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Tammy Gillette - Raising Health Awareness
By:Dawn BoyerThe heart of any organization is an employee who cares. Tammy Gillette fits that bill as Corporate Events Director for the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate. She has been described as “outgoing,” “resourceful,” “good under pressure,” “strong-willed,” and “fun-loving” “I like working somewhere where there’s a mission, where you can measure your results and where you can go home every day and feel like you’re making a difference,” she says. Gillette was previously with Planned Parenthood of Springfield, where she worked for about four years, as well as having worked in the office while fundraising efforts were going on for the Illinois Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial that was built at Oak Ridge Cemetary. “That’s how I got the whole fundraising and not-for-profit bug,” she explains. “I was looking to do more fundraising and more of the “hands on” work instead of strictly working in the office, and that’s what brought me to the American Heart Association. I love that I get to work in the field a lot, and go out and meet with survivors of heart disease as well as educate companies and individuals on healthier lifestyles.”
Gillette is a Springfield native who attended high school at Chatham Glenwood. After high school, she stayed at home and raised her three children, Stephanie, Megan and Nicholas. When her youngest went off to school, she decided she was ready to enter to the workforce. “I’ve taken classes here and there at Lincoln Land, but I never got a degree because I was lucky enough to get into a job I really liked. Also, I think raising three kids was like graduating from a school of hard knocks – I learned a lot. And in my jobs I’ve always tried to absorb as much information as I can and keep improving my skills.” Gillette currently resides in Springfield with her daughters, Stephanie and Megan, along with her two-year-old granddaughter, Ava. Stephanie and Megan are also Glenwood graduates and both work in Springfield. Nicholas will be a junior this fall at New Berlin High School. /p>
As a little girl, she spent a lot of time on Lake Springfield. Her parents were avid waterskiiers and belonged to a lake club. “They were very involved in work and social circles, so there were a lot of events to go to. I saw how important it was to them, and I think that’s how you learn. I’m hoping the same things are happening with my kids. Nick and Megan go to every one of my heart walks with me - they’re usually the popcorn poppers or the balloon blower-uppers, and they could tell you that they probably don’t like it that much (mainly because we have to get up at four a.m.) but they’re always good sports about it, they get to meet the people that are making a difference, and I think as they get older they’ll recognize its importance even more.”
Gillette’s outgoing personality comes in handy when she is called on to do radio and t.v. interviews for one the organizations she is involved in. In addition to being Corporate Events Director for the American Heart Association since 2003, she is also an Ambassador of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, a graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Springfield program, and a Board member of the Young Springfield Professionals Network. She often volunteers for Downtown Springfield Inc. events, and in 2007 she was listed in Springfield Business Journal’s 40 under 40.
“I love meeting new people and I love talking to people,” she says.“Interacting with people and knowing that this person or someone they love may have survived because they had CPR performed or were saved by an AED or had a stent put in, and that all of that comes from research funded by the American Heart Association really makes it worthwhile. So while I’m out there raising funds, and in this economy it can be difficult, I know that it makes a difference because I meet the people whose lives those funds save. It’s kind of a no-brainer. At the end of the day, I know why I do what I do; it’s because it saves people’s lives.”
Each November, the American Heart Association holds a scientific symposium where doctors come from around the world to share the newest, cutting-edge treatments for heart disease and stroke. “You never know what the next thing will be,” Gillette says. “Less than 50 years ago, there wasn’t CPR or a defibrillator that could be used to shock someone in a school gym, or pacemakers, or stents, or so many of the other life-saving procedures, so who really knows what could be next.” In the past five years, the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate has raised a little over 27 million dollars for research studies in cardiovascular diseases at Illinois Universities and Institutes. “I’ve learned from talking with many cardiac doctors in Springfield and Decatur that most all of them at some point in their career have received funding from the American Heart Association to help with research and/or advance their careers. It’s nice to know that the research we fund really affects the people in the community,” Gillette comments.
“The thing about cardiovascular diseases is that they’re preventable. There are some hereditary factors in there that obviously you can’t change, but you can change your lifestyle and your physical activity, what you eat, and whether you smoke. That’s why education is the second component of our fundraising activities.” The annual Go Red Luncheon is an example of one of these educational opportunities. The event will be held at the Springfield Hilton on September 17th. Individual seats cost $40 or companies may sponsor a table for their employees. Up to 350 people may attend the event, which includes a heart-healthy lunch, professional health screenings, a speaker, health information, and a take-home cookbook. “The main purpose of the luncheon is to educate women that heart disease is their number one killer and teach them about the risk factors and steps they can take to change those things,” Gillette says. “Heart disease kills more women than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer, a fact that many women are unaware of. We have a great speaker this year. She is a mother of three who suffered a heart attack at thirty-two years of age and is sharing her inspiring story to empower others to take charge of their health.”
The Heart Walk, held May 1st at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, is a family-oriented event which draws anywhere from 500 to 1200 participants. “Our Start! program focuses on how walking really can make differences in your life and increase your health benefits. It’s easy to do; it’s not expensive; you don’t need a lot of equipment; and you can do it with family or friends, at home or at work.” Physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease, so the Heart Walk and the Start! program focus on using physical activity to become healthier and more active. Because the Heart Walk is also a fundraiser, participants are asked to raise donations at their workplace and with their family and friends, but there is no fee to attend.
“The last five or six years, the American Heart Association has really changed, and very much for the better. When I first started here, the role of fundraiser was to raise money, so when I called on people, they knew what I wanted, but now I have so many tools I can offer. So I get to visit and say, ‘Thank you for supporting that luncheon. Your dollars are important; here’s where the research money went and here’s what we have to give back to you.’ There are a lot more deliverables, I think, than we’ve ever had before.” One of those deliverables is the website, www.americanheart.org, which contains volumes of advice and resources for providers, patients, caregivers, and parents on such topics as heart disease, stroke, and childhood obesity. There are online wellness programs users can take advantage of to learn about their risk factors for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, as well as in-depth information and personal stories concerning metabolic syndromes. “If there’s one thing people don’t know about the American Heart Association, it’s that we have all of these tools, most of them free or at very little cost.” The American Heart Association’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation initiative addresses childhood obesity. The Power to End Stroke initiative calls attention to stroke being the number three killer of Americans and the disproportionate risk African Americans have for stroke. “We have shortened the time it takes from the onset of stroke until that person can get diagnosed and treated, and there are more procedures that can be done to save parts of the brain from dying, which is what causes the long-term disabling effects of stroke,” Gillette says. “Knowing the symptoms of a stroke and seeking immediate medical assistance are key to survival.” Having met its 2010 goal: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 15% and reduce death from cardiovascular disease by 15%, the American Heart Association has recently set a new goal for 2020: to reduce both areas by an additional 20%.
Gillette’s personal goal is to persuade more individuals to volunteer for planning committees and commit to helping develop events. “There is so much you could do. You could help plan the logistics of an event or help recruit walkers for a Heart Walk; we need somebody to donate water; we need people to hang banners, we need people who care about making a difference. . . What I really look for are people who will take ownership and get involved and be a part of the American Heart Association as an ambassador of our lifesaving work. It’s not only that you need to learn about cardiovascular health for yourself, but you have to share it with others.” Gillette hopes to expand current committees with more individuals and more diversity. Currently, the American Heart Association relies on volunteer support from groups such as the Young Springfield Professionals Network (YSPN), of which she is a Board member. YSPN grew out of a group project for Leadership Springfield, and is now in its third year. It is a networking organization that also provides educational components and community service opportunities.
“My charge on the YSPN Board is planning professional development events. We provide a quarterly educational luncheon on topics of interest to young professionals, such as managing multiple generations in the workplace and tax tips for young professionals,” she says. A lot of people ask what constitutes a “young” professional. “We always say you can be young or young at heart. The minimum age is twenty-one, but there’s no end point. At forty-one, I’m the oldest Board member. Most of our members are in their thirties.” Gillette says the Young Springfield Professionals Network fills a need and offers a lot to members. “The luncheon is usually ten dollars to cover the costs of the meal, so it’s reasonable for young professionals. We try to offer something for everyone: a lunch during the day, networking events at night for people who enjoy going out after hours, a night golf outing, a trivia night, and we try to incorporate a charitable donation or a service component into our events as well.” Gillette sees YSPN filling a gap between the generation of volunteers who have been helping for so long that they’re ready for a break and the younger generation who haven’t discovered it yet. “We’re kind of in this dead zone where it can be hard to fill a committee or get someone to commit to chair an event because a lot of people don’t understand what it’s about. I think that YSPN is a great vehicle for addressing that need - getting more people involved and getting the younger generation involved.”
Gillette admits to being a workaholic, but she does make time for herself as well. She spends a lot of time boating, and she and her boyfriend, Tyler Lathom, like to take weekend trips to visit area wineries. (No doubt she chooses the heart-healthy reds!) “I like to get away for the weekend, whether it’s boating in Peoria or catching a sporting event in St. Louis. I just like to get in the car and go new places and meet new friends.” She also has friends in Florida whom she likes to visit occasionally. “I like to go for three or four days to feel the warmth of the sun and the sand,” she says. Last November, she and Tyler and her children took a relaxing trip to Acapulco. “Travel is a nice break from the daily challenges of fundraising and recruiting. Fundraising is challenging all the way around,” she admits. “The economy certainly takes a toll, but we’re really fortunate that the American Heart Association has been very proactive in addressing the economic effects, and we’ve had minimal staff reductions. We’ve looked at how to work most efficiently so we’re maximizing what we bring in for research and education. I think we have done a really good job.”
By tirelessly promoting health awareness and community involvement in both her work and in her personal life, Tammy Gillette embodies a quote by Elbert Hubbard, “Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed.”
