Local CFO to lead 2026 Heart Walk and citywide push for CPR readiness
DETROIT, Jan 30, 2025— According to the American Heart Association, 9 in 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital die, and more than half don’t receive bystander CPR. CPR — especially if performed immediately — can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. To help improve cardiac arrest outcomes in Detroit, Niraj Kapadia, executive director, dealer financial services CFO at Ally Financial, will chair the 2026 Detroit Heart Walk, leading a year-round effort to rally companies and community members to raise critical funds and expand CPR education.
Heart Walk is the largest community-facing initiative of the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere. Through fundraising, community education and corporate engagement, Heart Walk aims to make CPR education and training more accessible, fund vital research and drive equitable health for all. Under Kapadia’s leadership, top executives in Detroit will work to recruit other organizations to join the local Heart Walk campaign and help build a community of lifesavers.
“At Ally, community involvement is a core part of our culture, and our company encourages us to volunteer for the causes that are most important to us – and to the customers and communities we serve,” Kapadia said. “Seeing the impact heart disease has had on my community, I feel a profound responsibility to step up and help drive awareness and funding. The Heart Walk is more than just a single event. It’s a powerful demonstration of unity and hope. As chair, I'm most looking forward to connecting with participants, hearing their stories, and witnessing the incredible energy that comes from thousands of people walking together for a common, life-saving cause. I'm excited to help amplify the message of heart health and inspire even more individuals and organizations to join our mission.”
According to the Heart Association’s 2024 CPR Perceptions Survey, 39% of people — or approximately 103 million U.S. adults — now feel “extremely confident” or “very confident” they could correctly perform CPR, up from 33% in 2021. That’s roughly 17.7 million more adults who are highly confident in their ability to conduct CPR, yet 61% still lack high confidence to act in a cardiac emergency.
“While we’re extremely proud of the progress that’s been made over the last several years, our work is far from over,” said Sara Hegarty, executive director, American Heart Association – Southeast Michigan. “Niraj’s commitment to making Detroit a safer, stronger community is proof he’s the right person for the role. We’re looking forward to seeing incredible results from this year’s Heart Walk campaign and hope the community will join us in making it a success.”
The Heart Association is a global leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and the official publisher of CPR guidelines. Through the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, the Association is working to ensure that more people are ready to perform CPR and be a vital link in the chain of survival, supporting its goal of doubling the survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by 2030.
The Detroit Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, on Belle Isle. Participants will walk in celebration of local survivors and the lifesaving progress made in Southeast Michigan. Companies interested in participating can contact local Heart Walk Associate VP Samantha Kaniewski at Samantha.Kaniewski@heart.org. Learn more and register at www.miheartwalk.org.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
Media Contact
Sarah Rood: Sarah.Rood@heart.org, 734.626.8237
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721), heart.org and stroke.org
