Gerald E. Johnson II

As the Executive Vice President, Health Equity and Chief Diversity Officer for the American Heart Association, Gerald is responsible for leading strategy, growing investment and driving impact for equitable health and wellbeing globally. A NYC native and business leader, Gerald brings a wealth of consumer and B2B marketing experience from major Fortune 500 Companies including Unilever, Nabisco, Dr. Pepper/7-UP, Cadbury Schweppes, ConAgra Foods and Magic Johnson Enterprises. As a volunteer, Gerald remains committed to making a difference in communities nationally by serving on committees and boards over the years at The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.), Catholic Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Meals on Wheels. Gerald currently sits on the National Board of Directors for the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), which represents the global consumer products industry of leading companies, 20,000 brands and a collective spend of $400 billion annually.