By: One World Publishing
Dena Jalbert founded Align Business Advisory Services in 2017, and the firm has since become a recognized participant in the lower middle market M&A advisory space. Align’s growth has earned it recognition, including a place on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list and a ranking as a noted Mid-Market M&A Consultancy by Acquisitions International. Jalbert has also been recognized as one of the acknowledged 25 women in mid-market M&A by Mergers and Acquisitions Magazine.
Turning a Personal Crisis into Professional Strength
Prior to founding Align, Jalbert experienced a life-threatening health crisis: postpartum cardiomyopathy after the birth of her first daughter. Years later, as a CEO, her encounter with heart failure continues to influence her commitment to philanthropy in healthcare, particularly at AdventHealth Central Florida.
Dena’s experience with postpartum cardiomyopathy has shaped her as a leader, CEO, and philanthropist. Facing this health crisis provided a new perspective both personally and professionally.
“It really puts into perspective how life can change unexpectedly. At that time, I was young, very healthy, ran marathons, and so on, so having a heart condition present itself was a complete surprise,” she says.
It taught Dena that life can change on a dime, and it inspired her to make a meaningful impact with her time going forward, both personally and professionally. She started Align a few years later because she wanted to build something that would outlast her, all while growing and raising her family.
Dena’s Path from Cardiac Crisis to Empowering Communities
This experience has fueled Dena’s philanthropic work in healthcare, especially with AdventHealth. To Dena, it highlighted the importance of community investment. “I would not be here, but for organizations like AdventHealth, so I feel it’s important to support organizations in our local community so that we all have access to the resources that are needed. We are a client service business, so philanthropy aims to improve the communities that our employees and clients live and work in, so it’s our responsibility to help in any way we can,” she says.
As the CEO of Align Business Advisory Services, Dena’s personal journey with postpartum cardiomyopathy has influenced her leadership style and the values she instills within the company.
“It has helped me become a more empathetic leader. I firmly believe that life and work can co-exist, even in an industry as demanding as M&A,” Dena says. She believes they have built a culture of flexibility and teamwork that allows their employees to provide strong client service, while also focusing on their personal lives and families. “We all work to live, not the other way around,” she states.
Balancing Life and Work
Dena’s perspective as a cardiac patient also informs her approach to advocating for medical institutions and advancements in care today. To her, healthcare innovation is closely tied to the longevity of communities and societies. By investing in healthcare advancements locally, Dena and her team believe it may help people receive care closer to home and reduce the need to travel to other cities, states, or even countries for treatment. It also helps support underserved communities’ access to this advanced care.
“As an example, we made a donation to AdventHealth to fund remote cardiac monitoring devices for uninsured patients so that they can be monitored after a cardiac event, as many lack the ability to receive the necessary follow-up care,” Dena states.
The recent unveiling of the family wall in Dena’s honor at AdventHealth’s cardiac unit is a significant recognition of her contributions, and the future impact she hopes to continue having in giving back to healthcare is by investing in advancements for women and underserved patients.
The Heart of Leadership
The gift Dena’s family made allowed the hospital to receive a $6M grant to fund virtual cardiac monitoring for postpartum women, which is something she herself would have appreciated when she was being treated. “I was in and out of the hospital so much with a newborn at home, and having that tool would have been life-changing. I want to help ensure that other mothers in similar situations might have better support,” she says.
Overcoming postpartum cardiomyopathy played a meaningful role in developing leadership and resilience qualities, such as grit, which contributed to the growth of Align. Dena explains that the experience helped put things into perspective, revealing what is truly important. By staying focused on core values, success can follow naturally, with the rest being mere noise. This experience has been a key influence on Align’s culture and progress.
Disclaimer: This article shares the personal experiences and philanthropic activities of Dena Jalbert and does not constitute medical advice. Readers should consult healthcare professionals for any medical concerns or conditions. The information presented is for informational purposes only.
Published by Joseph T.
