LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 22, 2026 - Sam Kamran has been named the Central Arkansas 2026 Woman of Impact, leading a group of local changemakers who raised awareness and critical funds to help end heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death in women. She is a digital marketing consultant for The Marketing Broker.
Kamran earned the title through the American Heart Association's Woman of Impact™ initiative, a nine-week, high-energy campaign aligned with the national Go Red for Women® movement. The initiative challenges participants to mobilize their networks, champion women's heart health and drive measurable impact through fundraising, education and community engagement.
"Sam Kamran and every one of our Woman of Impact nominees showed what's possible when passionate leaders step forward for women's health," said Nikki Smith, executive director of the American Heart Association-Central Arkansas. "Women's heart health has been underrecognized for too long.
These leaders are accelerating change by funding research, expanding education and bringing women's heart health to the forefront." Campaigns officially launched on National Wear Red Day®, Feb. 6,.
Sam Kamran was named Central Arkansas’ 2026 Woman of Impact by the American Heart Association (AHA).
The recognition acknowledges her role in mobilizing local efforts to raise awareness and funds targeting heart disease and stroke, which the AHA identifies as the leading cause of death in women.
Kamran’s professional affiliation is with The Marketing Broker as a digital marketing consultant.
The award is part of the AHA’s Woman of Impact™ initiative, a nine-week campaign synchronized with the national Go Red for Women® movement.
The program tasks nominees with activating personal and professional networks to advance women’s cardiovascular health through measurable fundraising, public education, and community engagement activities.
Campaign activity for 2026 began on National Wear Red Day (Feb.
6) and concluded April 9.
Local and national leaderboards determine winners; a top fundraiser will be selected later in the year as the National Woman of Impact.
During the nine-week challenge, nominees in Central Arkansas and beyond organized events, disseminated educational materials, and promoted preventive care behaviors.
The outreach emphasized actions including blood pressure awareness and recognition of heart attack and stroke warning signs.
Funds raised support cardiovascular research, educational programs, and community initiatives as stated by the AHA.
The AHA framed the initiative within its broader public-health messaging: cardiovascular disease is reported by the organization to account for one in three female deaths and to affect nearly 45% of women aged 20 and older.
The AHA also states that more than 80% of heart events are preventable through lifestyle modification, early detection, and education—points used to justify the campaign’s prevention and awareness emphasis.
Nikki Smith, executive director of American Heart Association–Central Arkansas, is quoted describing nominees as catalysts for elevating women’s heart health—highlighting roles in funding research, extending educational reach, and raising the profile of the issue locally.
The AHA’s accompanying organizational description reiterates longstanding commitments to health equity, research funding, advocacy, and public education, with more than a century of activity and a volunteer base exceeding 35 million globally.
The release directs readers interested in following or supporting Central Arkansas nominees to the AHA Central Arkansas Go Red web page.
It also lists general AHA access points—heart.org and social channels—and provides the AHA’s contact number.
The source does not report quantitative campaign results for Central Arkansas (total funds raised, number of events, or participant counts), nor does it provide details about specific programs funded with campaign proceeds.
Information about selection criteria for the local Woman of Impact title beyond fundraising and engagement activity is not specified.
The national winner’s identity and timing for that announcement were not provided in the source.
The announcement situates a community-level recognition within a national movement focused on reducing female cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through fundraising, education, and preventive messaging.
The report emphasizes awareness-building and resource generation as primary mechanisms by which nominees contribute to the AHA’s stated mission.