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American Heart Association 2026-27 Volunteer Leadership FAQ
The American Heart Association has announced its volunteer leaders for fiscal year 2026-27, including Dr. Manesh Patel as president and Lee Shapiro continuing as board chair. These leaders bring expertise in medicine, research, and business to advance cardiovascular and brain health.
Manesh R. Patel, M.D., FAHA, will serve as volunteer president; Lee A. Shapiro, J.D., continues as volunteer chairperson of the board; Linda Gooden, M.B.A., is chairperson-elect; Robert H. Swan, M.B.A., is treasurer; and Svati H. Shah, M.D., M.H.S., FAHA, is president-elect.
The new fiscal year and leadership terms begin July 1, 2026.
The volunteer president serves as the lead volunteer scientific and medical officer, representing volunteer leadership to advance research, science, and patient care. The board chairperson is the lead volunteer officer responsible for governance of business affairs and presides over board and executive committee meetings.
Dr. Patel is based in Durham, North Carolina; Shapiro is from Sarasota, Florida; Gooden resides in Annapolis, Maryland; Swan and Shah are also mentioned but specific locations are not provided in the content.
Patel is a cardiologist and chief of cardiology at Duke Health; Shapiro is a managing partner at 7wire Ventures; Gooden is a retired executive from Lockheed Martin; Swan is a venture capital and operations executive; Shah is a physician-scientist in cardiometabolic genetics. All have served the Association at local, regional, and national levels.
These leaders have deep experience in medicine, research, business strategy, and governance, and will guide the Association's efforts to advance cardiovascular and brain health for everyone, everywhere.
Shapiro serves a two-year term as board chairperson (second year); Gooden and Swan each serve two-year terms; Patel serves as president for one year; Shah serves as president-elect for one year before presumably becoming president.
Patel is chief of cardiology and clinical pharmacology at Duke Health, a distinguished professor, and a senior investigator. He has been a longtime AHA volunteer, previously chaired the Committee on Scientific Sessions Program, and was named AHA Physician of the Year in 2023.
The content includes links to individual bios on heart.org (e.g., heart.org/en/about-us/manesh-patel) and the news release via newmediawire.com. Readers can visit the American Heart Association's website for more details.