Chester Zelaya
Board Member
2021–present

“After living outside of my country for 10 years, how can I give back? How do I contribute from my lived experience, from what I have seen and learned? How can I bring something positive back to my country, to help improve people’S lives there?”

Chester Zelaya serves as Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing Operations at Edwards Lifesciences, overseeing international operations, including their state-of-the-art heart valve manufacturing plant located in Costa Rica, where Chester was born and raised. Chester first learned about our organization from an Edwards colleague who suggested that his background and expertise would be a “perfect match” with Heart to Heart’s mission, adding “Heart to Heart is a great organization that Edwards has partnered with for many years.”

Chester frequently travels to Costa Rica for business as well as to visit extended family. He shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve as a board member, “Contributing through Heart to Heart… knowing that as an organization we will be helping babies, toddlers, and kids – in my home country! – will be a great way for me to personally give back.”

Chester also expressed his alignment with Heart to Heart’s approach, which focuses on advanced cardiac education and training. “The difference between Heart to Heart and other non-profits,” Chester remarks, “is Heart to Heart’s true interest and commitment in developing long-term sustainable heart programs which continue to deliver results for years to come.” The notion that by the time the Heart to Heart-Costa Rican collaboration has ended, “Costa Rican doctors will be able to perform very complex heart surgery by themselves” resonates with him deeply.

As a Heart to Heart governing board member, Chester looks forward to serving on specialized committees to update and strengthen our strategic framework with clear goals and objectives for the organization as a whole. Chester’s personal and professional background, coupled with his passion, make him a great fit for Heart to Heart. “For me, the most rewarding part is when you see the results, when you see the people – in this case, children – enjoying a better quality of life because of the resources and expertise that Heart to Heart shares.”

Chester holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. He has over 25 years of professional experience in both bio-pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing companies. He is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys riding his bicycle, photography, and collecting stamps. Chester lives in Southern California with his wife and two sons who frequently join him on his trips to Costa Rica.