The American Heart Association has named its volunteer leadership for fiscal year 2026-27, effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Manesh R. Patel, an interventional cardiologist from North Carolina, will serve as the new volunteer president, while Lee A. Shapiro, a health technology financial expert from Florida, continues as volunteer chairperson of the board for the second year of a two-year term. Other officers include Linda Gooden as chairperson-elect and Robert H. Swan as treasurer, both continuing two-year terms. Dr. Svati H. Shah will serve as volunteer president-elect.
Dr. Patel is chief of cardiology and clinical pharmacology at Duke Health, vice president of heart and vascular services, and a senior investigator at the Duke Clinical Research Institute. He has been a longtime American Heart Association volunteer on the national board of directors and scientific councils, and was named the Association's Physician of the Year in 2023. As volunteer president, he will serve as the lead volunteer scientific and medical officer, representing the organization's volunteer leadership to advance priorities in research, science, and patient care.
Lee Shapiro is managing partner at 7wire Ventures, an investment firm he co-founded. As board chairperson, he oversees governance of business affairs and presides over board and executive committee meetings. He and his wife Valerie have supported the Association through the Heart of Chicago Heart Ball and the Millions Honoring Moms campaign. Linda Gooden, retired executive vice president of Lockheed Martin, previously served as treasurer from 2023-25 and chaired the audit committee. As chairperson-elect, she will prepare to assume the chairperson role on July 1, 2027. Robert Swan, operating partner at Andreessen Horowitz, serves as treasurer, responsible for governance of funds and securities. Dr. Svati Shah is the Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor at Duke University, associate dean for translational research, and director of the Duke Center for Precision Health. She has chaired the Association's Research Committee and Genomic and Precision Medicine Council.
“The American Heart Association’s strength has always come from extraordinary volunteer leaders who bring vision, expertise and a deep commitment to our mission,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer. “We are grateful to continue to benefit from Lee Shapiro’s leadership as volunteer chairperson and welcome Dr. Manesh Patel as our new volunteer president, along with the other dedicated members of our volunteer board of directors.”
More than 8 in 10 U.S. adults express confidence in the American Heart Association to provide trustworthy public health information, according to an Annenberg Policy Center poll, ranking it second only to personal health care providers.
For more information, visit heart.org or stroke.org.
