UCI Health cardiologist is American Heart Association’s Woman of Impact
Dr. Shaista Malik awarded Go Red for Women Orange County honor by raising funds, awareness of heart disease, stroke
Orange, Calif. — Dr. Shaista Malik, the founding executive director of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, part of UCI Health, is the 2025 winner of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Orange County Woman of Impact award.
Malik earned the award through fundraising and driving educational initiatives to raise awareness of how heart disease and stroke affect women.
“It was important for me to participate in Woman of Impact because every woman deserves a heart-healthy future, which is why it’s critical to prioritize preventing heart disease and stroke for the women in our communities,” said Malik.
“I am honored to have received this recognition and am excited to continue working alongside the American Heart Association and its Go Red for Women initiative to help ensure all women know their risk factors and have the information they need to live longer, healthier lives.”
Tatyana Popkova, UCI Health chief strategy officer and senior vice president of ambulatory, is the community volunteer chair of the 2025 Orange County Go Red for Women movement.
Go Red for Women is a worldwide initiative of the American Heart Association designed to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women locally, nationally and globally. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for women in the U.S., according to the association. One reason is because the signs are often misdiagnosed or missed entirely, which include unexplained fatigue, nausea and jaw pain.
Leading provider of cardiovascular care
UCI Health and the cardiologists of the Mary & Steve Wen Cardiovascular Division in the UC Irvine School of Medicine have established one of California’s leading heart health centers, with a commitment to providing world-class care, advanced by clinical innovation, at 11 UCI Health locations, including the Tsai Ya Au Heart & Vascular Pavilion at UCI Medical Center in Orange and the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care in Irvine.
UCI Health Women’s Heart Services is the only program in Orange County based at an academic health system. Its female heart-health physicians have the expertise to identify the signs of heart disease in women than are frequently missed, including coronary microvascular disease.
They also lead research that advances the understanding of the unique life events affecting women and their risk for heart disease, such as pregnancy.
Recognized for its leading-edge treatments and diagnostic capabilities, UCI Health consistently delivers safe, high-quality heart care for all populations, setting benchmarks in the field of cardiovascular medicine.