Murfreesboro, TN - Four Nashville individuals have been named to the American Heart Association’s Greater Southeast Affiliate board of directors for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The Greater Southeast Affiliate services Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Puerto Rico.

Joey V. Barnett, PhD, has been chosen as President-elect of the board.

Barnett is Vice Chair of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, with his research focusing on heart development and heart disease in children. He has been affiliated with the organization for 20 years. In that time, he has served on the board of directors of the American Heart Association, Greater Nashville, including a term as President in 2000, and has served in several capacities on the Greater Southeast Affiliate board and chaired several national and regional research committees for the association. Barnett is a resident of Nashville.

Steven V. Manoukian, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, has been elected as Vice President.

Dr. Manoukian is Director of Cardiovascular Research, Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Medical Director of Cardiology of Hospital Corporation of America, Inc. in Nashville. He has been affiliated with the American Heart Association for nearly fifteen years. During that time he has served as Chairman of the Mission: Lifeline (heart attack) Task Force and member of the Strategic Health Initiatives Committee.  On the national level, he is a member of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group and the Acute Cardiac Care and General Cardiology Committee.  Prior to moving to Nashville, he served in roles of increasing responsibility for the Metro Atlanta association, including as President of its board of directors.  He is also an emeritus member of the Greater Nashville board of directors. Manoukian lives in Nashville with his wife Amy and children Alexandria, Abigail, Isabella and Daniel.

Keith Churchwell, M.D. and H. Newton (Newt) Williams have been named as members of the board.

Dr. Churchwell is Executive Director/Chief Medical Officer of Vanderbilt Heart & Vascular Institute. He also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, Greater Nashville for 2010-11. He has been affiliated with the organization for two years. Churchwell is a resident of Nashville.

Williams is a retired executive of Celanese Corporation, where he served as President of Hoechst-Roussel Canada Pharmaceuticals. He has been affiliated with the American Heart Association for four years, serving as Chair of the Tennessee Advocacy Subcommittee for two years. Williams is a resident of Nashville.