PHILADELPHIA — Mariell Jessup, MD, associate chief-Clinical Affairs, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and medical director of the Penn Medicine Heart and Vascular Center, has been named president-elect of the American Heart Association (AHA). Dr. Jessup will begin her term on July 1, 2012. Then on July 1, 2013, she will officially become the president of the AHA.

"My involvement with the American Heart Association has spanned more than 20 years and I am honored to be so engaged with the nation's leading health organization dedicated to the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke," said Dr. Jessup, who is also a member of the Penn Medicine Cardiovascular Institute.

Dr. Jessup's focus throughout her career has been on the optimal management of patients with heart failure, including the appropriate selection of patients for heart transplant or ventricular assist devices (VADs). As medical director of the Penn Medicine Heart and Vascular Center, she works with a multi-disciplinary team of cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons, nurse practitioners, and nurses to deliver collaborative, cutting-edge care to heart patients.

As a world renowned expert, she has been an integral member of numerous guidelines committees aimed at directing optimal decisions and criteria regarding diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients with heart failure. Most recently, she was the Chair of the American College of Cardiology/AHA Guidelines committees focused update for heart failure. She has also been integral in the establishment of the new Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology subspecialty, a secondary subspecialty in Cardiology. The new specialty was created because of the rapid progress in treatment options for patients with heart failure and the ever growing need to monitor, assess, and advance these new technologies for patients.

Click here to view the full release.