Hope, Health & Heart Program

• Submit a question for the panel at the MHIF table
• Shop the marketplace where 20% of proceeds benefit MHIF
• Visit the DJ on stage and request a song
• Take a photo with friends & share on social media
• Make a donation to support ongoing women’s heart research
   

5:30PM Socialize, Food, Drinks & Marketplace

6:45PM Program:

• Video about women’s heart health research and patient heart journeys
• Welcome by Kristine Fortman, PhD, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation CEO
• Video introducing our panel of experts and interactive dialogue with Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute® experts in women’s heart health, Michael Miedema, MD; Retu Saxena, MD; and Kirsten Shaw, MD

Hosted bar with beer, wine, variety of N/A options
 

Passed Hors d'Oeuvres

• Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with green mojo sauce GF DF NF
• Chicken Tinga , oven roasted pulled chicken, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo & cilantro on a mini house fried tostada GF DF NF
• Sundried Tomato Sweet Potato Bites, sweet potato coins, sundried tomato cashew cream & tapenade, garnished with basil GF VG
   

Tuscan Dips & Drizzles Bar

• Unique extra virgin olive oils, infused oils such as garlic, lemon, rosemary, or chili, aged balsamic, bruschetta, olive tapenade, marinated & fresh olives, pesto dip
• Spinach & Artichoke Dip (V NF) with za’atar spiced naan bread
• Crudite Platter with fresh raw vegetables, green goddess dip & traditional hummus
   

CRAVE Salad Bar

• Orzo Salad Platter - orzo pasta, vine ripened tomato, cucumber, roasted peppers, fresh herbs, bok choy & arugula, tossed in basil vinaigrette  VG NF
• CRAVE Salad Platter  - spring mix, candied walnuts, chèvre, balsamic vinaigrette & balsamic drizzle GF V
• Sweet Corn & Tomato Salad Platter - roasted Minnesota sweet corn, heirloom tomato, pickled red onion, fresh herbs, baby kale & basil vinaigrette GF VG NF
• Chilled Grilled Chicken Breast Platter GF DF NF
• Chilled Grilled Salmon Filet Platter GF DF NF
• Seasonal Fruit Platter GF VG NF
   

Dr. Michael Miedema is director of the Nolan Family Center for Cardiovascular Health at Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and director of cardiovascular prevention at Minneapolis Heart Institute®. Dr. Miedema obtained his medical degree and completed a cardiovascular fellowship at the University of Minnesota Medical School and also has a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He is a leading national expert in cardiovascular prevention. He serves as an Associate Editor for the digital content for the Prevention Section of the American College of Cardiology. He served on the executive review committee for the 2018 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines, and was a member of the 2019 ACC/AHA Guidelines Committee for the Primary Prevention of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Miedema was recognized as a 2025 Top Doctor by Mpls St. Paul Magazine.

Dr. Retu Saxena is a general cardiologist at Minneapolis Heart Institute® with expertise in women’s heart disease, noninvasive imaging and critical care, as well as specific research interests related to cardiovascular risk factors that emerge during pregnancy. She has provided training to ob-gyn and women’s care practitioners to help them better manage risk among their patients as part of MHIF’s BROACH initiative (Broadening the Role of Ob-Gyns in Assessing Cardiovascular Health). Dr. Saxena was recognized as a 2025 Top Doctor for Women by Minnesota Monthly and a 2025 Top Doctors by Mpls St. Paul Magazine.

Dr. Kirsten Shaw is a recent Cardiology Fellow graduate from Hennepin Healthcare & Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute, and is accredited as the lead author and driving force behind a recent study that found Hollywood is contributing to misconceptions surrounding heart attacks by depicting them mostly as older white men grabbing their chests: "Portrayal of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Popular Film: A Review of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity," published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. 

Kristine Fortman is CEO of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF), a world-class, nonprofit cardiovascular research and education organization focused on creating a world without heart and vascular disease. Through her leadership she engages passionate and renowned physician partners, dedicated researchers and functional teams to pursue lifesaving research and education to improve care and options for patients around the world. Kris serves on the Boards for MHIF, the American Red Cross (MN, Dakotas Region) as Board Secretary, and Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation. Prior to MHIF, Kris spent ten years at Medtronic in a variety of clinical roles and elevating to a leadership role as director of global engagement for Medtronic Philanthropy. Kris also served as a Policy Fellow at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities in Minneapolis, MN.