Greater Utica area advisory board recognized nationally for working to improve the health of Utica
Local volunteers have been honored by the American Heart Association for their work to improve the heart health of the Greater Utica area. The Greater Utica advisory board was recently recognized at the silver level of the organization’s “Gold Standard Board” program for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The honor recognizes board members for helping the American Heart Association make strides toward its 2020 Impact Goal: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent.
“The American Heart Association commends President Patrick McNulty, MD and Chairman Steve Gassner for leading their board’s exemplary efforts to improve the health of their community,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “Attaining this honor requires a motivated base of volunteers working together to make the healthy choice the easy choice for their community.”
Board members in the 2015-16 fiscal year are:
- Board President Patrick McNulty, MD – Bassett Heart Care Institute
- Board Chair Steve Gassner – Mohawk Valley Water Authority
- President-Elect Jonathan Henderson, MD – Utica Pediatrics
- Chair-Elect Marolyn Wilson – Holland Farms Bakery and Deli
- Gerald Capraro, PhD – Capraro Technologies, Inc.
- Sue Carbone – Carbone Auto Group
- Enessa Carbone, Esq. – Carbone Auto Group
- Allison Damiano-DeTraglia – The Paige Group
- John DeTraglia, MD – retired
- Phyllis Ellis – Oneida County Health
- Daniel Jones – Northwestern Mutual
- Adam Lawless – MPW Marketing
- Thomas Mathew, MD, FACC – Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare
- Nicholas Mayhew – GPO Federal Credit Union
- Thomas Norton – Mohawk Valley Health System, Heart Institute
- Michael Ogden – Little Falls Hospital, Bassett Healthcare network
- Albert Pylinski, Jr. – NYCM Insurance Company
- Patricia Roach, RN, MS – Mohawk Valley Health System
- Jim Stasaitis – Boilermaker Road Race
- Theresa Swider – Utica Observer-Dispatch
- Michael Trevisani, MD, MBA, CPE, FASCRS, FACHE – Mohawk Valley Health System
- Joanne Wade – Delmonico’s Steakhouse
Boards designated within the Gold Standard program must meet a high number of criteria, which may include engaging local employers to participate in health initiatives such as CPR education, nutrition, high blood pressure management, walking and sodium reduction; and focusing on increasing access to safe places for children to be active and ensuring access to nutritious food and beverage choices in each community. These criteria have been shown by research to have positive impacts on population health.
“I hope that our efforts inspire other groups and communities to become more involved with the American Heart Association and its work towards inspiring healthier lifestyles,” said Gassner. “I am confident that with every step, we are closer to our mission of building lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.”