BALTIMORE, May 19, 2025 — The American Heart Association Baltimore & Greater Maryland Division is proud to announce Dr. Yvonne Commodore-Mensah as the recipient of the 2025 Watkins-Saunders Award.
The award recognizes individuals in Maryland who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to equitable health through clinical or medical work and community improvements.
Commodore-Mensah, a renowned cardiovascular nurse epidemiologist, Professor and Associate Dean for Research at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has dedicated her career to advancing equitable health both locally and globally.
Her research focuses on reducing cardiovascular disease risk among African populations in the United States and sub-Saharan Africa through community-engaged research and implementation science.
Commodore-Mensah is the principal investigator of several significant projects, including the ADHINCRA Program, which addresses hypertension control in Africa, and the LINKED-BP and LINKED-HEARTS programs, which aims to enhance hypertension control and chronic condition management in primary care settings in the United States.
In Baltimore and Maryland, Commodore-Mensah’s work has been instrumental in addressing gaps in health outcomes among African immigrant populations. Her work with the African Immigrant Health Study examines the health of African immigrants in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, providing critical insights into the social determinants of health and cardiovascular disease epidemiology.
Additionally, she serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Greater Baltimore and Maryland American Heart Association, where she contributes to the Association’s mission of advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere.
Commodore-Mensah's involvement with the American Heart Association includes serving on the writing committee for the 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Clinical Performance and Quality Measures for Adults with High Blood Pressure.
Her contributions to the field have earned her fellowships and awards from the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Nursing, and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.
"I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the 2025 Watkins-Saunders Award," said Commodore-Mensah. “This award honors the memory of two giants in the cardiology field, who fought for enhancing diversity in the cardiology workforce.”
“I'm honored that the American Heart Association thinks that I am deserving of this honor, but what I hope that this does is that someone like me sees this and knows that they too, can accomplish anything they set their hearts to, that their dreams are valid, that they can do things their way and still have meaningful impact,” she continued.
Dr. Seth Martin, the president of the American Heart Association, Baltimore & Greater Maryland division Board of Directors, and member of the committee who nominated Commodore-Mensah for the Watkins-Saunders Award, remarked, "Dr. Commodore-Mensah's dedication to addressing health disparities and her impactful research has benefitted the lives of many. Her work exemplifies the spirit of the Watkins-Saunders Award, and she is truly deserving of this honor."
The Watkins-Saunders Award, established in 2012, honors the legacy of Dr. Levi Watkins and Dr. Elijah Saunders, pioneers in the field of cardiology who were committed to equality in health care. Click here to learn more.
Commodore-Mensah was recognized at the American Heart Association's Heart of Maryland Night of Impact event in April. A digital presentation that is open to the public will take place on June 19, 2025, at noon. To register for the digital presentation, visit https://bit.ly/WSA25.
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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.
For Media Inquiries
Wayne Carter, wayne.carter@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org
