Dr Vonda Wright named president of Metro Atlanta American Heart Association

PRESS RELEASE

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga — Dr. Vonda Wright, chief of sports medicine, Northside Hospital, has been named president of the Metro Atlanta American Heart Association board of directors.

Dr. Wright is a double board certified orthopedic surgeon. She specializes in sports medicine for patients of all ages, and uses the latest in injury prevention, conservative care and minimally invasive surgery for any sports injuries, including disorders of the hip, shoulder and knee.

Prior to joining Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine, she was an associate professor at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and served as the inaugural medical director of the UPMC Lemieux sports complex – where she provided care for the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Penguins Elite Teams and World Rugby 7’s.

“Chronic mobility positively impacts the negative natural history of more than 33 chronic diseases that kill Americans and comprise the category of ‘sedentary death Syndrome,'” said Dr. Wright. “As an orthopedic surgeon saving mobility every day, my career aligns with the five pillars of the American Heart Association’s mission and the Heart of Atlanta movement.”

For Dr. Wright, the appointment is also personal.

“Both of my grandmothers died of strokes in their 70’s; this year my parents, both in their 80s, underwent major lifesaving cardiovascular procedures and cardiac critical care… I too live a legacy of heart disease as I have inherited familial hypercholesterolemia which despite my attention to healthy living has changed my health,” said Dr. Wright.