Suzie Upton

As Chief Operating Officer for the American Heart Association, Suzie Upton oversees the association’s nationwide fundraising and volunteerism efforts.

She is accountable for volunteerism strategy and fundraising that includes the field campaign, planned giving, individual and major gifts, and corporate relations. She is also accountable for creating additional revenue sources through innovative approaches to fundraising and new business models.

Growing revenue and volunteer resources is critical to saving and improving lives through research and education. These resources are key to achieving the association’s 2020 Impact Goal to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent.

Upton joined the American Heart Association in 1990 and was promoted to Vice President of Development in 1998. She was named Executive Vice President of Development in 2002 and Chief Development Officer in 2010.

Upton earned her degree in business administration in marketing/management from Baylor University.