. It was a brain surgeon and a heart doc, and the heart doc goes, "Dude-

it's called coronary for a reason." Mm-hmm. "Because you got no work- Right ... if we aren't beating." 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. 

Jeff Holden: And your brain does not control our heart. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Absolutely. [00:04:00] 

Jeff Holden: So it's, it's really significant. People are familiar with the organization. The American Heart Association has been around a long time. Can you give us an idea, just a high-level overview of the organization?

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes, absolutely, and so thank you for having me, Jeff. I'm thrilled to be here. Our organization has been around for 102 years. June 10th, we celebrate our Founder's Day, and that'll be our 102nd birthday, and we're really proud of that because it te- is a testament to the legacy of research and science and quality programs that we provide across the country and in our local communities.

Our goal is to bring health and hope to everyone everywhere and to create longer, healthier lives for those with heart disease and stroke. And it's so important because heart disease is the number one killer of men, women, all humans. Mm-hmm. And stroke is the number four killer. And so as we look around us, [00:05:00] you know, the s- stats show that one in every three people are suffering from heart disease, and that makes our work very important across the organization and, and every local community.

Jeff Holden: And in many cases, it's preventable. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And education is premier. If you don't understand- Right ... you certainly can't do anything about it, but there's so many things that can be done, and I think that's the beauty of what the American Heart Association provides as not only an exemplar of things to do preventatively, but what to do if- 

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm

Jeff Holden: symptoms The website is, is an absolute tutorial- Right ... for, for everything heart-related. 

Suzanne Bartlett: It is. 

Jeff Holden: Tell us a little bit more about that preventative posture that the organization takes. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yeah, that's such a good question. You know, the Heart Association believes that prevention is the answer, and so we have something that we call the Life's Essential 8, [00:06:00] and it's eight things that you can do to improve the quality of your health.

And one of the things that I love about the Heart Association is we, we try not to just say, "Do not do certain things." We do say, "Do not do. Do not smoke," you know, "Eat in moderation," those types of things, but we also try to say, "Here are the things that you should add to your life." And so in those eight Life's Essential 8, it's things like getting a healthy amount of sleep, of course controlling your blood pressure and your cholesterol, and but eating healthy fruits and vegetables, having color on your plate, right?

Not just one type of food, as well as moving more, getting exercise. And we try to be realistic about that, I would say. You know, I, I am not someone who's gonna wake up tomorrow and run a 5K. It's just not something I love, and that's true for a lot of people. A lot of people are great runners and great athletes too, which is awesome, but we try to think about, how do you add things to your life?

Like, how do you [00:07:00] park farther away so you have to walk in more? Or how do you take the stairs instead of an elevator- Versus the elevator ... so that you really can add those things in so that they become a small part of your lifestyle and build to being a bigger part so that it's not so restrictive, too.

And so the, the Heart Association is doing that good work to teach about prevention, and more importantly, we want people to also know what are the signs and symptoms. How do you know if you're having a heart attack? What should you do if you think you're having one? How do you advocate for yourself with a doctor?

It's May, and stroke month, and so right now we're really talking a lot about what are the risks and warning signs of having a stroke, because we're really focused on heart and brain health at the Heart Association. 

Jeff Holden: And there's so many things that are relative to heart health. I mean, you mentioned eating and exercise and all that, but we're seeing a tremendous and very disappointing [00:08:00] cascade of obesity in the country.

Absolutely. And a lot of that's inactivity, and I personally think a lot of it's y- just, it's screen time- Screen time ... where you just don't get up, and you don't- Mm-hmm ... exercise 'cause you're either on a computer, you're playing games- Right ... or whatever, and we're seeing it impact our youth, w- which doesn't help as they age.

Right. And people tend to think stroke, heart attack, old, and nothing could be further from the truth. Right. Is there an appeal? Is there a way that you're reaching out to those, let's say, under 40- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm ... for 

Jeff Holden: awareness? What are you doing? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm. So the Heart Association does- So many different things. And one of the, one of my favorite things that we do is our Kids Heart Challenge, and that is our school-based program for kids and families where we come in, we do an assembly with the kiddos, we teach them about their heart health risk, and they get little tiny characters that resemble each of those Life Essential 8 type behaviors that they can earn through doing different things.

[00:09:00] So one is they go online and they watch a video about how to do hands-only CPR so that they can be ready to act- Hmm ... in an emergency with their family. We have them do jumping jacks every day, and then they earn a little character that's for move more. And so we're educating kids through that way, and, and we know that within that, that goes home to the families.

And so that's one of our approaches for people under the age of 40. We also have heart clubs in high schools and colleges where we're designing to educate and build that future next generation of people who care about their health and are meeting it at the beginning of their life. One of the things that our cardiologists often say is that once you get past 40, it's harder to change.

As someone who is past 40, I'll say yes, it's hard for me to, you know, get rid of bad eating habits that I grew up with. And so we know that if we [00:10:00] start young, that not only will that influence the parents, but also will create that future generation of just an attitude of health. We are lucky to live in California.

You know, I think about my counterparts and colleagues in the South. You know, health is kind of the default on the West Coast in some ways. And, and boy, 

Jeff Holden: do we know in the South the, the levels of obesity- Right ... are just off the charts. And the food is so very different. Right. When you travel there, you, you can see- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm

Jeff Holden: a lot of fried foods and, and grease and, and not a lot of healthy eating. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. And one of the things that the Heart Association really has come to know over the last decade, I would say, is that where you live shouldn't determine how you live. Mm-hmm. And so our, our focus on making sure every community is healthier is so important because we want everyone to have access to healthy food, access to great healthcare, access to knowing your blood pressure numbers or your cholesterol [00:11:00] numbers.

And so that's, that's important and that, you know, that's for everyone, under 40 and over 40, because as you said, awareness is key. 

Jeff Holden: I'm gonna ask you a question that's just organically coming up here. You, you may not know the, uh, the answer on it, but relative to some of those gauges and those measures, meaning blood pressure- Mm-hmm

and cholesterol levels Has that dynamic changed at all? Are the, are the standards still pretty much the same, or are they finding new things to say this is important, more important, or equally as important to check? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yeah, you know, the, the real content poles, I would say, for health are that blood pressure, cholesterol, and that's not changing.

I think how often the care around those is changing and evolving so fast and quickly, and the Heart Association is a big part of that because we are writing the guidelines- Mm-hmm ... of care, um, and [00:12:00] really helping hospitals and hospital systems to know what that care should be. So I don't think the biometrics of it are changing.

Those will stay the same for the most part, I think, forever. I think how we treat those is evolving so quickly, and the Heart Association is always looking at that science and funding great transformative science to make sure that those conditions can become easily treatable. And how do we live in a world where people don't wanna take a med- a pill every day?

Right. Or don't, or are, you know, don't wanna go to the doctor, or where you call Teladoc instead of going and sitting in front of a doctor more often than not. And so I think that's where it's evolving so much and where the Heart Association continues to make a big impact. 

Jeff Holden: And where one of the concerns arises, too, is y- you mentioned people don't wanna take a pill.

There's other people who just wanna take a pill. Right. Well, I don't need to exercise. I'll take a pill. Take 

Suzanne Bartlett: a pill. [00:13:00] And- Or take a shot. 

Jeff Holden: That's right. It's so much easier than- Mm-hmm ... a- and the truth is it's easier. It's not as effective. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yeah. You know, we... Healthy lifestyle, we want everyone to have a healthy lifestyle.

We also, if there are things that make it easier that are scientifically backed, you know, we're for that too. Mm-hmm. So it's really interesting right now in the world of GLP-1s, we're doing a lot of research around does taking GLP-1 reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke, and our early findings are yes.

And so that's a great thing- Mm-hmm ... in our minds too for many people. And so, you know, there are great treatments that can come in there and help with that awareness and prevention. 

Jeff Holden: And the thing I think that people maybe don't recognize is you are the number one research funding organization- Yes ... in the world.

Suzanne Bartlett: In the world. 

Jeff Holden: So every dollar that's being raised for the American Heart Association isn't going to an event- Right ... or, or going into a particular program or [00:14:00] process. It's actually funding the research- Right ... that allows us to learn how to better deal with this disease. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. We've funded more than $6 billion in research- Wow

since our inst- inception. And in a world where- You don't always know what's true, and you're not always sure what is accurate. There is a lot that we are a big brand that can be trusted and can be seen as a science. We find that we are advising people on the science and the health because we're such a trusted, knowledgeable organization that has that backing of 102 years- Mm-hmm

of amazing research findings. 

Jeff Holden: And with all those research organizations, as well as the teaching colleges- Mm-hmm ... the, the teaching hospitals where you're in with those doctors as well- Right ... with those cardiologists. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Absolutely. 

Jeff Holden: It's a perfect segue coming off of what it is you do- Mm-hmm ... to the regionality of [00:15:00] your responsibility because we're here in Sacramento, we're talking about, you know, this greater region, but you are responsible for 10 states.

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And then as we chunk it back down into our region, we'd be talking Stockton, Modesto, Sacramento as the, you know, the Tri-City- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Area ... region. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: What do you see in terms of collaborative relationships? Who do you work with- That's a- ... in the area? 

Suzanne Bartlett: You know, that's such a good question, and, you know, it's pretty broad when I sit here and think about it.

We absolutely work alongside all of the hospital systems, and we do that through our quality care programs where we are working alongside hospitals to ensure that they... If you are going to go in and have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, you're gonna enter the emergency room, and we've written the protocols that the hospitals follow to ensure that you're getting diagnosed right away and properly.

So you're not being told when we think you are having a [00:16:00] stroke, "Go sit in the waiting room for two hours," because time is muscle loss in your brain. Mm-hmm. We've written the protocols, and hospitals work alongside us to follow those. And so hospitals are a huge part that we work alongside research institutions as well.

But one of the things that I love about the Heart Association is that we really are mission-focused in strategic areas to work alongside all of the areas of the communities. So we work in churches because we know that that is a place where people come. We often do blood pressure drives there so that people who don't have regular access to care on a Sunday when they're going to a place of worship can know if their blood pressure is high.

And when we do that, I'm always So surprised by how high an untreated people's blood pressures are. And that's an important place where we show up, is in places of worship. But we also work alongside, we see ourselves as a convener of community organizations. So [00:17:00] often we work alongside other nonprofits on our advocacy efforts to come together and collaborate so that it's not one organization- Mm-hmm

against another. It's really, how do we pull together the American Lung Association or American Diabetes Association to be advocating for the right bills to be passed in the legislator? And then I would just say, you know, a third place where we show up is in community organizations. We work with the Boys & Girls Club to make sure that, you know, they know what to do if someone needs CPR, and other organizations like that.

And the food bank, to ensure that there's healthy food that we're providing to people, and that we can ensure that the food that we're giving is the right kind of food to help people live a longer life when they're under-resourced. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah, that's even greater depth and breadth than I knew. And you're already permeating the schools because- Right

you're getting kids educated, and the kids are gonna take that information home. And we see that with a lot of the organizations that we talk with, especially [00:18:00] food-related- Right ... and food in schools, because- Mm-hmm ... it's, it's, it- it's a problem, you know. Mm-hmm. Especially in our more disadvantaged communities where they don't have access to, to good food.

Suzanne Bartlett: Absolutely. Food 

Jeff Holden: deserts in the neighborhood, and then- Yeah ... how do they get fresh food, fruit and vegetables- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right ... when 

Jeff Holden: it's all around us? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. I mean- Especially in California. 

Jeff Holden: Right. Yolo County has the highest proportion of food insecurity. Mm-hmm. That's where we grow everything. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. 

Jeff Holden: It boggles my mind sometimes- Right

in terms of what happens. With regard to all the services that you provide, and, and as I'll say specifically for this region- Mm-hmm ... because it's gonna be different in each of- Right ... the 10 states that you service as well. But- Let, let's say right here, are there any programs that you see, and I don't mean funding programs, but programs that are more in demand or you do more in this region than you do in some others that you service?

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm. We- our school programs, our Kid Hearts- Kids Heart Challenge is really active here. We have about [00:19:00] 220 schools in Sacramento that participate in that, and so that is huge for us. But the other programs that we have is we do do a lot of work around Nation of Lifesavers, and that's the Heart Association's effort overall to make sure that everyone is ready to respond if someone around them is having a cardiac arrest and is able to start hands-only CPR.

And so it's not the mouth-to-mouth, breath-to-breath- Which we all remember, right? Which we all remember, right? Oh, got it. I wanna do that. Or we see on TV shows, but it's literally the compressions that will keep someone's heart beating, and we want everyone to be ready to do that because about 90% of cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital setting, so that means in the home.

And so we are very focused in this area on ensuring that everyone learns how to do hands-only CPR. Takes about two to three minutes to watch a video. We teach it with a song that you do- ... the beats to. It's [00:20:00] 120 beats per minute. So you do it to the beat of Staying Alive. Staying Alive. Or- I was gonna say, I 

Jeff Holden: know I've seen it.

I've watched it on the website. Yes. Or if you're in my 

Suzanne Bartlett: generation, you can do it to Ice Ice Baby, or there's even- Okay ... Beyoncé songs that you can do it to. And so we try to really teach that. I would say that's one of the biggest things that we're doing in this community, and you'd be surprised how often we hear, you know, "I watched the video," or, "I heard about this from somewhere, and I saved a life because of it."

We have a lot of kids that we hear that story from because we teach it in our school program. And, you know, they come back and say, "My grandpa passed out, and I called one- 911 and did hands-only CPR." Isn't that great? It is amazing. You know, and they feel so proud, and the family is, of course, so grateful for that.

Right. But it's re- it really is changing and transformative education that's making a difference in, in our local community. 

Jeff Holden: And I would imagine when you go to the schools, when you go to those 220 schools, congratulations, by [00:21:00] the way. That's- Yeah ... the greatest penetration of any organization I've spoken with- Oh

to have their program in the classroom. Do you bring... I, I don't, what do you call- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mannequins ... the 

Jeff Holden: mannequins? Okay. 

Suzanne Bartlett: We don't- I 

Jeff Holden: know I was gonna use the wrong name- Yeah, I know ... so I purposely was waiting- Yeah, I know. It's gonna be- ... for you to help me there ... that's, 

Suzanne Bartlett: I know. I always worry about using that, not saying mannequin too.

Right. We call them Annie mannequins. Um- Okay ... sometimes we do. What we've found is that you don't even need to have the mannequin to learn. It's more about the compression rate that you do. We do bring in the mannequins. We do have school kits that we give to schools to use that can train the entire student body and train parents so that they know the rate of pressure to give- Mm-hmm

or the, the strength of it. But we just find that learning the compression rate, it makes a bigger, makes the biggest difference of all. But we can do that, and we do do that. We usually bring the mannequins in for adults more than kids- Okay ... [00:22:00] um, because they get more nervous. One of the great things about teaching- Interesting

kids is they're not afraid to react. Like, they just do it, whereas we get nervous of like, "Oh, we might break someone's rib," or, "Maybe we shouldn't be touching someone," or, "What if we do it wrong?" And kids just do it. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Th- thankfully. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. I- So grateful ... I'm glad they do- Yes ... because 

Jeff Holden: there's so many people that they can benefit from.

Mm-hmm. And I can only imagine the pride of family and the, the child i- if it was a- Right ... you know, a grandparent or something like that. Mm-hmm. And, you know, the, the youth comes up- Right ... and says, "I know what to do. I'll do it. Call 911." Right. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Call 911. 

Jeff Holden: How amazing is that? 

Suzanne Bartlett: It's so amazing, and the stories we hear are just so inspiring.

And we've alwa- the Heart Association has always worked to write the guidelines for CPR and done training for CPR, and been important, but it really has been since Damar Hanlin- Hamlin had his incident- Mm-hmm ... in, on the field that we have really begun to say everybody [00:23:00] needs to know how to do hands-only CPR, and we wanna build a nation of lifesavers.

So if that happens somewhere around you, you can react and be ready. 

Jeff Holden: And what I like about this conversation is that everybody we're speaking to knows somebody.  

Jeff Holden: And in many cases, it's so prolific we're probably speaking directly to somebody who has a condition, whether it's high blood pressure- Right

cholesterol, has had a heart attack- Mm-hmm ... or familial issues- Right ... diabetes. We all know those are impactful. Everybody knows they're impactful. Mm-hmm. Uh, AFib seems to be very popular. Very. And atrial fibrillation, for those who, who don't know the, uh, the abbreviation. But we're speaking to the majority.

Over 700,000 people die from heart disease every year. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And unfortunately, that number's not going down. No. It's going up. 

Suzanne Bartlett: It's going up. It is. And 

Jeff Holden: it, it's so important to get the messaging out and [00:24:00] to get people thinking. 

Jeff Holden: And as they start to think, and those who have been beneficiaries of something that was cardiac related, it probably originated with the American Heart Association in some way, shape, or form, which leads to the next discussion I wanna have is that it's about funding.

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. The 

Jeff Holden: organization doesn't exist without funding. How are you funded? 

Suzanne Bartlett: We're funded through private donors and corporations and the general support of the public. And so we don't- we take very little federal money. Very- 

Jeff Holden: Congratulations ... 

Suzanne Bartlett: very, very little. And we do that on purpose- Mm-hmm ... because we want our work to be independent and trustworthy at a, in a way that is not based on federal funding.

And so we as an organization raised $1.1 billion last year organization-wide. Wow. 

Jeff Holden: That's an amazing number. 

Suzanne Bartlett: It i- it is. It's so exciting. I, you know, I've worked for the Heart Association for 21 years, and it was our goal to be a billion-dollar organization since I started. [00:25:00] And so we accomplished that two years ago for the first time.

In Sacramento, we raised three and a half million dollars annually, and we do that through our events. We have a Heart Walk. We have Go Red for Women luncheon coming up very soon, and we have our Heart Ball. And then we have things like our Impact campaigns, and we have generous donors who are doing little events all around us to raise funds, and even we do the mailing label.

My stepdad for years- Oh, yes ... you know, he would do the dear, what we call the Dear Neighbor campaign, and he'd go door to door and say, "Do you wanna support the Heart Association? We'll send you mailing labels." And so, you know, we, we have a variety of ways that people can support us and do that amazing work to help us raise that fund, those funds to fund community programs, advocacy, and research.

Jeff Holden: And I would imagine that three and a half million dollars is a pretty good number for a market our size. 

Suzanne Bartlett: It is a, it is a great number. And 

Jeff Holden: I'm gonna lead you to another thing- Mm-hmm ... about a market our [00:26:00] size, Go Red for Women, Women of Impact. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: We have a very visible personality, Anne Fong, who was a Woman of Impact.

Right. And this year, I understand that Sacramento led the country. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. Anne- It's amazing. It is amazing. It's something I'm so proud of. It makes me smile. Anne is our national winner of Women of Impact, and that means that she gets to represent the whole organization of the Heart Association from the Greater Sacramento area.

And it's the second year in the row- in a row that we've had the national winner. Kat Holmes of Sub- Sutter was last year's winner, and it just is a tremendous thing that Anne and people like Kat do for us, where they really garner support from their networks and spread the message of the Heart Association and our work to who they know in hopes that then the people that they know spread it on.

And I'm very proud that Anne is our national winner. Anne should be [00:27:00] so proud, but it is nice bragging rights for our region, for sure. 

Jeff Holden: I know when she was telling me she was really excited 'cause she gets to go to New York- Yes ... and you got her a pair of red shoes. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. Which is- Yes, yes, 

Jeff Holden: yes ... very, very cool.

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And to think that Sacramento, you know, a top 30 market- Mm-hmm ... in grand scheme of things, outpaces all these other major markets. Right. I mean, a Houston and a Dallas and a New York and a Chicago. I'm, I'm still baffled at how it happens, but I'm proud that it does because the American Heart Association is such a recognizable- Mm-hmm

entity. And for us to take that level of gift- Right ... and giving really is a statement. Mm-hmm. You know? It's a 

Suzanne Bartlett: statement to volunteers. We are a volunteer-based, volunteer-driven organization, and so we rely on people like Anne to help us. And what we find time and time again is people have personal connections, and the work is meaningful to them because it really is [00:28:00] making a difference in the treatment and in the awareness for people- Mm-hmm

that's so important. 

Jeff Holden: We're going to skip a beat or two before we continue the conversation with the American Heart Association's Suzanne Bartlett to hear from those who make this program possible. 

James Beckwith: I'm James Beckwith, president and CEO of Five Star Bank. We're dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations who advocate for the strength, resilience, and vitality of those they serve.

When nonprofit organizations thrive, our community does too. By supporting the Nonprofit Podcast Network, Five Star Bank is amplifying the voices and meaningful impact of our nonprofit community. We're Five Star Bank, a trusted nonprofit partner. How can we help you? 

Darrell Teat: We are really excited to be part of the family and contribute to the work that you all are doing.

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Hello, 

Scott Thomas: this is Scott Thomas with CapTrust in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations. Annually, we survey private and public nonprofit [00:30:00] organizations across the country to better understand challenges they see in today's environment. In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission-aligned investment, and how to implement alternate investments.

If you would like a copy of the survey or to discuss your organization, look me up, Scott Thomas at CapTrust.com. At Western Health Advantage, 

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But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to community, supporting nonprofits like the American Heart Association, Sacramento Ballet, and the Crocker Art Museum's Pay What You Wish Sundays. With access to top-tier providers and dedicated local support, Western [00:31:00] Health Advantage is more than a health plan.

It's a partner in your purpose. Explore your options today at westernhealth.com. Western Health Advantage, healthcare with heart, designed for those who give back. Tell me a little bit about the process of identifying what you want to do when you're doing fundraising. How do you determine what's going to work?

How do you determine who do you reach out to? Because it happens a lot of your events are annual. Right. And here it comes again, here it comes again, here it comes again. How do you keep it fresh? How do we not get caught? So many nonprofits are stuck now with philanthropic giving of seniors who are aging out and 

Jeff Holden: that wealth transfer to The, you know, children, they're not as philanthropic.

No. They're not as engaged. What's the American Heart Association doing to keep everybody- Mm-hmm ... engaged? 

Suzanne Bartlett: You know, I think that is the [00:32:00] benefit of being a large national organization that is still incredibly nimble. We are changing and innovating every day. You mentioned the Woman of Impact campaign that Anne was a part of.

That's a program that's only five years old, and it came out of the pandemic when we were sitting and thinking about, you know, how do we reach this next generation? And so we innovated and came up with this program, but it's also a testament to our volunteers. We have volunteer committees locally, regionally, and nationally that we are always talking to and learning from.

What is new? What is happening in your industry that we need to be and stay relevant to? And then what I would say is our events apply to different pockets of the community in c- certain ways for a reason. Our Heart Walk is focused on corporations and employee wellness and knowing that [00:33:00] we wanna work alongside top employer groups to ensure their employees are healthy.

Go Red For Women is focused obviously on women, because women have a heightened risk for heart disease and stroke and are often not diagnosed. 

Jeff Holden: Dismissed. Yeah, dismissed- Gaslit ... by doctors, yes. We do another program out of the studios and, and, and it, it's amazing the difference in the way the men are treated versus the women.

Suzanne Bartlett: Absolutely. "

Jeff Holden: It's okay, honey. Here's a couple Valium." Yes. "You'll be fine. Just relax." It's anxiety. "It's the kids. Don't worry." Yeah. You're 

Suzanne Bartlett: stressed. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. And in fact, it, it's not. And I know when a woman comes into a hospital, if she mentions- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm ... chest 

Jeff Holden: pain, boom, it's- Yes ... right into heart protocol immediately.

Suzanne Bartlett: Immediately. And that's a change in 20 years. Our Go Red For Women program is, uh, 22 years old now, and we started for that very reason, that women were not being diagnosed. And so it is to educate women, but it's also done a tremendous amount of research on what are the signs and symptoms for [00:34:00] women, how are they different from men.

And not only for women personally, but for doctors and medical professionals, because I am always surprised, and you'd probably be surprised, how under-recognized scientific research on women is, and how, you know, for a long time it's been general population research. And it really is... Women obviously are very different than men, and so it has to be a focus as well.

Jeff Holden: On the topic of funding. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Let's, let's have a little fun. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Okay. 

Jeff Holden: 20-some years you've been with the organization, so you've seen a lot. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. 

Jeff Holden: As you look at it today, somebody walks in, grateful patient- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm ... 

Jeff Holden: and says, "Boy, if it wasn't for some of the research that you guys had done, I, I may not be here."

Wealthy. I wanna give you a blank check. Suzanne, give me a good enough idea to sign this thing. Yeah. What, what would it look like? What would you like to see if money was no object? 

Suzanne Bartlett: You know, I lo- I love this question, Jeff, [00:35:00] because I think, I, I do think about this a lot. You know, what is our dream? What would be transformative forever?

You know, and we think about mammograms for- Mm-hmm ... breast cancer or colonoscopies for colon cancer, and there are tests like that for heart disease that would really pre-detect before things, before you had so much plaque buildup in your heart that it couldn't be treated. And I would love for there to become a standard of care, a colonoscopy for heart disease that, you know, at the age of 45, everybody has to go and have screenings so that they would know immediately, and it would show them.

You know, the beauty of a mammogram for a woman is you can see what is going on and if there is something wrong, and I think people are so visual. And we can say, "Your blood pressure is high." Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. [00:36:00] And people say, "Well, you know, it's fine. I didn't eat right yesterday," or something, or, "Your cholesterol is high."

But we really need something that shows people in a way that they can't brush off that heart disease is a risk for them and that they need to take action now. And so if there was a blank check tomorrow, in my heart of hearts, that would be my dream of how do we make a standard of care that people have to have this done by this age so that they know their risk and can do something about it.

Jeff Holden: I don't think we're that far off. 

Suzanne Bartlett: I don't think we are either. I think we're 

Jeff Holden: close with what AI is doing and the predictive elements of what it sees from X age- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right ... 

Jeff Holden: to what might materialize based on all the data that you helped it acquire. Mm-hmm. I've read some things that, that we're close. You start early enough, and if you have these particular traits, then this is the likelihood- Mm-hmm

change. [00:37:00] Right. Now, it doesn't mean we're gonna change people's behavior. Yes. We may educate them- Mm-hmm ... but we know so many other things that it, it really takes a long time- A long 

Suzanne Bartlett: time ... 

Jeff Holden: to get people to move. But I, I agree with you. I think that's a, a wonderful vision, and it's one of those that's not so far-fetched.

Agreed. It really, it is a reality. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Back to reality. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Uh, what is the greatest need today? What do you see the organization needing more than anything? 

Suzanne Bartlett: You know, we always-- I, I will answer that in, in two different ways. We always need more volunteers. As I started, I said, you know, we are a volunteer-based organization, and that is at the heart of everything that we do, is how do we serve the communities?

How do we stay relevant to the people who live around us? And so we always need more volunteers. We need more people around the table who want to educate, to make a difference, to come alongside and help. I think at the same time, the greatest need in [00:38:00] these times of-- that we're in right now is really that advocacy too, and that is something that everyone can do, is how do we help advocate for SNAP benefits to c- to continue for the people that need them most, for healthy school lunches?

And so as I- 

Jeff Holden: Easily forgotten things. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Easily forgotten things, but transformative. 

Jeff Holden: But so, so important, yes. 

Suzanne Bartlett: And, uh, so we need those advocates for us and that kind of grassroots movement we rely on that will change the systems of care long term, because that's what is gonna make the biggest long-term difference, is these systematic changes.

And then our research, you know, rises up alongside that, and it just creates the perfect place where things can change, and we can really identify risks and make changes. 

Jeff Holden: In a small organization sitting across me, I could... I, I ask a question of impact, and they can demonstrate, "Oh, well, this family, this child, this situation."[00:39:00] 

In 20-some years with the organization- Mm-hmm ... certainly you've seen a lot, and that impact could be in a variety of different places. It could be a change in behavior in an organization, in a hospital, in a healthcare system. But are there any stories or maybe one story that's poignant that you recall or e- encountered to the benefit of an individual? 

Jeff Holden: To somebody we can put a face to that's not a, a research, data-driven thing. Mm-hmm. I, I, I'm sure there's many, but- 

Suzanne Bartlett: There's many ... could, could you share 

Jeff Holden: one? 

Suzanne Bartlett: You know, I'll just share one personally. My nephew is 26 years old. Oh, this is very personal. Very personal. And, um, he was born with a congenital heart defect, and I'm his proud aunt, so I, I can say this.

You know, he had a, a hard life. He wasn't able to do sports. He wasn't able to do PE, and that made him, you know, just different, and we all hate when kids feel different- Mm-hmm ... I think. And so he grew up with a lot of different treatments, a lot of different [00:40:00] in and outs of the hospital, and when he was 22, he had his valve replaced.

Very young, right? Right out of college. Huge surgery. Was down for six months. Very scary time. If he was born today, he would probably have an in utero surgery to fix that defect and have a completely normal life. 

Jeff Holden: In utero? 

Suzanne Bartlett: In utero. 

Jeff Holden: Wow 

Suzanne Bartlett: And that's because of research done in the Heart Asso- by the Heart Association in my lifetime, in his lifetime- Mm-hmm

that would just change the trajectory of my nephew's family, uh, and my husband's family. And we have lots of stories like that every day that happen. I would say I hear them all the time, but it's amazing what j- has changed in 20 years too that would be li- that is life-changing for families- Mm-hmm ... that they don't have to worry about those types of things anymore.

Jeff Holden: That's, that's amazing to think what [00:41:00] was a massive open heart surgery- Mm-hmm ... procedure can now be done in utero. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Right 

Jeff Holden: Pre-birth. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Pre-birth. 

Jeff Holden: I, I, I, that, I didn't expect that. I, and I didn't know that existed. Yeah. I didn't know they could do it. I mean, and lots of 

Suzanne Bartlett: those things are treatable in utero now, and detected.

You know, we didn't have the ultrasound capabilities that we had. Right, right. And so we have now. And so I do think there's a lot of different things. And one of the greatest things of my job is getting to hear stories like that, because you'd be surprised how many people have had a loved one that had a heart attack or a stroke and, you know, that because of great care and because of our research, they're doing fine.

Mm-hmm. And that's a great thing to be proud of. 

Jeff Holden: In that I agree. So many people today live past the stroke- Mm-hmm ... live past the heart attack because they're aware of, of early identification of symptoms. Right. And, and we'd rather have you be wrong- 

Suzanne Bartlett: [00:42:00] Yes ... 

Jeff Holden: and get checked as opposed to uncertain- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes ... and 

Jeff Holden: have a problem.

Suzanne Bartlett: And call 911. You know, those are one- Yes ... of the things that I- It works. It works. I, one of the things that I, I hate hearing is people say, "Oh, I thought I was having a heart attack, so I drove myself to the emergency room." 

Suzanne Bartlett: Go by ambulance. You know, call 911. It's, I know we always worry about bothering people or, you know, having a hospital charge.

It's, it saves your life, it's gonna be worth it. 

Jeff Holden: Right. Yeah, I mean, if you're not here- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes ... 

Jeff Holden: that's, that's, that's not a good option. Right. And everybody that's behind you too. Mm-hmm. You know, this isn't just for the benefit of the individual. Right. It's for the benefit of all the people around you- Mm-hmm

who rely on you, who, who love you- Mm-hmm ... who want to see you healthy. Right. And the significance of that just can't be understated- Absolutely ... in, in so many ways. And the research that you're doing relative to intake, meaning what do you eat, how do you eat- Right ... what do you do, what's your lifestyle, are such easily addressed situations.

Mm-hmm. [00:43:00] I understand they're difficult to- Yes ... actually execute, but they're easily addressed.  

Jeff Holden: And putting that team around you, whether it's even some of your volunteers who- Right ... recognize an issue with somebody, who are there to support the individual too. 

Jeff Holden: Because I know it's not all just about The actual care and understanding, but there are people who you're working with, who your teams of volunteers are supporting.

You know, talking to, "How are you doing today?" Mm-hmm. "Did you eat? Da, da, da, da." Right. Whatever it might be. And that makes such a difference too to that individual because your people are familiar. Right. And they care, and they understand.  

Jeff Holden: So it would be difficult for you in your position as American Heart Association to not walk down the street because everybody has a heart.

Suzanne Bartlett: Right. 

Jeff Holden: And you look, and I'm sure some of it's processing, going, "Oh, boy. That, that's not gonna end well. There's a situation." You live it. Yes. Every day. We can't, uh, we can't not see it. That there's, there's also some weight to the organization. 10 states, a [00:44:00] massive responsibility, and I'm sure in every single one of those states, there's, there's interests of expectation.

Right. You know, "Suzanne, can you, can you, can you?" There's a way to get away from that, and we have this little segment now called Beyond the Mission. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Okay. 

Jeff Holden: So let's, let's take a couple of questions to give the audience an opportunity to learn a little bit about you. Okay. Okay, these are fast questions, so- I'm ready

let's see how you do. Favorite color? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Green. 

Jeff Holden: If you're going out on a drive, podcast, silence, or music? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Music. 

Jeff Holden: Favorite song? Or band. Gosh. I'll make it easy. Favorite 

Suzanne Bartlett: band. Okay, I'm a huge Noah Kahan fan. I have a 18-year-old, and so have just immersed myself in her music to be with her, but Noah Kahan would be my favorite.

It'll keep you young. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: I can attest to that. Yes. Early bird or night owl? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Early bird. 

Jeff Holden: Favorite food? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Gosh, this is hard for me to answer because it ha- needs to be heart healthy. I'll say- French fries aren't a good one, right? I know. I will say moderation is [00:45:00] key. So my... I would say my favorite splurge are nachos.

Jeff Holden: I, I give that as your guilty pleasure. My guilty pleasure. That's one of the questions. Yes. TV show that you would binge? 

Suzanne Bartlett: So I'm a reality TV junkie. That I'm embarrassed to say. So I am a binger of Real Housewives, unfortunately. If I need to say, like, a quality show, I'll say, like, Ted Lasso, Shrinking, those, you know, great Apple TV shows would be the more re- But your escapist is-

redemption t- redem- redeeming type of shows. But yes, I escape in reality TV. 

Jeff Holden: And then last question. What do you do, what grounds you when things get heavy? 

Suzanne Bartlett: When things get heavy. You know, I am a walker. So I am someone, when it's stressful or when things feel heavy, I like to go for a walk. Sometimes I take my dogs.

Sometimes I go by myself. But I... Movement is good for my brain and my soul. And so I really try to just get [00:46:00] out and move. And you know, if the weather is bad, the weather's been so bad here in Sacramento lately, I am a housework person. And so I'll, like, organize the closet or declutter, and that really just seems to ground me as a person.

Jeff Holden: Wonderful answers. I think peo- some people are going to be surprised by a couple of those, right? I know. Right? 

Suzanne Bartlett: Forgive me for the nachos. 

Jeff Holden: Right. How does one support the organization? What's the best way to both learn more- Mm-hmm ... and do more? 

Suzanne Bartlett: So our website, heart.org, is the number one place I think that people should go.

There's a lot of information, endless amount of information there. But if you go in, you can also enter your zip code, and it'll take you to the local market, to the Sacramento market, and you can see the events that we have there that you can get involved, our advocacy efforts that you can become involved with, and volunteer opportunities.

And so I would say it's the number one thing that people should be looking at. Our s- also our social media. Mm-hmm. So our Instagram is hanorcal, and you can [00:47:00] follow that, and you'll see updates on our events, of things going on in the community, but also great tips of how to live a healthy life. 

Jeff Holden: And I will put all that in the show notes as well, so it's easy for somebody to just listen and click because if you're driving- Yes

you know, exercising- Don't write that down ... no, don't. We, we don't want you stopping- ... trying to do something silly. And I will attest to the website. It is amazing. The amount of information in every segment- Yes ... every question you've got is there- Yes ... in, in such depth, and you can just keep going. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Keep drilling down.

You know, and 

Jeff Holden: a lot of us will identify something, go to the, you know, Google it or- Mm-hmm ... or AI it now with whatever your preference is for AI. But that website is so easy to navigate and so deep. Right. You really don't have to go outside of it. And I would imagine a lot of the resources that are being shared in other- 

Suzanne Bartlett: Yes

Jeff Holden: agents, so to speak, are coming from your website. A- 

Suzanne Bartlett: absolutely, yes. Because it's 

Jeff Holden: all out there. Mm-hmm. Well, Suzanne, uh, I just wanna take a moment to recognize the [00:48:00] extraordinary work that's being done by you and the team at American Heart Association. Obviously, it's personal here because I live here. But advancing life-saving research, advocating for healthier communities, ensuring people have the knowledge and tools to live longer- Mm-hmm

healthier, happier lives, it's not easy, and it doesn't happen in a vacuum. You've got dedicated leadership. I've met many of your people. Mm-hmm. You have amazing resources with the docs in the community. Yes. Committed staff, volunteers, supporters, and everybody's pulling in the same direction. So with all that in mind, helping our communities be better, thank you for the work.

Suzanne Bartlett: Oh, thank you. And 

Jeff Holden: for the heart you bring to it. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Oh, I love how you did that, Jeff. Thank you for your time, and thank you for your passion for our organization as well. We so appreciate it. 

Jeff Holden: Appreciate you. 

Suzanne Bartlett: Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. We hope today's episode inspired you and [00:49:00] gave you a deeper look into the work of our local nonprofits.

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