American Heart Association Names Incoming Board President

Joonun (Chris) Choi, MD, Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at Stamford Health, has been named incoming President of the Connecticut Board of Directors of the American Heart Association (AHA). Dr. Choi will serve a two-year term.

Dr. Choi began his involvement with the American Heart Association serving on the AHA New York City Fellows Committee in 2007. He was president of the former Fairfield Board of Directors and has been a member of the Connecticut Board of Director since 2013. He led the Fairfield County Heart Walk as chair in 2020.American Heart Association Names Incoming Board President

As Physician Champion of Heart Failure, Dr. Choi helped Stamford Hospital achieve Gold status for American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines for Heart Failure.

“I am humbled and honored to be asked to serve as President of the American Heart Association Connecticut Board of Directors,” said Dr. Choi. “In the years that I’ve been involved with the AHA and the board, I have witnessed firsthand  the amazing things this organization can do,” Dr. Choi said. “In the immediate future, the board’s goal will be to help guide the Heart Association  through the brave new world during and post-COVID, to reach underserved communities and share the mission of the organization.”

Dr. Choi has been working as a Non-Invasive Cardiologist at Stamford Hospital since 2008; is the Director of Cardiology Resident Education; and serves as Chair of the Bioethics Committee at Stamford Hospital.  Dr. Choi is a member of the Stamford Health Medical Group Board of Directors and a member of the Stamford Hospital Foundation Board.  He holds the rank of Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“On behalf of Stamford Health, we’d like to congratulate Dr. Choi on his new role with the American Heart Association,” stated Jonathan Bailey, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We are very proud of Dr. Choi and our entire cardiology team for their continued dedication to our community partners and the compassionate, cardiovascular care they provide to our patients”

New to the Connecticut Board is Patrick Green, president/chief executive officer, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Haley Sofiane, Chief Customer Officer, CareCentrix, and Francine LoRusso, Senior Vice President Operations & Executive Director for Heart and Vascular Services, Transplantation Center and Medicine Services & Radiology at Yale New Haven Health Systems.

They join fellow board members:

Sarah Yeager, Board Chair
Russ Mills, Stanley Black & Decker
Sandra Bulmer, PhD, Southern Connecticut State University
Maureen Boyle-Henninger, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Dr. Robert Elder, Yale School of Medicine
Anjanette Ferris-Senatus, UConn Health
Donna Handley, Hartford Healthcare
Edmund, Kindelan, CohnReznick LLP
Dr. Seth Lapuk, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Dr. Joseph Schindler, Yale New Haven Hospital

“The American Heart Association is so honored to have Dr. Choi as incoming president of the Connecticut board,” said Alissa Memoli, regional vice president of the American Heart Association. “His dedication to heart health and passion for the mission will allow us to increase awareness and improve the health of Connecticut residents.”

For more information on the American Heart Association in Connecticut, go to www.heart.org/Connecticut.