Chong S. Park, MD, cardiovascular/thoracic surgeon and director of the Cardiovascular Unit (CVU) at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, and Judy M. Hall, vice president, cardiovascular services and oncology programming at Jefferson Regional, have been appointed to the American Heart Association (AHA) Allegheny Division Board of Directors for three-year terms effective July 1, 2008.

The Board is responsible for helping to implement AHA’s strategic goals, including health, advocacy and generating revenue, and to provide leadership to AHA volunteers and staff to help fulfill AHA’s mission of encouraging more people to lead heart-healthy lives and reduce the incidence of heart disease.

Robert Frank, executive vice president and COO of the Medical Center, said that Dr. Park and Judy Hall bring a wealth of experience to the Board through their leadership of The Heart Institute at Jefferson Regional.

“I am confident that both of our representatives will make great contributions to this well-respected organization,” Frank said.

Dr. Chong S. Park earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry at Washington and Jefferson College and his medical degree at Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He completed residencies in cardiothoracic surgery at Allegheny General Hospital and in general surgery at Brown University, where he also served as clinical assistant instructor in surgery.

He earned certification by the American Board of Surgery, National Board of Medical Examiners and American Board of Thoracic Surgery. His professional affiliations include the American College of Surgeons, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Pennsylvania Medical Society and Allegheny County Medical Association. He also is a member of the Board of Trustees at Washington and Jefferson College.

Judy M. Hall earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in finance and business administration at Minnesota State University and joined Jefferson Regional in 2004. Her administrative responsibilities as vice president of cardiovascular services and oncology programming include the cardiac catheterization labs, anesthesia and perfusion services, cardiac rehabilitation, physician assistant services, business aspects of general and cardiovascular inpatient surgery, outpatient surgery, cancer planning and programming and new program development.

She serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Radiation Oncology Center, a program of Jefferson Regional Medical Center and UPMC Cancer Centers. She has served on various committees at Jefferson Regional, including the Heart and Vascular Leadership Committee, Medical Executive Committee, Tumor Board and Joint Conference Committee.

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health organization whose mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Since 1924, the AHA has helped protect people of all ages from cardiovascular disease, the nation's No.1 killer, which claims nearly one million Americans a year.