It was a late spring day in 2024 that no one in Regions’ Corporate Communications department will ever forget – when we received the horrific news that our dear friend and colleague, Roshana Gossoff, passed away from a massive heart attack at the age of 35.
As the team was reeling from the shock, Gossoff’s manager and friend, Wayne Thompson, was dealing with his own grief – and was moved to act.
“I was in regular contact with Roshana’s family, and I knew things had taken a turn for the worse,” Thompson said. “I prayed for a way to help bring encouragement and hope amid such pain. I wanted to give the family, friends and coworkers something to look forward to and find a way to celebrate her life so her memory could live on and inspire others.”
I wanted to give the family, friends and coworkers something to look forward to and find a way to celebrate her life so her memory could live on and inspire others.
Wayne Thompson, Corporate Communications Senior Business Partner
Thompson found that inspiration with the Miami-Dade Heart Walk, which benefits the American Heart Association in Gossoff’s hometown. Other Regions friends quickly came on board to help organize a team walk in memory of Gossoff, including Kimberly Robichaud and Taleisha Ming from the Birmingham headquarters along with Florida-based members of the Consumer Banking Group, Steve Pickett and Teresa Diaz.
According to Diaz, her involvement in the Heart Walk stemmed from a strong bond with Gossoff. “Roshana was truly a remarkable person – generous, compassionate, and deeply loved by everyone who knew her,” she said. “We shared a meaningful connection, as both of us were caregivers for loved ones. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy continues to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing her.”
That core group of organizers assembled more than 95 family members, friends and Regions associates to form the Good ABBAtudes team, appropriately named for Gossoff’s passion for the band ABBA (who she and husband Arturo Vasquez traveled to Europe to see live last year) and the unwavering positive outlook that she was known and loved for.
The Heart Walk took place Nov. 23 at Florida International University, where, as destiny would have it, Gossoff earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a master’s degree in global strategic communications and was an active alumna.
Among the Regions associates who walked in Gossoff’s honor was May Perez Johnson, manager of the Regions Tamiami Banking Center in Miami. Johnson herself suffers from a heart condition for which she recently underwent major surgery, so she was especially moved to support the effort in memory of Gossoff.
“I met Roshana last December at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital toy drive,” Johnson said. “We took pictures together and she was so happy to be a part of that great cause with Regions Bank. Once I read of Roshana’s passing, I was in complete shock. I knew our paths had crossed for a reason. I needed to make sure that everyone was proactive with their health – especially heart disease.”
Once I read of Roshana’s passing, I was in complete shock. I knew our paths had crossed for a reason.
May Perez Johnson, manager of the Regions Tamiami Banking Center
Nine out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital will die in part because many people around them don’t know how to act in an emergency and don’t know how to perform Hands-Only CPR. According to “Coach Wayne” Thompson, “Participating and contributing to the Heart Walk was a tremendous opportunity to ensure that in the face of an emergency, anyone, anywhere is prepared to perform CPR and is ready to be a hero-in-waiting.”
That can-do spirit inspired the group – and community members in Miami, Alabama, North Carolina and beyond. Good ABBAtudes raised more than $11,600, easily surpassing their $10,000 goal. The fundraising effort put the team in third place overall and helped Regions achieve the number four ranking of 44 companies participating.
“We appreciate all the hard work and dedication leading up to this year’s Miami-Dade Heart Walk,” said Chandra Roberson, senior development director of the Greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale chapter of the American Heart Association. “We are so proud to have welcomed over 1,000 walkers and raised over $500,000 in life-saving funds. We are grateful to the companies, including Regions Bank, that helped make this event such a success.”
Gossoff’s husband, Arturo Vasquez, was part of the Good ABBAtudes team and spoke to the group at the event, expressing gratitude for the love and support shown to Gossoff at the Heart Walk, and to him and their families throughout the last six months.
“The Heart Walk showcased just how important Roshana was to so many people,” Vasquez said. “It showed how many people love her from all areas of her life. Family, friends, and co-workers all came to honor her in a very special way. Roshana was so thoughtful and cared deeply about others. The world needs more people like Roshana.”
Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, Gossoff was a public relations and communications specialist whose work experience included Balsera Communications Group, Wells Fargo & Co. and Royal Caribbean Group. She served as corporate communications business partner for Regions Bank’s Consumer Banking Group for a little more than a year – but all her coworkers agree it seemed like she had been part of the team for much longer.
Gossoff was active in the community, serving on the boards of directors for the Public Relations Society of America’s Miami Chapter and the Miami chapter of the Hispanic Public Relations Association. She was also on the associate board for Teach for America Miami-Dade.
For Thompson, organizing the successful Miami-Dade Heart Walk in Gossoff’s honor – alongside the people who loved her most – was the endeavor he needed to immerse himself in after such a tragic and sad event. He was proud and pleased to be able to do something actionable to help others while honoring Gossoff’s rich and meaningful life.
“At Regions, our mission is to make lives better. I can’t think of another associate who lived that out quite like Roshana did.”
Roshana Gossoff