About Liz Lazar-Johnson
Executive Director
Liz founded Via Heart Project in January of 2010. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology, she found her passion in raising automated external defibrillator (AED) awareness and helping the families of sudden cardiac arrest victims. As our Executive Director, she brings more than 16 years of experience in startups and project management and 15 years’ experience implementing public access defibrillation programs.
Liz has collaborated with numerous hospitals, healthcare districts, organizations, and Fortune 500 companies to place over 2,500 AEDs in more than 25 countries.
Liz’s hobbies include pedicures and skydiving (though not at the same time). She currently resides in San Diego, California with her Navy Captain husband and their daughter Alexandra, and she commutes in to the Bay Area for events and work at Via.
Interesting Facts About Liz:
- She is working on kicking a serious toothpick addiction.
- She’s had ophidiophobia (an irrational fear of snakes) for as long as she can remember. No, she doesn’t care if they aren’t slimy or poisonous.
- She loves jumping out of perfectly good airplanes with a parachute attached to her back and has her skydiving C license.