At the Heart of it all

The American Heart Association has been a steady presence in Northwest Arkansas, shaping community awareness around heart health, prevention, and advocacy. As the region has grown and globalized, the organization has evolved alongside, deepening its local footprint while navigating a community defined by both small-town intimacy and world-scale influence. That duality has been central to the nonprofit’s work here, positioning the Northwest Arkansas market as one of the strongest in the country and setting the stage for a new chapter of impact.

In September 2024, the NWA Association entered a new phase of leadership when longtime volunteer and Arkansas native Debbie Alsup was named Executive Director. Her appointment reflects more than a transition in leadership, underscored by the depth of experience Alsup brings to the role — a rare convergence of generational roots, professional credibility, and long-earned trust within the philanthropic community. In a corner of the state where relationships drive progress and impact builds over time, her selection signals both continuity and forward movement: a leader shaped by the region, now guiding where the NWA American Heart Association is headed next.

The mission carries personal meaning for Alsup. Initially involved through her daughter’s participation in the Sweethearts — a high school program teaching heart health and volunteerism — more than 15 years ago, she soon found the work resonating with her own family’s experience with cardiovascular disease. Her husband survived a heart attack at age 53; her father underwent open-heart surgery and later managed chronic illness before his passing; her father-in-law also passed away after facing both heart disease and brain cancer. These experiences shifted her engagement from volunteerism to purpose-driven advocacy, motivated by a desire to protect her children and future generations. “I recognized the need to take proactive steps for my children, given their family history of heart disease. That realization became my guiding purpose: safeguarding future generations.”

By the time Alsup considered stepping into formal leadership with the Association, she brought with her an unusually broad perspective. The first decade of her career had been spent at Walmart, followed by 30 years in the CPG supplier world — requiring constant navigation between Bentonville headquarters, supplier partners, and the informal networks that make the region function. Along the way, she chaired nonprofit events, served on boards, and built relationships that crossed industries and sectors. When the opportunity arose to come onboard at the Heart Association rather than retiring as she’d been contemplating, it was a decision shaped by readiness. “Joining the American Heart Association full time felt like a natural progression, offering the opportunity to create greater impact than I could as a volunteer,” she shares.

Alsup also witnessed Walmart’s growth up close, never imagining she would become part of its story. After earning a degree in fashion merchandising, she envisioned a career in Dallas or New York but returned home, married, started a beef and poultry farm, then ended up joining Walmart in 1985 in the apparel division. There, she experienced what she calls an “incubator of ideas,” watching Sam’s Club launch, the first Supercenters open, and international expansion unfold. “It was incredible to be part of that,” Alsup reflects. The experience shaped her view of growth as something built through trust, proximity, and shared purpose.

Connection sits at the center of Alsup’s approach to heart health. Northwest Arkansas ranks among the American Heart Association’s top-performing markets, a success she attributes to strong community ties and collaboration between civic and business leaders. “It’s really our involvement with the community, the supplier world, and Walmart,” she explains. “We have volunteers who genuinely want to make a difference and are in positions to influence others. Our board members and executive leadership teams are not just supporters; they are champions who leverage their networks, expertise, and resources to drive meaningful change. Their commitment ensures that every initiative, from fundraising to education, has a direct and lasting impact on the health of our community.”

Ryland Allen, Vice President of Merchandising – Baby Consumables & Hardlines at Walmart, confirms that bringing those leaders together around a shared purpose while generating critical support for life-saving work fosters a genuine sense of ownership among board members. “You see firsthand how organizations like Walmart support not just economic growth, but the health and well-being of neighbors, families, and local institutions,” he details. “That perspective highlights the responsibility and opportunity we have to partner with trusted nonprofits that address issues affecting people we work with and serve every day. Being in that environment has reinforced for me that community involvement isn’t separate from our work — it’s an extension of it.” It’s a reminder, Allen says, that lasting impact happens when business leaders are actively engaged in the civic fabric of the place they call home.

The American Heart Association is the nation’s leading nonprofit funder of cardiovascular and stroke research, second only to the federal government. “We measure success by the number of lives we save,” Alsup says. “Every dollar we invest in research, education, and outreach brings us closer to that goal.” In 2023-24, the Association generated $1.1 billion in revenue, with 80 cents of every dollar going to programs that change lives. That investment has advanced lifesaving treatments such as CPR training, pacemakers, clot-busting medicines, and cholesterol-lowering therapies. Regionally, more than 100,000 people have been impacted by local initiatives aimed at both improving cardiovascular health and deducing risk. While many Northwest Arkansas residents may not realize the depth of this work, the efforts include community-based programs, clinical partnerships, and education initiatives that strengthen heart health for thousands of families.

This local impact is powered by a small, seasoned team that understands the people, partners, and pace of the region. Their strength is consistency — executing with discipline, innovating when it matters, and delivering results that are both measurable and meaningful, Alsup asserts. Tenured staff bring shared history and trusted relationships to every initiative, enabling coordination with health systems, schools, volunteers, and corporate partners. The team’s collaboration with volunteers, board members, and executive leadership teams ensures each effort — whether education, CPR hands-on training, or major events — moves from plan to practice with excellence. “Their collective work is the engine behind our market’s momentum and the reason our programs consistently convey community support into better health outcomes,” says Alsup. Long-term event directors who have turned year-round fundraising campaigns into impactful health movements include: Kaley Baxendale, senior director of development, Paint the Town Red and Sweethearts; Andi Clinton, senior development director, NWA Heart Ball; Mellissa Wood, senior development director, NWA Go Red for Women; and Lauren Wheeler, development director, NWA Heart Walk. The staff is rounded out with school engagement director Tracy Davenport, community impact director Beth Jones, senior development coordinator Angela Talley, development manager Caroline Friesenhahn, administrative finance manager Joseph Farmer, and administrative assistant Amelia Woodard.

For her part, Baxendale’s work exemplifies that continuity by translating those relationships into high-performing campaigns, volunteer engagement, and programs throughout Northwest Arkansas. “By connecting people across industries and communities, we’re able to expand our reach, elevate awareness, and encourage proactive approaches to heart health,” Baxendale explains. And with longevity comes tangible moments each team member has witnessed that reinforce how education and preparedness can change outcomes. “One moment that has stayed with me involves a former Sweetheart who experienced a sudden, life-threatening cardiac event. Her parents performed CPR for more than 45 minutes until emergency responders arrived, and their knowledge ultimately saved her life. Today, she is thriving as a nursing student at the University of Arkansas. When I demonstrate Hands-Only CPR to our Sweethearts each year, we keep it engaging, but I always remind them that this skill can save someone just like them. Her story will stay with me forever.”

The same culture extends beyond the staff, shaping how local leaders and supporters engage with the work. As a sponsor of events like the upcoming Heart Ball, Monica Mahoney, VP of Sales Walmart/Sam’s Club Team at The Simply Good Foods Company, is closely connected to the American Heart Association’s mission in Northwest Arkansas. “Being a sponsor is an honor, as it allows us to contribute to an important cause,” she says, noting that heart disease runs in her family, making the mission personal. Mahoney has also known Alsup for more than two decades and sees her leadership as a natural extension of who Debbie has always been in the community. “If you were to ask 10 people, chances are at least eight would know Debbie! She leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets. She is compassionate, takes the time to genuinely get to know others, and consistently goes out of her way to support people in their time of need. Her passion for helping others and making a meaningful difference in people’s lives is evident in everything she does.”

With that foundation in place, Alsup’s leadership is focused on execution and measurable impact. Drawing on years of navigating corporate structures, supplier ecosystems, and nonprofit boards, she understands where momentum accelerates and where it stalls. Rather than broad expansion, her strategy prioritizes targeted initiatives that align resources with the greatest need. Future efforts include Hard Hats for Hearts, a program designed to reach construction and trade professionals — a segment of the workforce often overlooked in traditional health outreach — and the Executive Challenge, which leverages the influence of Northwest Arkansas business leaders to drive awareness, fundraising, and model engagement. Another key initiative, Teen of Impact, trains the next generation to become heart health advocates, ensuring that education and leadership extend to future community champions. Together, these efforts reflect a disciplined approach to creating meaningful, lasting change.

Such an emphasis on targeted, high-impact initiatives also shapes how local leaders engage with the Heart Association, recognizing the value of intention and follow-through. “What stands out right now is the energy and alignment under Debbie’s leadership,” offers Kevin Macero, a stalwart board member and VP of Sales at Haleon. “She is an outstanding listener who brings people together around the mission with focus and enthusiasm. Her collaborative, open-minded approach has created strong momentum and a clear sense of shared purpose for the organization’s next chapter. American Heart Association NWA is a natural partner for the supplier community, especially healthcare companies, because under her leadership, there are meaningful opportunities to actively support and advance community health.”

Rural health disparities, particularly around stroke education and access, also remain a critical concern for Alsup. “If you don’t get to the hospital within minutes, your chances of survival drop dramatically,” she explains. The closure of rural hospitals and physician shortages amplify these challenges, placing communities in vulnerable positions. Despite these obstacles, Alsup draws energy from building sustainable solutions and preparing her team for the future. “How am I getting them ready to be that next generation of leaders?” she reflects. Her approach goes beyond day-to-day execution — through hands-on involvement in major initiatives, exposure to board-level decision-making, and opportunities to innovate within community programs, Alsup ensures her team is not only delivering results today but is positioned to carry the mission forward tomorrow. This focus on leadership development reflects her belief that the nonprofit’s strength in Northwest Arkansas depends on cultivating talent that drives impact with vision and purpose.

Since the American Heart Association’s founding in 1924, deaths from cardiovascular diseases have been cut in half. Yet, heart disease remains the No. 1 killer worldwide, with stroke ranking second globally. “I don’t think there’s any room you could be in where someone hasn’t been affected by heart disease,” Alsup notes. That reality drives her team’s commitment to shaping work that is both personal and transformative. “Each of our events is designed to reach different segments of the community, offering education and advocacy that make a real difference. People can see the change happening right here in Northwest Arkansas.” Together with committed volunteers, engaged leaders, and a bench of future-ready talent, American Heart Association NWA is poised to turn today’s momentum into tomorrow’s measurable outcomes, advancing longer, healthier lives for every neighbor served.

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