Richard Chazal
FAC Committee Member
Richard A. Chazal, MD, MACC
Rick Chazal is a senior cardiologist and the Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute for Lee Health, a four hospital, not-for-profit system in Fort Myers, Florida. Dr. Chazal is the Past President of the American College of Cardiology. He has practiced clinical cardiology in Fort Myers since 1983 with expertise in echocardiography, diagnostic catheterization and coronary computerized tomography angiography. During his tenure, he has been a participant in multiple clinical trials.
Chazal received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and went on to complete medical school and Internal Medicine training at the University of South Florida. Subsequently, Chazal completed a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at the Krannert Institute of Cardiology at Indiana University, where he spent one year working under Harvey Feigenbaum, MD, FACC as a designated echocardiography fellow.
Chazal served as councillor, treasurer and president of the ACC’s Florida Chapter. Subsequent to his stint as president and governor for the Florida Chapter, he was elected Chair of the ACC Board of Governors. He has also been ACC Treasurer and Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. In combined capacities, Chazal has spent thirteen years on the ACC Board of Trustees. Nationally, Chazal has served as a member and/or chair of over 50 committees and workgroups for the College.
He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa honoraries through the University of South Florida. He is the recipient of multiple awards from the ACC Florida Chapter, including the Special Achievement Award, the Presidential Citation, the Distinguished Service Award, and the Founder’s Award. In 2011, the Southwest Florida Affiliate of the American Heart Association awarded him their Golden Heart Award, and in 2014 he was designated Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He received the inaugural Community Teaching Award from the Family Medicine Residency Program via Florida State University School of Medicine Fort Myers Program in 2015. The Lee County Medical Society honored Chazal with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He serves as courtesy assistant professor of medicine for the University of Florida and clinical associate professor of medicine for Florida State University.
He and his wife Linda have three children and three grandchildren.
Jeehan Mahmood
FAC Committee Member
Jeehan Mahmood is reputed for her contribution to civil society, torture prevention social work, education and human rights. In recent years she has been working as a human rights consultant nationally and internationally. Working as the national consultant she has developed and authored the National Elderly Policy and Action Plan, The Gender Equality Policy and the Gender Equality Action Plan.
Jeehan has taught Psychology, Counselling, Research Methods, Conflict Resolution, Employment Law, Educational Leadership, Human Rights and Journalism and Mental Health in several colleges and the Maldives National University.
In 2017, she was appointed as one of the members of the fact finding mission on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims where she fulfilled her duties in the Rohingya Refugee Camps on the border of Bangladesh. The report from this mission has been published and is being used for advocacy of rights of Rohingya Muslims.
She has worked with the Human Rights commission of the Maldives (HRCM), first as a member of staff in 2008 and later as a Commissioner with particular responsibilities for torture monitoring and prevention, legal matters and policy development. She is a person with outstanding human rights expertise and experience who has shown effectiveness, dedication and courage in her work.
During her years with the HRCM she has acquired comprehensive knowledge of international human rights law and practice. She has had responsibility of taking the international norms and applying them to the day to day situations of the Maldives and its people. She has had to undertake the full range of functions of a Human Rights Commissioner, from investigation of violations to human rights education and promotion, research, monitoring and proposing amendments to existing and draft laws and policies.
Initially, as a staff member of the HRCM, she headed the unit responsible for monitoring the Maldives’ performance of its obligations under the Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol and later she continued her intense engagement in that work as Commissioner. This required visits to prisons and other places of detention, interviewing detainees and officials, conducting inspections, providing advice and training, preparing analytical reports and advocating for improved performance. She has also played an instrumental role in drafting and ensuring the passage of the Maldives anti-torture law through the parliament and its subsequent ratification. She was also appointed as one of the Torture Prevention ambassadors by the Asia Pacific Forum for Human Rights Institutions in 2014.
Because of her international reputation in this field, Jeehan was invited to join the board of one of the foremost international human rights organisations for torture prevention, the Association for the Prevention of Torture, a non-government organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland.
She is currently the Parliament Member for Hinnavaru Constituency and also the Chair of the parliamentary standing committee on Human Rights, Child Protection and Gender.
She is also currently doing her PhD, at the Management and Science University Malaysia, where her thesis is on access to education for children with disabilities.
Amam Mbakwem
FAC Committee Member
Dr. Mbakwem is a professor of Medicine at the University of Lagos and a consultant cardiologist to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. She completed her residency training in internal medicine and cardiology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and received a Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians. She underwent further training in cardiology at the Wolfson Heart Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel and Azienda Sanitaria, Tuscany, Italy. Dr Mbakwem’s research interest includes Heart failure, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, heart disease in women, effective communication in disease management and the psychosocial issues in cardiovascular diseases. She is a member of the Nigerian Hypertension society guidelines writing committee. She is the immediate past President of the Nigerian Cardiac Society and a member of the European Society of Cardiology working group on Peripartum cardiomyopathy. She is the treasurer of PASCAR
Jagat Narula
FAC Committee Member
Jagat Narula, MD, PhD, MACC, FRCP is Philip J. and Harriet L. Goodhart Chair in Cardiology, Chief of Cardiology, St. Luke’s & Roosevelt Hospital of Mount Sinai, Professor of Medicine and Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is also Associate Dean, Arnhold Institute for Global Health at Mount Sinai. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Imaging, Executive Editor of Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Editor-in-Chief of the Global Heart (the official Journal of World Heart Federation).
Dr. Narula after completing his cardiology fellowship training and PhD (Cardiovascular Immunology) from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, relocated to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School in 1989. At MGH, after cardiology, heart failure & transplantation, and nuclear cardiology fellowships and he joined the cardiology faculty. In 1997, he moved to Hahnemann University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, where he was Thomas J. Vischer Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Cardiology, Vice-Chairman of the department of Internal Medicine, and Director of Heart Failure & Transplantation Center. He subsequently joined University of California, Irvine School of Medicine (2003) as Chief of the Division of Cardiology, Associate Dean for Research, and Director of the Cardiovascular Center of the UC Irvine’s Douglas Hospital. He was also the Director of Memorial Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Memorial Hospital, and Medical Director of the Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology in UC Irvine’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering. He moved to Mount Sinai as the Philip J. and Harriet L. Goodhart Chair in Cardiology, and the Director of Cardiovascular Imaging Program in the Mount Sinai’s Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute in 2011.
Dr. Narula has the unique distinction of being able to combine molecular and subcellular pathology and imaging with clinical imaging of the failing myocardium and high-risk coronary atherosclerotic plaques to develop novel strategies for prevention of cardiovascular disease and promotion of cardiovascular health in developed as well as developing countries. He has specifically contributed to two major areas including heart muscle cell apoptosis in heart failure, and lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques that are susceptible to rupture and acute coronary events. He has brought novel experimental strategies to bedside and defined their applicability at the community level. He is currently actively involved in numerous population-based heart attack prevention programs including HAPPY [Heart Attack Prevention Program for You]. Based on his expertise in global medicine, he serves on the Advisory Council on Global Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences.
His research has been funded, in part, by the grants from National Institutes of Health. He is considered to be a true translationist and one of the infrequent investigators who has distinction of publishing in the best basic science and the best clinical journals including Science, Nature Medicine, PNAS, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Circulation and JACC. With more than 1000 original research publications or presentations to his credit and more than 35 books or journal supplements edited, Dr. Narula has been awarded as ‘the best young investigator’ on several occasions for his research contributions. His mentoring prowess is exemplified by the fact that 20 of his fellows, working in his research laboratory, have been awarded young investigator awards. He was recently awarded as the Best Educator as also the Innovator in Cardiovascular Medicine by the American College of Cardiology in the year 2012, and was honored as the Master of the American College of Cardiology in March 2013. He has just received the Distinguished Scientist Award 2015 from the American College of Cardiology.
Kristina Sparreljung
Treasurer
EMPLOYMENTS
General Secretary, Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, 20141001 – ongoing
Assistant Secretary General, Heart-Lung Foundation, 2012 – 2014
Support the GS in business development. Creating commitment and consensus on business and brand and communications platform internally and externally. Ensure that Board decisions are implemented by operational lead efforts to develop and implement the overall strategy and plans for the business. Ensure revenue targets.
Fundraising and Marketing Manager, The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, Stockholm, October 2004 – 2014
Overall responsible for the strategy which aims to develop the business total revenue (collection), marketing and brand awareness.
Results for the first 8 years is a revenue increase from 70 million to about 234 million / per year (see picture below). A revenue increase of about 20 percent per year. The main tasks are to take responsibility for the brand, marketing and communication, advertising and marketing initiatives, product ie all revenue channels and loyalty strengthening efforts sensors (clients). Responsible for revenue and cost budget. Dense relationship with agencies, partners, suppliers, directors, researchers and European colleagues. Personnel included in the service of about 20 people and two group leaders. Member of the management.
Fundraising Manager, The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, Stockholm, August 1999 – October 2004
Developed a basis for the existing collection and marketing efforts. Implemented methods DR, TM and requirements posed new computer system for the collection business. Responsible for the customer – and exhibition activities.
Budgetary and supervisory responsibility for about four people. Contact with clients and advertising agencies, printers, agents, agencies Etc.
Project manager and coordinators, The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, Stockholm,
August 1996 – August 1999. Start-up and establishment of a new international health project in Sweden; Health Path. In cooperation with the municipalities establish specific walking trails to the public in order to increase the daily exercise for everyone. Today there are about 80 loops.
Coordinator of the exhibition activities and events and to the Fund volunteering.
District Manager Janne Class AB, Stockholm, Sales Manager for Mälardalen. November 1995 – July 1996. Sales of all products to opticians and its workshops excl frames and lenses. Travel service with client meetings and largely phone contact.
District Manager, IMMOBILIZER AB, Stockholm, August 1995 – November 1995. Responsible seller immobilizer system for motor vehicles to dealers and workshops.
Sales through its own pre-booked meetings with customers.
Teachers, Spånga Gymnasium, Stockholm, September 1992 to June 1995 Fittjaskolan, Stockholm, January 1989 – June 1991 and January 1987 – June 1987 Resource Teachers in Swedish, electrical / telecommunications engineering, English and mathematics for grades 7-9 and high school students ride first
PROPERTIES
Communicative, curious, driven and innovative.
EDUCATION
Lindberg & Göthberg, Executive senior program, 2015 – 2017
Stockholm School of Economics IFL Executive, 2012- 2013
LPU, leadership through personal development
Executive MBA from Stockholm University School of Business at the Department of Business Administration, Executive MBA 2 years
EMBA Stockholm, 2010 – 2012
– Financial Statisment Analysis
– Strategy in Practice and Marketing Management –
Corporate Social Responsibility
– Change management
– Global Cross Cultural Business Behavior
– Ethical leadership
– Corporate Governance
– Essay – Does the SFC-code support donor’s interest?
IHM MASTER 1.5 years 2005-2007
DIHM, Operations Management
DIHM, Business Development
DIHM, Personal Leadership
DIHM, Business Communication, 2 years 2001-2003
– Business Acumen, Module 1
– Business of Communication grounds, Module 2
– Communication management and change instruments, Module 3
– The company’s reputational capital, Module 4
– Communication with the market, Module 5
– Shareholders thesis, Module 6
3-year technical school Brännkyrka and Åsö School, 1984-88
TRUST
Swedish Pharmaceutical Society, board member 2018- ongoing
Research Sweden, board member 2015 – ongoing
King Oscar the II jubilee foundation, board member 2014- ongoing
The Swedish Fundraising Council (SFC), board member 2012-2018
The Swedish Fundraising Council European certification training (EFA) for fundraisers at Berghs School of Communications, 2009 – ongoing
The Swedish Fundraising Council Volunteer Fundraising., Course Leader for FRII’s annual course in collection, 2007- 2014
Swedish Fundraisers; board member 2004 – in 2008. Non-profit association for the industry fundraisers (collector) with a mandate to pursue knowledge between different fundarisers.
OTHER
Engaged as a lecturer at the example:
– Bonnierförlagen AB
– European Heart Network,
– DR Academy
– Berghs School of Communication
– SFC seminar, NGO Fundraising
LANGUAGE
Swedish – Native. Fluent spoken and written
English – Good command of spoken and written.
Fausto Pinto
President
Prof. Pinto graduated at Lisbon University Medical School in 1984. He did his Cardiology internship at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHLN, E.P.E. (Lisbon, Portugal), and Stanford University Medical School (CA, USA), where he was a Clinical Fellow. He was then Clinical Attending in the Echocardiography laboratory and underwent an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at the same institution.
He is currently Full Professor of Cardiology, Head of the Cardiology Department and of the Heart and Vascular Department of Santa Maria University Hospital, CHULN E.P.E., President of the World Heart Federation (WHF) (2021-2022). Recently he finished his term as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (Lisbon, Portugal) (2015-2018)-(2018-2022).
National Coordinator of the Medical Schools Council (2018-2020) and President of the Executive Board of the Lisbon Academic Medical Centre (CAML) (2019-2021) and Director of Lisbon Cardiovascular Institute (ICVL) since 1999.
He was the President and founder of the European Association of Echocardiography (2002-04), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Chairman of the CPC (Congress Program Committee) of ESC (2008-10), Chair of the European Heart Agency(2016-2018) and ESC President (2014-16). He is currently the President of the World Heart Federation (WHF) (2021-2022), and integrates the Board of the European Heart for Children.
He is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), American College of Cardiology (FACC), American Society of Angiology (FASA), Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (FSCAI) and the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and Honorary Member of several international societies, including Societé Française de Cardiologie, Sociedad Colombiana de Cardiologia, American Society of Echocardiography, Societá Italiana de Ecografia Cardiovascular, Hungarian Society of Cardiology, Japanese Circulation Society, Sociedad Peruana de Cardiologia, Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences, Romanian Society of Cardiology, Russian Society of Cardiology, and Slovakian Society of Cardiology. Appointed by acclamation (29 November 2018) as Honorary Member of the National Academy of Medicine of Brazil. He is the Honorary President of the International Committee for Education and Cooperation of the Italian Society of Medical Science (SISMED). Honorary Member of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology(Nov 2020) and Dante Pazzanese Medal(Nov. 2020).
He was the Editor in Chief of the Portuguese Journal of Cardiology (1999-2015), and is currently Consulting Editor and Member of the Advisory and Editorial of Board of several international peer-reviewed journals, and Expert Reviewer for the European Commission. Prof. Pinto has published over 600 indexed articles and has presented over 1500 lectures/chairmanships at national and mostly international meetings.
George Nel
FAC Committee Member
Neal Kovach
FAC Committee Member
Jean-Luc Eiselé
WHF CEO
Jean-Luc Eiselé has worked in the field of medical association management for almost 20 years. He was trained as a biochemist working at the Biozentrum in Basel and the Pasteur Institute in Paris. In 1999, he joined the European Respiratory Society as Scientific Affairs Manager in charge of the Annual Congress and was offered to develop the educational activities, in particular the online portfolio. In 2001 he was nominated Deputy Executive Director and in 2007 ERS Executive Director. In 2011, he was appointed by FDI World Dental Federation as Executive Director, developing in particular its advocacy work and launching successfully the World Oral Health Day. He joined the World Heart Federation (WHF) as Chief Executive Officer in May 2017, strengthening the business model, the focus on communication and advocacy and membership engagement.