As a longtime healthcare leader and former open-heart surgical nurse, Sutter Health Chief Nurse Officer, Katrina “Kat” Ascencio-Holmes is a passionate advocate for women’s heart health and a committed supporter of the American Heart Association. For Ascencio-Holmes, however, the cause is deeply personal.
After losing her sister-in-law to a heart attack at just 40 years old—and facing another family member’s serious heart disease diagnosis— Ascencio-Holmes saw firsthand how urgently women need greater awareness, early detection and stronger prevention efforts.
In 2025, Ascencio-Holmes, channeled that passion into action, leading a powerful campaign to elevate awareness of heart disease—the No. 1 killer of women. Selected from more than 500 nominees nationwide, she was named the American Heart Association’s 2025 Women of Impact national winner, recognized for her outstanding leadership, advocacy and dedication during the Association’s nine-week Women of Impact campaign, part of the Go Red for Women movement.
Throughout the past year, Ascencio-Holmes, who also serves as chair of the American Heart Association’s 2026 Go Red for Women movement in the Sacramento region, led efforts to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, drive fundraising initiatives and engage the community in support of Go Red for Women. That work included the Embracing Community Care Initiative, which helped deliver blood pressure monitors and heart-health education to community partners across the Sacramento and Yolo region.
“I’m incredibly humbled to be part of this work,” Ascencio-Holmes said. “Sutter has proudly supported Sacramento’s Go Red for Women movement for more than two decades and being able to advocate alongside our community—while seeing the impact of that commitment firsthand—has been truly meaningful to me.”
Now, as her term as Women of Impact comes to a close, Ascencio-Holmes is turning her focus toward supporting two other Sutter leaders who will carry the mission forward. She is championing Laura Wilt, chief digital officer at Sutter Health, and Rachel Hagenbaugh, R.N., Chief Nurse Executive at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, as they kick off the 2026 Women of Impact campaign on Feb. 6.
“Every woman has the power to make a difference and play a role in improving heart health,” Ascencio-Holmes said. “I’m honored to pass the torch and support Laura and Rachel as a Women of Impact nominees as they lead this critical work across our communities.”
In this video Ascencio-Holmes encourages all Women of Impact nominees to “say yes” to the opportunity to raise awareness and funds to fight cardiovascular disease.
“I’m taking Kat’s advice to ‘say yes’ because I believe that we can all contribute in impactful ways,” said Wilt. “I am honored to represent Sutter Health as a 2026 Women of Impact nominee.”
Hagenbaugh echoed that sense of purpose as she steps into her role as a nominee.
“This cause is deeply meaningful to me, both as a nurse and as a woman,” Hagenbaugh said. “I’m inspired by the impact Kat has made through Women of Impact and am honored to follow in her footsteps and help strengthen awareness, education and support for women across our communities.”
The national Go Red for Women movement encourages women to “Know Your Numbers” – including total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index – to reduce heart disease and stroke risk. Wilt’s local efforts will echo this message, drawing on her experience with preventative health programs, including Sutter Sync.
Sutter Sync is Sutter Health’s digital care program designed to integrate patient-generated health data with tailored education, virtual coaching and real-time insights to improve care for people with high blood pressure or dyslipidemia, which includes high cholesterol.
“Sutter Sync’s proactive approach helps patients track their numbers and receive the support they need for better health,” said Wilt. “My work on this program has shown me that everyone can take steps to lower their risk and I’m excited to share that information with my community.”
To learn more about American Heart Association Women of Impact, click here.
