East Hanover and Hainesport executives join American Heart Association board overseeing Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island & Vermont.
The American Heart Association (AHA), the nation’s oldest, largest voluntary organization devoted to reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke risks, announced its Founders Affiliate new slate of board directors for the 2017-2018 fiscal year beginning July 1st. Founders is an eight-state geographic region responsible for the AHA life-saving mission.
Robert Hilkert, MD, FACC, FAHA, Global Program Clinical Head, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation from East Hanover, New Jersey and Kyle Jamaitis, Vice President of Academic Development, Global Education for Abbot from Hainesport, New Jersey are among those serving the affiliate board. They will work to further the AHA mission in the Northeast while advancing the health and well-being of communities within the Affiliate’s footprint.
Robert Hilkert, MD, FACC, FAHA, Global Program Clinical Head, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation from East Hanover, New Jersey
Dr. Hilkert is a board certified cardiologist and presently serves as the Vice President and Global Program Medical Director in the Cardiovascular and Metabolism Group at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation. In 2012, he chaired the AHA Morris County Heart Walk and 5K run and has served on the AHA Northern NJ regional board of directors since 2014. Dr. Hilkert is also a member of the American College of Cardiology and the Heart Failure Society of America, and volunteers on the faculty of Rutgers Medical School as a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine. In 2014, he was inducted as a fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) and has lectured throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Kyle Jamaitis, Vice President of Academic Development, Global Education for Abbot from Hainesport, New Jersey
Jamaitis is Vice President of Academic Development, Global Education for Abbott. He has been a member of the AHA South-Central NJ regional board of directors since 2008 and most recently served as Leadership Development Chair. Jamaitis is also a member of the medical board of directors for CardioReady, Inc and is an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University in Villanova, PA, focusing on the ethics of engineering.
The affiliate board will be led by William LaForte, Esq., Trevett Cristo Salzer & Andolina P.C., Rochester, NY as chairman and Keith B. Churchwell, MD, FACC, FAHA, Vice President and Executive Director of Heart & Vascular Services at Yale-New Haven Hospital as president. Elizabeth McGlinn, CPA, Accounting Manager with L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME, will continue in her role as Founders board treasurer. LaForte, Churchwell and McGlinn are long-standing AHA volunteer leaders having held senior national, Affiliate and regional board positions.
The new board leadership team follows the successful tenure of Gil Bashe, Managing Partner/Health, Finn Partners and George Philippides, MD, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Newton Wellesley Hospital, who now serve as immediate past chair and past president respectively.
Also joining the board this year are Carol Bramson, Chief Executive Officer, TBG Capital from Boston, Massachusetts; Geoff Bruno, Ed.M, Superintendent of Falmouth Public Schools in Falmouth, Maine; Betty A. Fanelli, Senior Vice President – Director of Human Resources with Marshall Sterling Insurance in Poughkeepsie, NY; and, Scott L. Schubach, MD, FACC, Chairman, Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York.
The affiliate board, in partnership with the Executive Vice President Heather Kinder, provide direction for the Founders Affiliate — one of seven national AHA designated regions which encompasses New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine – to ensure achievement of both its health and resource needs.
Kinder who has been with the Association for 15 years, holding a number of regional and national positions, was selected to serve as the Founders Affiliate Executive Vice President in 2016. Through the years, Kinder has led her teams to many successes including increased volunteer engagement, campaign revenue and staff development. Ms. Kinder and her staff oversee the day-to-day mission and operations of the AHA to ensure a healthy region and nation.