The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Announces New Board Members


The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is pleased to announce new leadership of its Board of Trustees, effective July 1. Beginning two-year terms are Chair Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed., C.H.C.; Chair-Elect and Treasurer Tony Langston; and Secretary Nicole Creech.

Anna Hemnes, M.D., and Kimberly Jackson, R.N., B.S.N.; are joining the board as liaisons from PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council and its PH Professionals Executive Committee. William Jansen, C.F.A., is joining the board as a member-at-large. They join a diverse group of dedicated and passionate individuals with pulmonary hypertension (PH), caregivers, family members and health care professionals who serve without compensation.

PHA President and CEO Brad A. Wong extended an enthusiastic welcome to the new leadership. “Under the leadership of the new officers, new board members and the entire board, PHA can continue to fulfill its mission to extend and improve the lives of those with PH,” he said. He also thanked outgoing board members Diane Ramirez, Erika Berman Rosenzweig, M.D., Fran Rogers and Roger Towle for their contributions to PHA.

Brunetti is the second patient to serve as chair in the history of the 30-year-old association and is excited about the opportunity to have an impact on the lives of PH patients. “I look forward to leading the Board for the next two years and working with PHA staff to support those living with PH and their families and caregivers,” she said.

Dr. Hemnes, a translational physician-scientist who researches altered metabolism in pulmonary vascular disease, treats patients at the Vanderbilt Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Nashville, Tennessee. Her clinical research interests include insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in human pulmonary vascular disease.

Jackson is nurse cardiovascular coordinator at the University of Kentucky’s Gill Heart and Vascular Institute Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic in Lexington. Having worked primarily with PH patients since 2010, she is dedicated to compassionate nursing care, education and advocacy.

Jansen is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder and member of the Commonfund business development team. After the sudden death of his son Robert in 2012, he is joining the PHA board to serve patients with serious illnesses and their families.

About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is the oldest and largest nonprofit patient association dedicated to the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, chronic and life-threatening disease of the lungs for which no cure exists. The PH Association envisions a world without PH and is dedicated to improving the lives of all those affected by this deadly disease. Through support, advocacy and awareness, education, quality care and research programs, PHA empowers patients, caregivers, families, health care professionals and researchers worldwide. For more information, visit PHAssociation.org and connect with PHA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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