Jenn Knight, has been named the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women 2024 Tri-County Woman of Impact Winner and Anna Vennetti has been named the 2024 Tri-County Teen of Impact Winner. The recognition by the American Heart Association, devoted to a world of healthier lives for all, is awarded annually to the Woman of Impact and Teen of Impact nominee who earns the most points during a 9-week fundraising and heart health education drive. Jenn Knight is an Oncology Clinical Educator with Daiichi Sankyo and Anna Vennetti is a student in Canfield.
The pair are being recognized for their work to raise funds and spread awareness in the fight against heart disease and stroke in women and improve the health and well-being of the local community. In the United States, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming the lives of 1 in 3 women.
Ten Tri-County community influencers of all ages lead effort Announced(Opens in a new browser tab)
Knight and Vennetti earned the awards, part of the American Heart Association’s long-standing Go Red for Women® movement, for leading their teams to raise funds and participating in mission-impact activities for the American Heart Association’s signature women’s initiative. The Go Red for Women’s movement is a comprehensive platform designed more than two decades ago to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally. Woman of Impact Award winner Jenn Knight and her team raised $35,157 while Teen of Impact Award winner Anna Vennetti and her team raised $10,640.
“Taking part in the Woman of Impact campaign was personal for me,” said Knight. ”After suffering a heart attack and having open heart surgery, I realized the importance of living a heart healthy lifestyle and educating our community about cardiovascular disease. I am honored to have received this recognition, but most importantly I am so proud of what we have accomplished together over the last nine weeks to support the Go Red for Women movement and the future of women’s heart health.”
“The Go Red for Women Teen of Impact campaign was such an amazing experience,” said Vennetti. “I am so thankful for this award and all we accomplished during this campaign. I will continue to educate teens on the risk factors of heart disease and what they can do to implement healthier lifestyles.”
The Woman of Impact campaign launched in over 100 cities on National Wear Red Day, Feb. 2. In the Tri-County area, six community leaders and four teens were nominated to participate. Collectively, this year’s Tri-County nominees initiated dozens of direct mission impact opportunities throughout the community and beyond and raised $100,267 for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement.
Tri-County 2024 Woman of Impact Nominees:
- Julianna Begalla – Farmers National Bank
- Lynn Hart Bilal – Gloris Counseling Services
- Stephanie Gilchrist – City of Youngstown
- *Jenn Knight – Daiichi Sankyo
- Shannon Reigrut – NextHome GO30 Realty
- Veronica Crafter Srinivasan – Power Cellular Solutions, LLC
Tri-County 2024 Teen of Impact Nominees:
- Ellie Davies
- Giada Ezzo
- Liv Reichard
- *Anna Vennetti
“We are so grateful to Jenn, Anna and all of our nominees for their work elevating the Go Red for Women message and raising critical funds in support of our local mission,” said Lisa Wheeler-Cooper, executive director, American Heart Association, Northeast Ohio. “While our work is far from finished, we’ve made considerable progress. The Tri-County area is stronger, and our future is brighter.”
Women naturally experience unique life stages that increase their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the course of their lifetime. While the large majority of cardiac events can be prevented, cardiovascular disease 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 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.
