Aztecs in Action: Alumna Jessica Newmyer Leads the Charge for Heart Health

February is Heart Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and empowering people to prevent it.

Taking the task to heart is SDSU’s alumna Jessica Newmyer (’97), Executive Director of Development and Community Health in San Diego and Southwest Riverside at the American Heart Association.

 “I love working with survivors to raise awareness in our community,” Newmyer said in an inspiring SDSU Alumni article. “I love hearing their stories of resilience and seeing firsthand the power of public health education and scientific innovations.”

Her dedication to helping others overcome health adversities began as a teen while visiting orphanages in Mexico.

“The experience was powerful for me and made me want to do what I could do to help people live safe, healthy, and thriving lives,” said Newmyer.

 A few years later, she transferred from Grossmont Community College to SDSU and earned her degree in social work.

Followed by decades of exceptional public health and social services leadership, including youth and family services and child welfare programs, Newmyer began her current role at the AHA in 2021, where she continues to dedicate herself to improving heart health and as she put it, “advocating for survivors and mentoring future change makers.”

Read Newmyer’s full story.