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Meet Our
Founders

Dr. Columbus & Danette Batiste

The Co-Founders of Healthy Heart Nation bring their collective talents and passions together to benefit the African American community on disparities and how to overcome them.

These Co-Founders understood that to service their community it would take a team of enthusiastic experts in the areas of business, education, health, and justice with a focus on community initiatives to make impacts for positive and sustainable change. Through their collective networks, the Healthy Heart Nation team utilizes professionals to educate and inform their community through publications, campaigns, documentaries, lectures, social media, workshops, and community outreach.

Danette Batiste

Chief Executive Officer

Danette Batiste is the co-founder and CEO of Healthy Heart Nation, where she leads the organization’s mission to reduce disparities in communities by addressing the root causes of health inequity — such as access to quality education, economic opportunity, and supportive environments.

Before co-founding Healthy Heart Nation, Danette spent over 25 years in the Information Technology sector, serving in senior leadership roles that spanned operations, business development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).

In these roles, she implemented strategies for company culture, client relationships, and performance outcomes. She led enterprise-wide training on cultural competence and unconscious bias, built thriving employee resource groups, and worked to ensure underrepresented voices were not just heard — but empowered.

Danette’s long-time role as Vice President of Operations at a minority- and women-owned firm in Culver City, CA, saw her managing a team of over 300 staff and subcontractors across 40 states. There, she honed her skills in people leadership, process optimization, and mission-driven service — all of which she has carried into her work at Healthy Heart Nation.

Her transition from corporate leader to nonprofit co-founder was fueled by a desire to use her expertise to address the deeper, systemic issues that affect community health and opportunity. Today, Danette remains passionate about bridging strategy with service to create more equitable conditions for individuals and families to thrive.

Dr. Columbus Batiste

Dr. Columbus D. Batiste is an Interventional Cardiologist who previously served as an Assistant Clinical Professor and the Regional Chief of Cardiology for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

In 2010, Dr. Batiste changed his approach to chronic disease management, focusing on long-term solutions involving nutrition, stress reduction, and exercise rather than relying solely on prescriptions and procedures.

In 2016, he collaborated with Samsung Technologies to develop a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program that has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients.

Dr. Batiste’s commitment to community health led to the establishment of the non-profit organization Healthy Heart Nation, dedicated to addressing social determinants of health. He is also an advocate for whole food plant-based nutrition and has lectured internationally. In 2024, he published his first book, “Selfish: A Cure for a Stressed Heart.”