NONPROFIT
Text courtesy of the American Heart Association | Photos by Keith Branch | Shot on location at Hotel Avail in Rogers
Rooted in Red: How Northwest Arkansas’ Circle of Red Keeps Women’s Hearts at the Center
In Northwest Arkansas, the Go Red for Women movement isn’t a once‑a‑year luncheon; it’s a year‑round community that puts women’s hearts at the center of family, work and life. Now in its 23rd year locally, the NWA Go Red for Women luncheon is the oldest in Arkansas and among the oldest in the region — a distinction built on decades of volunteers, survivor stories and donor leadership that refuses to slow down.
At the heart of that effort is the Circle of Red, a philanthropic and advocacy network that rallies survivors, caregivers, health professionals and community champions to elevate women’s heart health. The Circle’s mission is clear: educate women about their unique risks, close gaps in care and mobilize communities to support research, policy and prevention. This work plays out on stages, in workplaces and around kitchen tables across the region.
This year’s Go Red leadership team reflects the region’s trademark collaboration between health care and retail. Go Red for Women co‑chairs Danelle Cobb (The Emerson Group), Amanda Madrid (Sam’s Club) and Jerrit Davis (Walmart) are leading the campaign for the second straight year, bringing corporate know‑how and community passion to a mission that spans Northwest Arkansas.
While the luncheon is the movement’s most visible moment, regularly drawing 1,000 or more guests and having raised up to $680,000, the story of Go Red in Northwest Arkansas is told best through people.
A compelling survivor’s tale is at the center of every luncheon.
When Mackenzie Maddry of Bella Vista was 14, she was focused on beating bone cancer. No one expected the chemotherapy that helped save her life would lead to end‑stage heart failure, an LVAD (left ventricular assist device) implant and, ultimately, a heart transplant before her 18th birthday. After 114 days in a cardiovascular ICU, Mackenzie became the first pediatric patient in Arkansas to go home with an LVAD, which kept her alive until she received a new heart 579 days later in June 2024.
“Life was not on hold anymore,” she said of the moment the device gave her a path back to living.
Mackenzie will share her story at this year’s luncheon — a reminder that heart disease can affect anyone, at any age, and that advanced therapies and research save lives.
The Circle of Red is where much of the momentum is forged. For 2025-26, the group is led by co‑chairs Julie McGrover (Sam’s Club), Jillayne Tompkins (MPG) and Tina Winham (Conair), leaders who blend brand reach with personal conviction. Their charge is simple but ambitious: Keep women front and center in every conversation about health, whether at work, at home or in the community. From underwriting blood pressure kits and screenings to amplifying stories like Mackenzie’s, the Circle of Red ensures the movement’s impact doesn’t end when the ballroom lights dim.
That momentum is multiplied by the 2026 Woman of Impact campaign, which taps local leaders for a nine‑week sprint of fundraising, education and outreach that launched Feb. 6 on National Wear Red Day and wrapped April 9. The Northwest Arkansas winner will be announced May 19 at the Go Red for Women Luncheon at the Rogers Convention Center.
This year’s NWA Woman of Impact nominees are Kassi Bender (MPG), Amanda Daily (Tyson Foods), Rachel Harris (The Emerson Group), Cayla Quade (Walmart), Katie Schifano (Sam’s Club), Jen Taylor (Hain Celestial), Ana Torres‑Lopez and Bailey Zimmerman (Walmart). Their goal is as bold as their résumés: move hearts, move minds and move resources to where women need them most.
Northwest Arkansas didn’t invent Go Red, but it helped perfect it. Nationally, the movement launched in 2004 and has grown from 70 luncheons raising $7 million to more than 150 signature events each year that have collectively raised more than $800 million for women’s cardiovascular health.
It’s easy to see why this matters now. Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of women, and nearly 45% of women over age 20 live with some form of CVD. But so much is preventable through awareness, early detection and equitable access to care. That’s what the Northwest Arkansas team is building — a culture where women recognize symptoms, trust their instincts and have the resources to act.
The secret of Northwest Arkansas’ Go Red legacy? The movement keeps widening the circle. From a survivor who refused to give up, to corporate leaders who keep showing up, to Woman of Impact nominees who won’t let the conversation fade after February, Northwest Arkansas proves that when a community goes red together, women’s hearts stay front and center all year long.
