Suzette Ford-Duffus to Take the Helm as New Executive Director of the Orange County American Heart Association

Suzette Ford-Duffus recently accepted the Executive Director role at the Orange County American Heart Association (AHA) located in Irvine. In this role, Suzette will drive revenue growth, oversee the Orange County Board of Directors as well as staff. Suzette worked for the American Heart Association in the late 1990s and is returning after exploring other opportunities over the past two decades. In addition to her previous work with AHA, Suzette has a personal connection to the mission of the American Heart Association.

Her daughter Kara, was born with a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect. Kara underwent a catheter lab procedure in lieu of open heart surgery to repair her heart in January 2006, with a new device called an Amplatzer Occluder that had only been FDA approved for one year. The procedure was successful and Kara is now a healthy fourteen year old that plays softball and basketball.

Prior to accepting the Executive Director role, Suzette served as a Senior Marketing Event Manager for the Walt Disney Company for more than a decade. While at Disney, Suzette managed high-profile events including Disneyland’s 50th & 60th Anniversaries, Cars Land Opening, CHOC Hospital Tower Dedication, KaBoom! Play Together Tour, Finding Nemo Submarine Launch, the Downtown Disney Grand Opening and more. A veteran to the nonprofit world, prior to her tenure at Disney, Suzette served as the Director of Corporate Events for the Orange County American Heart Association.

As the Director of Corporate Events for the American Heart Association, Suzette recruited, trained and managed volunteer committees of more than one hundred community leaders to produce results driven fundraising special events. In 1997, she held the most successful Heart Walk in Heart Association history and went on to establish four of the current ten American Heart Walk “Best Practices.” She also broke a fundraising record for the Heart Ball, increasing fundraising 66 percent in one year.

Prior to her work at AHA, Suzette served as Director of Development for the March of Dimes where she increased revenue nearly 20 percent annually. Prior to her position at the March of Dimes, Suzette worked in the public relations department for The Jimmie Heuga Center where she oversaw public relations for the National Ski Express fundraising event.

Suzette is a graduate of the California State University-Fullerton where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication. She lives in Rancho Santa Margarita with her husband and two children.