Two Sentara Healthcare executives will co-chair the American Heart Association’s annual Heart & Stroke Ball in 2023. Liisa Ortegon, President of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and Terrie Edwards, Southside Region President, will also co-lead a continuing campaign called Heart of Hampton Roads, which is focused on improving health equity and preventing heart attacks and strokes. The Heart & Stroke Ball celebrates the dedication and passion of all who support the American Heart Association.
“Both Liisa Ortegon and Terrie Edwards, exemplify leadership and commitment and they are the ideal individuals to head our Heart Ball campaign,” says Scott Kern, AHA Hampton Roads Board Chair. “They understand the impact the AHA’s mission and work can have on every person who lives in this area.” Ortegon and Edwards each bring more than 30 years of health care experience, ranging from bedside nursing to service line and hospital administration.
Liisa Ortegon leads the Hampton Roads region’s Level 1 adult trauma and tertiary referral center, which is also home to the Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance. The Sentara Norfolk General Hospital campus also includes the nationally ranked Sentara Heart Hospital. Prior to Sentara, Ortegon served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Nursing Executive at Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, where she led transformational projects for cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, neurology, oncology and organ transplants.
“I’m passionate about the work we do to meet people where they are and provide access to quality care and services, Ortegon says. “We all know someone whose life has been touched by heart disease or stroke. If we and the American Heart Association can help more people understand how to reduce the risks and learn the warning signs and symptoms, we can help people live longer, healthier lives.”
Ortegon invests considerable personal time supporting community organizations. She serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of the Greater Norfolk Corporation. She serves on the board of directors of the Sentara College of Health Sciences. She serves on the board of directors and finance committee for Didlake, Inc, whose mission is to secure meaningful employment for people with disabilities, and she is an advisory board member of the Governor’s Health Science Academy of Norfolk Public Schools.
As Southside Regional President for Sentara Healthcare, Terrie Edwards oversees five area hospitals and Operational Process Improvement for the 12-hospital non-profit health system. Edwards previously served as Peninsula Region President for four years. She joined Sentara more than 14 years ago as President of Sentara Leigh Hospital during its on-site reinvention from a 1970s facility to a state-of-the-art replacement hospital, which was completed in 2016.
“I have experienced the effects of heart disease and stroke in my own family,” Edwards says. “Together, we must live the American Heart Association’s mission and do whatever we can to make a lasting impact on heart disease and stroke,” said Edwards. “These diseases do not discriminate, and it is up to us to be a relentless force for monumental change in our community.”
The 2023 Hampton Roads Heart & Stroke Ball is slated for May 20, 2023, at Marriott Norfolk Waterside. The annual celebratory event is a night to honor survivors, patrons and volunteers of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health. The evening will feature stories from survivors, as well as dinner, dancing, and an exciting auction. For more information on how to support or attend the Hampton Roads Heart & Stroke Ball, contact Laura Bynum at laura.bynum@heart.org or 757-812-4654.
The American Heart Association’s Heart of Hampton Roads campaign is a year-round effort culminating at the annual Heart & Stroke Ball. The initiative raises funds to support the American Heart Association’s mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives while supporting priority issues in Hampton Roads. Increasing nutrition security, improving blood pressure, reducing risks for women, addressing tobacco & vaping and educating others on Hands-Only CPR has been identified by the American Heart Association Hampton Roads board for 2023 to propel work to support the Association’s 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal by reducing barriers to health care access and quality.
“Funds raised from this event will go to support cutting edge heart and brain research conducted here in our community as well as quality preventative education programs,” added Vail.
Healthy Market VA, a coalition of organizations representing thousands of Virginians with chronic diseases, small business owners, and older adults spoke out on Tuesday, January 28 at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond to ensure that preserving life-saving patient protections and strengthening Virginia’s health insurance marketplace are top priorities for lawmakers this session.
Patients shared stories with legislators about how they’ve managed their chronic conditions and why it’s important for Virginia to ensure that pre-existing conditions are protected. Avis Thomas of Richmond, Virginia is mother of four, a kidney transplant recipient, and has suffered life-long health issues. Her children and husband also suffer from chronic health issues. “Nobody signs up to have a pre-existing condition. With all the stressors of life, I can’t seem to shake the hardship of finding affordable and comprehensive healthcare,” she shared.
populations. “As a physician, I see the importance of affordable, high-quality insurance for every person and family, including those with pre-existing conditions, small business owners, and older adults.” says advocate Dr. Nina Solenski from Albemarle County and member of the American Heart Association’s Virginia Advocacy Committee.
Healthy Market VA works to ensure access to affordable, high-quality healthcare coverage for everyone by strengthening Virginia’s health insurance marketplace. It is made up of health organizations including: American Heart Association, AARP Virginia, Arthritis Foundation, VPLC, The Commonwealth Institute, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, American Lung Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Small Business Majority, Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Hemophilia Foundation and the Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area.
