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Curriculum vitae

Lisa Zahakos RPA-C

Physician Assistant · Founder, HEART RESERVE · Medical Writer, Educator & Patient-Family Advocate

New Jersey · Clinical practice 2003–2018 · Advocacy since 2018

Lisa Zahakos brings clinical experience in interventional cardiology, executive, preventive and integrative medicine, psychiatry and addiction medicine to clear medical communication. Since 2018, her work has focused on family advocacy and, more recently, women’s heart-health education. As a mother of four, including twins born after a complicated pregnancy, she helps women bring their health history, concerns and priorities into conversations with their clinicians.

heartreserve.blog/cv · lisazahakos@gmail.com

Download CV (PDF)Download CV (Word)Media kit & headshotsProfessional inquiries

Education &
research development

Medical Education Developer & PA Narrator

2026–present · In development

Developing Pregnancy Is Heart History, a case-based CME/CE initiative on reproductive history and cardiovascular and metabolic care. Leads educational concept development, medical writing, clinical case design and narration.

Global Education Group: accreditation planning, grant development, proposal review and preparation of grant materials.

myCME / Haymarket Medical Education: program, audience and outcomes planning, with a written proposal for hosting and distribution of an enduring activity, assessments and follow-up evaluation.

ReachMD: separate program-development discussions and feedback on educational gaps, women’s cardiovascular risk, obesity and diabetes, outcomes and digital formats.

Activities remain in development. Clinical, accreditation and platform approvals, funding and launch are pending; no pilot is active.

Reproductive history and cardiovascular risk

2026–present · Research-question development

She is developing research questions on reproductive history and cardiovascular risk in consultation with Women’s Health Initiative investigators.

Pregnancy Is Heart History

Proposed education and care-continuity initiative

Developing a practical approach to asking about pregnancy history, preserving it in the medical record and bringing it into later cardiovascular care. Current work includes a proposed approach to maternal follow-up during a baby’s NICU stay. Pilot development remains at the proposal stage.

Read the initiative

Leadership, editorial
& patient education

Associate Editor · CardioSmart, American College of Cardiology

2026–present

Developing patient-education contributions with the CardioSmart team, drawing on clinical and lived experience. Current discussions address pregnancy history, cardiovascular health and practical questions for healthcare visits.

Founder, Medical Writer & Podcast Host · HEART RESERVE

2025–present

Created a women’s cardiovascular-health education platform built around patient–clinician collaboration: a woman brings her history, concerns and priorities; her clinician brings medical expertise; together, they decide what deserves attention next.

Developed the free Heart Story tool, appointment worksheets and resources for pregnancy, life after the NICU, midlife and blood sugar. Every section of Heart Story is optional; users can save or print a summary without an email address or account. Writes plain-English educational articles, creates videos and hosts the HEART RESERVE podcast.

Heart Story tool · Educational resources · Podcast & guest interviews

Recognition

Finalist, Inspiring Change Leader of the Year · Women in Change Awards 2026

2026

Selected as a finalist in recognition of leadership and contribution to her community.

Clinical experience

  1. 2014–2018

    Jersey Medical Care, P.C.

    Physician Assistant · Psychiatry & Addiction Medicine · Matawan, New Jersey

    Delivered outpatient psychiatric assessment, medication management and longitudinal follow-up for adults with mood, anxiety, attention, sleep and substance use disorders. Monitored treatment response, adverse effects, medication interactions, adherence and safety. Coordinated additional medical evaluation and patient education, helping patients address practical barriers to their treatment plans.

  2. 2008–2014

    PATH Medical

    Physician Assistant · Executive, Preventive & Integrative Medicine · New York, New York

    Provided cardiovascular assessment and executive physicals at Dr. Eric R. Braverman’s integrative medicine practice, PATH Medical (Place for Achieving Total Health). Reviewed symptoms, history, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, ECGs and prior cardiac testing in preventive, hormone and metabolic care. Brought an interventional-cardiology background to a practice spanning nutrition, weight management and healthy aging. Contributed through patient care to the practice’s clinical research activities associated with PATH Foundation NY. Volunteered with the practice’s Wounded Warrior Program.

    Research setting during this tenure: PATH’s 2014 MAHCOS study analyzed 796 women seen from January 2009 through February 2013. Its 2012 adiposity study used clinical records from 1998–2009, overlapping the first part of her tenure. These papers describe the practice’s research; Lisa’s contribution was through patient care.

  3. 2003–2008

    Ayman E. Farid, MD · Interventional Cardiology

    Physician Assistant · Cardiovascular Assessment & Diagnostic Testing · New York

    Provided cardiovascular evaluation, diagnostic testing, medication management and follow-up in Dr. Farid’s interventional cardiology practice. Performed and interpreted nuclear cardiac stress tests, performed and monitored exercise treadmill tests, and interpreted Holter recordings to correlate rhythm findings with symptoms. Evaluated patients with coronary and vascular disease, chest pain, breathlessness and palpitations. Counseled patients on blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, nutrition, physical activity and medication adherence as part of cardiovascular risk reduction.

Professional support

AMA Honors nomination · Letter from Nanette K. Wenger, MD

September 2026 · Letter included with submitted nomination

In September 2026, Nanette K. Wenger, MD, provided a signed letter supporting Lisa’s nomination for the AMA Honors — Excellence in Communication Award, based on her review of Lisa’s writing about pregnancy history and women’s cardiovascular health.

The reviewed writing included “The Pregnancy Your Heart Remembers.”

Read Dr. Wenger’s contribution and article-specific statement

Selected published
work & interviews

EO: 236 Heart Reserve with Lisa Zahakos, RPA-C

Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee · Episode 236 · October 16, 2026

Lisa joins Dr. Cornelia Graves and Brenda Barker to discuss pregnancy history, mothers’ heart health after the NICU, and questions to bring to a healthcare visit.

A World Heart Day story

World Heart Federation · September 11, 2026

Lisa shares her twin-pregnancy experience and why she wants women’s health histories to stay part of their ongoing care.

Recorded interviews
awaiting publication

Graham’s Foundation

Recorded

Interview with Nicholas Hall. Recording complete; publication has not yet been confirmed.

Physician Assistant History Society

Recorded

Oral history interview. Recording complete; editing in progress.

Forthcoming writing
& appearances

Health Story Collaborative

Accepted October 16, 2026 · Publication pending

“When the Clinician Becomes the Patient.”

Dear NICU Mama

Recording scheduled ·

A Dose of Health

Recording scheduled ·

Healthy in the Garden State

Taking Healthcare by Storm

Recording scheduled ·

Quality Insights

The MamasteFit Podcast

Recording scheduled ·

MamasteFit

In the Mix

Invited guest segment · January–February 2027 · Filming date to be confirmed

Dina Deleasa-Gonsar has included Lisa in planning for the show’s January–February health and wellness segments, with a conversation about women’s heart health from pregnancy through midlife.

Community education
& outreach

Bringing HEART RESERVE to patient and family communities

Following conversations with Lisa, Graham’s Foundation, NICU Strong, FLRRiSH, Sisters@Heart and Dear NICU Mama agreed to share HEART RESERVE with their communities.

NICU Strong

Conversation completed ·

Sameh Hussein, MD · Founder

Discussed mothers’ health after a NICU experience and bringing that history into ongoing care. Agreed to share HEART RESERVE with the NICU Strong community.

Sisters@Heart

Conversation completed ·

Caitlan Kane, M.Ed. · Co-founder and president

Connected about women’s heart-health education and ways to help their communities. Agreed to share HEART RESERVE with the Sisters@Heart community.

FLRRiSH

Conversation completed ·

Jodi Klaristenfeld · Founder

Discussed support for NICU families. Agreed to share HEART RESERVE resources and discussed a future Instagram Live and possible community education opportunities.

Dear NICU Mama

Conversation completed ·

Ashley Ham · Introductory conversation

Connected about the NICU experience and mothers’ health. Agreed to share HEART RESERVE with the community; a separate podcast recording is scheduled for October 19, 2026.

Once Upon A Preemie & Hand to Hold

Community education in development

Coordinating a proposed November Prematurity Awareness Month contribution with Once Upon A Preemie. Outreach to Hand to Hold is underway.

Patient perspectives through Global Heart Hub

September 2026 · Introductions to patient advocates

Global Heart Hub’s Women & Heart Patient Network circulated an invitation and introduced Lisa to interested US patient advocates for individual feedback on HEART RESERVE. These introductions support independent patient perspectives; Global Heart Hub is not reviewing or endorsing the book.

Book manuscript

Love Your Heart: What Every Woman Needs to Know to Live Stronger, Longer

Working title · Completed nonfiction manuscript · Seeking publication

A practical book about bringing a woman’s health history into decisions about her heart. Introduces the Heart Story method and FLOW, BEAT, PUMP and POWER: blood flow, heartbeat, pumping function, and strength and stamina.

Book overview

Advocacy &
community service

Patient-Family Ambassador & Consultant · USFetus

2018–present

Supports families worldwide navigating twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), selective intrauterine growth restriction (SIUGR), fetal surgery and the NICU. Provides one-to-one peer support, helps parents organize questions and find credible information, and connects families with specialist evaluation and second-opinion pathways.

Alongside her USFetus work, contributes videos with her twin sons to the TTTS Foundation’s annual December awareness campaign, coordinating with founder Mary Slaman.

Founder & Writer · Peter & Maurice

2018–present

Created a real-time family blog documenting twin pregnancy, fetal surgery, premature birth and the NICU. Approximately 58,000 views, with continuing reader engagement and family connections across TTTS, SIUGR and NICU communities.

Read Peter & Maurice

Founder · Sew Away Corona

2020–2022 · Community relief & corporate partnerships

Founded and led a grassroots COVID-19 relief network that delivered more than 500,000 masks to frontline workers. Mobilized professional seamstresses, 20 Broadway costume designers and community volunteers; matched hospital requests with makers and supplies. Directed partner outreach, sourcing, volunteer coordination, packing, shipping and distribution.

Led two Citi collaborations: frontline-worker care packages and back-to-school donations. Hospital recipients included Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens; school donations reached The Midland School and John P. Stevens High School. Citi Treasury and Trade Services publicly acknowledged the collaboration on June 30, 2020.

Designed mask adapters and coordinated 3D printing to help relieve strap pressure for healthcare workers and children. Organized a Lush-supported campaign to donate 3,000 gift bags to frontline hospital workers in New York and New Jersey; mobilized support from Supergoop! and community partners.

Early reporting documented 2,000 group members within a week and 5,000 surgical masks procured (NJ 101.5), plus 2,000+ masks made and sent to at least five NYC hospitals (NY City Lens). The GoFundMe campaign raised $12,323 from 237 donations.

Explore the Sew Away Corona projects and photographs

New Jersey 101.5 coverage · NY City Lens coverage · GoFundMe campaign

Education &
credentials

Wagner College
Physician Assistant Studies · 2003
National certification
NCCPA-certified physician assistant
Licensure
New Jersey and New York · Professional designation: RPA-C

Updated . Community conversations, projects in development, recorded interviews and upcoming appearances are identified separately.