Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi is a Blue Shield of California lifestyle medicine expert.

Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi oversees the marketing sales of clinically-proven lifestyle medicine programs for Blue Shield of California. Angie strongly believes that lifestyle medicine can transform the current health care model. She has incorporated lifestyle medicine into her own life to prevent disease and live in optimal health.

Read Angie’s guest blog post: The Gift of Self-Care this Holiday Season: Stress Less

Read Kristy Anderson's blog post: Is healthy eating a new year’s resolution for USDA and school foods?

Stephen Juraschek is an Instructor of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard Medical School.

Stephen Juraschek is an Instructor of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard Medical School. Stephen is a general internist with doctoral training in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University. In addition to treating many patients with high blood pressure, he has participated in numerous studies examining the impact of diet and exercise on human health, particularly for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Read Stephen Juraschek's guest blog posts: Lower your blood pressure by reducing sodium and eating the DASH diet and also Are We Underestimating the Full Benefits of a Low Salt Diet?

Juliana Cohen is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Merrimack College and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

Her current work focuses on factors that influence food selection and consumption in fast food restaurants. Additionally, her research examines innovative school-based interventions to encourage the selection and consumption of healthier foods, as well the association between diet and cognitive functioning. Previously she was an ORISE Policy and Science fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. Dr. Cohen has a doctorate in nutrition from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. She also received a Master’s in society, human development, and health from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

Read Juliana Cohen's guest blog post: What is the impact of the DASH diet on kids?

Jenni Dreyer, RDN, CD is a nutrition communications specialist at Skogen’s Festival Foods in Wisconsin.

Jenni Dreyer is a nationally accredited, state-certified registered dietitian-nutritionist (RDN) and nutrition communications specialist at Skogen’s Festival Foods. She is passionate about making healthy habits easy and believes that good nutrition shouldn’t be difficult or confusing. Seeing the positive effects that healthy foods have on our guests is what drives Jenni each day. Jenni’s biggest passion is getting people back into the kitchen and learning how to explore and love new foods. She enjoys working with individuals of all ages and helping them recognize that shopping for and cooking healthy food can be fun. Jenni draws from her previous work experience in K-12 school food service management and federal Child Nutrition Programs to bring a balanced and practical approach to nutrition. Jenni earned her B.S. in Nutrition Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Dietetics at Kansas State University.

Read Jenni Dreyer's guest blog post: Participate in National Family Meals Month

Annette Gray, Leader Culinary Innovation and Research and Development Chef for Aramark.

Chef Annette Grecchi Gray is the Leader of Culinary Innovation and Research and Development Chef for Aramark. Born in German-speaking Lucerne, Switzerland, a gift and passion for both cooking and languages have taken her around the world from Chicago, to Johannesburg, to Singapore, and many more, cooking in some of the best restaurants along the way.

In her current position at Aramark, Annette oversees the chef’s team for all things culinary innovation and development for Aramark’s retail, residential and healthcare patient menus. It is a fast-paced environment and every day is different from the previous. The opportunity to impact so many meals on a daily basis is the main drive for Annette. Leading a strong culinary team to support with the development of on trend and innovative new recipes is a close second. Help with the design of the culinary center for Aramark’s new Head-quarters and be part of conceptualizing new concepts for our field also falls under her set of responsibility.

Read Annette Gray's guest blog post: Healthy Menu Innovation That Can Help Everyone Be Healthy for Life

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Director of Women’s Heart Health of Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is an attending cardiologist and the Director of Women’s Heart Health of Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and has done fellowship training in both Preventive Cardiology and Cardiology. She is the author of “Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a Heart Healthy Life,” teaching all women how to lead the healthiest lives by living from the heart and “Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally,” with the editors of Prevention.

Dr. Steinbaum is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. She is a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association and active on its New York City Board of Directors. Dr. Steinbaum is regularly seen in national media as a consultant in the areas of cardiology, women and heart disease and prevention and is a Heart Health Expert for Fresh Avocados – Love One Today®.

Read Dr. Steinbaum's guest blog post: Try Sodium-Free Avocados for National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

Mara Silverio, Multicultural Communications Manager, American Heart Association’s National Public and Media Relations.

Mara is the Multicultural Communications Manager in the American Heart Association’s National Public and Media Relations department. She enjoys working in a cause driven organization and is passionate about tackling cultural barriers and bridging gaps to reach minority communities who would otherwise not have access to culturally tailored education that can save lives.

In her role, Mara develops content and assets for target audiences and establishes and fosters national media relationships. She works cross-functionally in various markets and issues to implement communications strategies that are inclusive of all people and reflect the diverse populations we serve.

Read Mara Silverio's guest blog posts: Changing Perceptions About Sodium in Minority Health

Deborah Renza, Managing Editor for the American Heart Association’s bestselling library of cookbooks and heart-health information books.

Deborah Renza has been publishing cookbooks and health-information titles for the American Heart Association for 11 years. In her role as managing editor, she turns ideas into books. She is responsible for overseeing the creation of all the content between the covers—including the flavorful heart-smart recipes, the consumer-friendly health information, and the mouthwatering photography—that best represent the association’s diet and lifestyle recommendations. Under Deborah’s leadership, the association’s current best-selling cookbook, Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, made its debut on the leading home shopping network, QVC, and to date, has sold nearly 75,000 copies. Other recently released titles under her direction include Go Fresh; Grill It, Braise It, Broil It and 9 Other Easy Techniques for Making Healthy Meals; and Healthy Fats, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, Fifth Edition.

For more than a decade, Deborah has partnered with Penguin Random House, the world’s leading trade publisher, to produce, market, and sell the American Heart Association’s library of books through various channels, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She also co-publishes cookbooks with the American Diabetes Association. More than half a million copies of American Heart Association books have been sold during her tenure.

Read Deborah Renza's guest blog posts:

AHA's Lower Sodium Recipes Make Cooking at Home Easy.

Try some heart-healthy red recipes for American Heart Month.

Jim O'Hara is Director of Health Promotion Policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)

Leading policy efforts at the federal, state and local levels to improve health by reducing sodium in foods and sugar drink consumption. He has also worked extensively to safeguard the Dietary Guidelines for Americans process and ensure its scientific integrity. He is the recipient of numerous public health awards, including the Surgeon General’s Medallion and FDA’s Harvey W. Wiley Medal.

Follow Jim O’Hara on Twitter: @JimOHara6

Abby Dilk is the Health Promotion Policy and Biotechnology Project Assistant at CSPI. Since joining CSPI in July 2016, she has developed numerous advocacy materials aimed at supporting sodium reduction, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes and warning labels. Abby earned a B.S. in Nutrition Science, with minors in biology and chemistry, from Purdue University in May 2016. Abby is currently earning her Master’s in Public Health Nutrition at The George Washington University.

Read their blog post, CSPI’s Infographics Show Food Companies Hold Salt Shaker.

Michael D. Parkinson, MD, MPH, FACPM is the Sr Medical Director for Health and Productivity UPMC Health Plan and WorkPartners

Dr Parkinson is the Senior Medical Director overseeing employer health and productivity strategies for UPMC Health Plan and WorkPartners. He is also Principal of P3 Health (“Prevention, Performance, Productivity”) working with employers and organizations to improve health, effectiveness and competiveness.

Mike is a Past President of the American College of Preventive Medicine, the national medical specialty society of physicians trained in and committed to disease prevention and systems-based approaches to improving health and health care. He formerly was EVP, Chief Health and Medical Officer of Lumenos, a pioneer of consumer-directed health plans and a subsidiary of Wellpoint. A retired Air Force colonel, he served as associate director of medical programs and resources in the Office of the Surgeon General where he was responsible for policy and planning for over 2 million beneficiaries, 70 facilities and a $4 billion budget.

While assigned to the US Public Health Service, he provided oversight of federal programs in public health, geriatrics and preventive medicine training. He served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on NASA employee health programs, and as faculty for the 14-cities Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Aligning Forces for Quality” project. He serves on the Policy Committee of the American Heart Association Great Rivers Affiliate, University of Iowa NIOSH Total Worker Health Center Advisory Board and the (DoD) Defense Health Board Healthcare Delivery Subcommittee.

Mike has been appointed to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and the American Journal of Medical Quality. He obtained his AB from Cornell, MD from George Washington, family practice training at the UCLA and his MPH, preventive medicine residency and chief residency at Johns Hopkins.

Read Dr. Parkinson's blog post Add Color this Nutrition Month.

Ashley Mora, Digital Marketing Manager for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women

Ashley is the Digital Marketing Manager for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women, a movement dedicated to raising awareness that heart disease and stroke are the number one killer of women – more than all cancers combined. Ashley is responsible for Go Red’s social media properties, creative development and focuses on strategic ways to increase brand awareness, and transform audiences from simply observers to action takers. She prides herself in pushing the envelope, especially when it comes to social content and isn’t one to shy away from taking calculated risks.

Read Ashley Mora's blog post Why Wear Red on National Wear Red Day.

Sally Sampson, Founder of ChopChop Kids magazine

Sally Sampson is the Founder and President of ChopChop Kids, the non-profit publisher of ChopChop, The Fun Cooking Magazine for Families.
ChopChop’s mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook and eat real food with their families.

Published in both Spanish and English, the magazine is filled with nutritious, great-tasting, ethnically diverse and inexpensive recipes, as well as interesting and little-known food facts, Q & A’s and games.

ChopChop, named 2013 Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. ChopChop is distributed in every state and 20 other countries with a circulation that has grown to 4 million annually.

Ms. Sampson is the author and coauthor of many cookbooks, including ChopChop: The Kids Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family, The Olives Table (with Chef Todd English), The Fifty Dollar Dinner Party and Souped Up! She is also a contributor to The New York Times’ Motherlode Blog with her Picky Eater Project (The Picky Eater Project book is in the works with The American Academy of Pediatrics). She has contributed to Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, The Boston Globe and Cooks Illustrated, among others, and previously owned From the Night Kitchen, a café in Brookline Village MA.

Read Sally Sampson's blog post ChopChop Kids says, Eat real food. Start young and Boost flavor in your child's lunch, not salt

Jessica Goldman Joung, Sodium Girl

After lupus caused her kidneys to fail, Jessica Goldman Foung refocused her life and work to study food, health and the ways they interact. She began SodiumGirl.com in 2009 to capture her adventures in her low-sodium life. In addition to her site being nominated as one of Saveur's "Best Food Blogs," Jessica serves as a low-sodium and special diet expert and contributor, appearing in print and broadcast media, including “Dr. Oz,” “Access Hollywood Live,” Huffington Post, Food Network.com, Cooking Light, Shape, Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal, Better Homes & Gardens, Food 52, Oprah.com, Well+Good, and Lupus Now (cover story). Jessica also works closely with the National Kidney Foundation and American Heart Association on patient education and recipe development.

Read Sodium Girl's blog post Sodium Girl helps make healthy meals at work.

Mark A. Creager is president of the American Heart Association for its 2015-16 fiscal year and director of the Heart and Vascular Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

As president, Mark is chief volunteer scientific and medical officer, responsible for medical, scientific and public health matters. Mark is director of the Heart and Vascular Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and professor of medicine at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

He was the 2011-13 chairperson of the Association’s Research Committee and served from 2002 to 2005 as inaugural chairperson for the organization’s Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease. He is also a past chairperson of the Association’s Strategic Planning Task Force. A highly regarded expert in vascular medicine, Mark has published more than 440 scientific papers, and was the lead editor of the 2012 textbook, “Vascular Medicine, 2nd Edition: A Companion to Braunwald’s Heart Disease.” His research covers two principal areas: translational studies of vascular regulatory mechanisms that contribute to atherosclerosis, and pathophysiologic mechanisms and the effects of therapy in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Read Dr. Creager's blog post AHA President calls on the Food Industry to Support Voluntary Sodium Targets

Dr. Margo Wootan is director of nutrition policy, and Colin Schwartz, MPP is senior nutrition policy associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Margo Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at CSPI. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University's School of Public Health. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and the Food Marketing Workgroup. She has coordinated and led efforts to require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, require trans fat labeling on packaged foods, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, and expand the nutrition and physical activity program at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation's major media.

Colin Schwartz, MPP, is Senior Nutrition Policy Associate at CSPI and works on nutrition policy and advocacy. Prior to joining CSPI in July 2015, he served as director of government affairs at the Physicians Committee, policy and communications manager for the American Association of People with Disabilities, and manager of Viral Hepatitis Policy and Legislative Affairs at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. Colin earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego, and a Master in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Read CSPI's blog post New Infographic Highlights Science Behind Salt Reduction

Sarah Sliwa, Adjunct Faculty member at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Sarah Sliwa, PhD is an instructor at Tufts University where she teaches Theories of Behavioral Change and their Application in Nutrition and Public Health Interventions in the Developing Healthy Communities Online Graduate Certificate program at Friedman.

Sarah has nearly a decade of experience working on childhood obesity prevention initiatives. Her research interests focus on the identification and implementation of strategies to support children's opportunities to be physically active and eat nutritious foods in community settings that include schools, out-of-school programs, and restaurants.

Read Sarah's blog post, The Search for Healthy Kids Meals.

Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc

Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc is Chief of Cardiology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, and Associate earned a B.S. degree, (Honors), from Southern University; and an M.D. degree, (Alpha Omega Alpha), from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. He completed his fellowship in cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He received his initial faculty appointment in 1989 and held a position on the faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center for 17 years where he ascended to the rank of Professor of Medicine. Concurrently he was holder of the Carl Westcott Distinguished Chair in Medical Research, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Medical Director of the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Program. In 2010, he completed a Master’s of Science in Medical Management (Beta Gamma Sigma) at the University of Texas- Dallas, School of Business and Management.

His research interests are in heart failure, heart transplantation, quality of care and health care Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He holds the Magerstadt Endowed Professor of Medicine Chair and also holds an appointment as Professor of Medical Social Sciences. He is the newly appointed Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Vice-Dean of Diversity & Inclusion. Formerly he was the Medical Director, Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and Chief of Cardiothoracic Transplantation at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

Dr. Yancy is a native of Louisiana and disparities. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and has an active web-based CME presence.

At present he serves on the editorial boards of Circulation, Circulation Heart Failure and the American Heart Journal. He is Associate Editor for the American Journal of Cardiology and is a Senior Section Editor (Heart Failure) for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

He is board certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease. He is a Master of the American College of Cardiology, a Fellow of the American Heart Association and a Master of the American College of Physicians. He is also a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT), the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), and the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC). He has previously served on the Executive Council of the HFSA. He recently served on the Advisory Committee to the Director for the NIH and remains as an active consultant to the National Institutes of Health; he is a member of the NIH Scientific Management and Review Board. He is the immediate past chair of the FDA Cardiovascular Devices Panel; is an ad hoc consultant for AHRQ; holds a position on the Methodology Committee for the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute and previously served on the Committee for Health, Science and Policy for the Institute of Medicine. He sits on several clinical trial oversight committees within the NHLBI. He is an active volunteer for the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. He is the current chair of the ACC/AHA Heart Failure Guideline Writing Committee. He is a former President of the American Heart Association (2009-2010), past recipient of the National Physician of the Year (AHA) and recently received the Gold Heart Award for a career of service from the American Heart Association. He serves on the Health Equities Committee for the American Hospital Association.

He has received innumerable best doctor awards and teaching accolades. In 2014 he was named one of the top 15 Black U.S. Medical Educators and was named Co-Educator of the Year by the National Medical Fellowships Foundation.

Read Dr. Yancy's blog post, National Minority Health Month: Live longer and better.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance was founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation as a response to the growing rate of childhood obesity. And just like our founders, our goal as an organization has always been to create systemic change, change that is not isolated to one home, or community, to one school, industry, or state. We want to create healthy changes that build upon one another and create a system, a nation, that makes the healthy choice the easy choice. Learn more about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Read the Alliance's guest blog post, North Carolina Teen Shows that with Passion and Determination, Anything is Possible

Dina Rose

Dina Rose, PhD is a sociologist, parent educator, feeding expert and the author of It’s Not About the Broccoli: Three Habits to Teach Your Kids for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating (Perigee). She has been training parents, pediatricians, dietitians, and early childhood educators in the Habits Approach for the past decade. Her approach is so unique it has been called “transformational.” Dina’s work has been widely featured on TV, radio and in both print and online news sources such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Sound Medicine on NPR. In addition to writing her blog, It’s Not About Nutrition, Dina also writes for Psychology Today.

Read Dina Rose's guest blog post, What should your toddler eat?

Saadia Noorani

Saadia Noorani is a UK Registered Public Health Nutritionist for the salt reduction charity, World Action on Salt and Health (WASH), a global organisation with the mission to reduce population level salt intake around the world.

Read Saadia Noorani's guest blog post, Celebrate World Salt Awareness Week 2016.

Diana Rice, RD.

Diana K. Rice is the registered dietitian on staff with Meatless Monday. As an RD, she's passionate about developing simple, healthy recipes and helping people find practical ways to create lifelong healthy habits. She is an advocate for sustainable agriculture and involving children in food production and preparation. Diana lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.

Read Diana Rice's guest blog post, Try Meatless Monday to Lower Your Meat and Salt Consumption.

Greg Silverman, MSc

Chef Greg is the Managing Director of Wellness in the Schools. Wellness in the Schools inspires healthy eating, environmental awareness and fitness as a way of life for kids in public schools. Through meaningful public/private partnerships with school leadership, teachers, chefs, coaches, parents and kids, WITS develops and implements programs that provide healthy foods, healthy environments and opportunities for regular play to help kids learn and grow.

Greg comes to Wellness in the Schools from Share Our Strength where he was charged with building the programmatic partnerships necessary to grow the No Kid Hungry campaign and its national nutrition education efforts via the flagship Cooking Matters at the Store program.

Greg has a long food and health focused journey over the last two decades. He worked in London as a food consultant for public sector organizations and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames; was a multiple restaurant owner and chef in Ithaca, NY; and spent time as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Mali. He holds a degree in Anthropology from Ithaca College, a certificate in Culinary Arts from the International Culinary Center and a Masters of Science in Food and Nutritional Policy from the Centre for Food Policy at the City University of London. Chef Greg loves that he spends his waking hours cooking food with family and friends and cooking up change with communities across the nation.

Follow Chef Greg  to learn more about his culinary adventures and dive deep with the changemakers  at Wellness in the Schools  via  Facebook and Twitter.

Read Greg Silverman's guest blog post, Strategic and Sustainable Steps to Support  Lower Sodium in School Meals

Elizabeth Leonard

Elizabeth Leonard is the Healthy Eating Project Coordinator in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention & Tobacco Control at the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

In this role Elizabeth works on a number of the agency’s nutrition strategy initiatives, with a particular focus on sodium. Elizabeth coordinates the National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI), which includes encouraging sodium reduction commitments from the food industry, building nutrition databases for sodium content analysis, and convening the NSRI partnership, which serves as a hub for news, research, and best practices around sodium reduction.

Elizabeth also oversees the development and maintenance of MenuStat, a free online database of restaurant nutrition. Prior to working at the NYC DOHMH, Elizabeth worked on the field team for an evaluation of a diabetes prevention program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and on the communications team for the youth and community services team at New York Road Runners.

Elizabeth has a Master of Public Health from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

Read Elizabeth Leonard's guest blog post, The National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI): Coordinating with Industry to Lower Salt in the Food Supply

 Dr. Elliott Antman

Dr. Elliott Antman is Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical/Translational Research at Harvard Medical School, a Senior Investigator in the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group, a Senior Physician in the Cardiovascular Division of the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He was President of the American Heart Association (2014-2015) and now serves as Immediate Past President of the American Heart Association.

As a Senior Investigator in the TIMI Study Group, he has published on the use of serum cardiac markers for diagnosis and prognosis of patients with unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction, cyclooxygenase and cardiovascular risk, and antithrombotic therapy for acute coronary syndromes. His ongoing research studies help refine diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in routine clinical use today including cardiac specific troponins and novel antithrombotic agents.

At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Antman has been recognized for his active role and interest in education and training. He is the recipient of many awards from the housestaff, regularly participates in Professor’s Rounds, and has been honored for his contributions by the Harvard Medical School when it awarded him the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2001. Dr. Antman is Director of the Skills Development Center of the Boston Biomedical Innovation Center at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Antman is the Director of the Harvard Catalyst Program for Education in Clinical and Translational Science. The goal of this program is to establish the infrastructure for coordination, integration, and oversight of clinical/translational postgraduate educational and training opportunities throughout the entire Harvard University system.

Dr. Antman participates actively in American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) activities, locally, nationally, and internationally. He was the Chairman of the joint ACC/AHA Task Force on Practice Guidelines from January 2003 through December 2005. He continues his work with the Task Force as a member of several Writing Committees (STEMI [Writing Committee Chair], UA/NSTEMI]. From 2011-12, Dr. Antman chaired the AHA’s Committee on Scientific Sessions Programs and introduced the AHA’s Emerging Science Webinar Series. Dr. Antman is on the AHA’s National Board of Directors, chaired the AHA Science and Advisory Coordinating Committee and chaired the AHA Advocacy Coordinating Committee. He currently chairs the AHA Manuscript Oversight Committee, is chair of the AHA International Science and Programs Subcommittee of the International Committee, is Vice Chair of the AHA Nominating Committee, and is an ex officio member of the Science and Advisory Coordinating Committee, the Advocacy Coordinating Committee, and the AHA Executive Committee. He is the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award from the AHA (2006) and is the recipient of the James B. Herrick Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cardiology (Council on Clinical Cardiology)in 2010.

Dr. Antman is married to Dr. Karen Antman, who is the Dean of Boston University School of Medicine and Provost of the Boston University Medical Center.

Read Dr. Antmann's guest blog post, We Must Protect Our Kids: A Guest Post from the Past AHA President

 Dr. Lawrence Appel

Dr. Lawrence Appel is the C. David Molina Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and International Health at Johns Hopkins. He is also the Director of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, a joint program of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. The focus of Dr. Appel’s investigative career is the conduct of clinical, epidemiologic and translational research pertaining to the prevention of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease through nutrition and lifestyle modification.

• To this end, he leads three complementary research programs:
  ontrolled feeding trials that identify optimal diet (e.g. DASH, DASH-Sodium, OmniHeart, OmniCarb)
• behavioral intervention trials that test novel strategies to accomplish lifestyle modification, often focused on obesity (e.g. PREMIER, Weight Loss Maintenance, and POWER)
• trials and observational studies to understand risk factors for chronic kidney disease progression and its complications (e.g. AASK and CRIC)

He has a keen interest in research methods and has conducted a diverse array of studies, including cohort studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses. A particularly notable feature of this research is the focus on chronic conditions and diseases that disproportionately afflict minorities and on interventions that have the potential to substantially reduce racial disparities. The site of his research is ProHealth, a community-based

Read Dr. Appell's guest blog post, The Science is Clear: Most Americans Need More Moderate Levels of Sodium clinical research unit that he directs.

Dr. Appel has been actively involved in health care policy. He was a member of the 2005 and 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committees. For the American Heart Association (AHA), he has been a member (and past chair) of its Nutrition Committee for over 10 years. Currently, he is chair of the Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council of the AHA. He has also served on several Institute of Medicine Committees and chaired the committee that set dietary reference intakes for sodium, potassium and water. He has served on numerous advisory committees for the National Institutes of Health. In 2012, he was elected a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). In 2015, he was elected a member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP).

Sodium Reduction Team

More Americans are saying that their food is too salty. And, they want action. The American Heart Association is supporting a movement to reduce sodium across the country. You can help. The AHA Sodium Reduction Team wants to give you the information, strategies, and tools you need to take action and lead a healthier life. Our posts are written by a team of experts in science, healthy eating, communications, and policy. Join our growing community, take action, get helpful tips and Break Up with Salt today!