Carrie Malotte, Vice President, Commercial/Corporate Banking and SBA Specialist at Westfield Bank, is the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Northeast Ohio Woman of Impact Winner for 2025. She won the local competition by raising funds and increasing awareness to combat heart disease and stroke in women while improving overall well-being in the community. According to the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the U.S. It claims the lives of 1 in 3 women disproportionately affecting women of color.
“Thanks to the efforts of incredible leaders like Carrie and all of our nominees, we’re making strides to ensure all women in Northeast Ohio are seen, heard and counted when it comes to their health,” said Lisa Wheeler-Cooper, Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Northeast Ohio. “Together, we have the power to help ensure more women are represented in research, have the information they need for heart health through every stage of life and receive quality and timely care. The power of our community coming together creates better health outcomes for all of us.”
Over the course of nine weeks, Malotte, along with a team of family, friends and colleagues, competed for the Woman of Impact title by participating in various community awareness and fundraising activities. After raising critical funds and driving women’s health education initiatives, Malotte was named this year’s winner. The Woman of Impact campaign is part of the American Heart Association’s signature Go Red for Women movement, a comprehensive platform that has been increasing women’s heart health awareness and improving the lives of women globally for more than two decades.
“Like so many other people, in some way, shape or form I’ve been touched by heart disease through family and friends and associates,” said Malotte. “I thought about all the people in my life who have been impacted by heart disease, and I really wanted to go out and be a good advocate and raise awareness and support for them.”
The Woman of Impact campaign launched in over 100 cities on National Wear Red Day®, February 7. In Northeast Ohio, several community leaders were nominated to participate. Collectively, this year’s Northeast Ohio nominees raised critical funds for the Northeast Ohio American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement.
Other local nominees included:
- Madison Tromler, WFMJ
While the large majority of cardiac events can be prevented, CVD continues to be a woman’s greatest health threat, as nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of CVD.[1] Women also experience unique life stages, like pregnancy and menopause, that can increase their risk of developing CVD. Community leaders involved in Woman of Impact are paving the way for the future of women’s heart health and enabling more women to live longer and healthier lives.
To learn more about the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement in Northeast Ohio visit heart.org/ohio.
Source: American Heart Association
[1], [1][1], [1][1][1] , [1]V Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, Avery CL, Baker-Smith CM, Beaton AZ, Boehme AK, Buxton AE, Commodore Mensah Y, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Eze-Nliam C, Fugar S, Generoso G, Heard DG, Hiremath S, Ho JE, Kalani R, Kazi DS, Ko D, Levine DA,Liu J, Ma J, Magnani JW, Michos ED, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Parikh NI, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Shah NS, St-Onge M-P, Thacker EL, Virani SS, Voeks JH, Wang N-Y, Wong ND, Wong SS, Yaffe K, Martin SS; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2023 update: a report from the American Heart Association [published ahead of print January 25, 2023]. Circulation. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001123
