The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has announced the appointment of three new members to its national Board of Directors. The new members, Hubert L Allen (Chicago, USA), Renée Richardson Gosline (Cambridge, USA) and Alison Steiber (Shaker Heights, USA), were nominated and approved at NKF’s most recent board meeting in October 2021.
“We are so excited for these three incredibly talented executives to join the NKF Board of Directors and share their extensive knowledge in their areas of expertise,” said Anthony Tuggle, chair of NKF’s national board and a kidney transplant recipient. “Alison brings over 20 years of experience in renal nutrition, Hubert has over 25 years in pharmaceutical law, and Renée has decades of extensive experience in research that examines how social structure and technology affect performance and self-perception. We look forward to working with these distinguished new members as we build greater awareness of kidney disease.”
Hubert L Allen resides in Chicago, USA and is the executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary at Abbott, where he leads a diverse global team of more than 250 lawyers that interact with legal systems in more than 100 countries to support Abbott business all around the world. He also has first-hand experience of the challenges that kidney patients face having suffered from acute kidney injury due to rhabdomyolysis and going on dialysis for several months before regaining full kidney function.
“It is an honour to join the largest kidney patient organisation in the country and pay it forward to help others dealing with a difficult diagnosis like kidney disease,” said Allen. “I feel fortunate that my disease was caught early, and I regained full kidney function. I hope I can help others dealing with acute kidney injury.”
Renée Richardson Gosline of Cambridge, USA is a senior lecturer in the management science group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management and a principal research scientist at MIT’s initiative on The Digital Economy. Gosline is an expert on the intersection between behavioural science and technology, and the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for cognitive bias in human decision-making.
“In general, most Americans know very little about the kidneys: the signs of kidney disease, how an early diagnosis can save your life, or how to support a patient. I would like to change that,” said Gosline. “People who live with this invisible illness should not feel invisible themselves; yet many of the millions of Americans living with kidney disease do.
“I want NKF to be a vibrant community of support and visibility—a patient-centred experience. This hits home for me. I know all too well that living with kidney disease is a journey that no one should travel alone or in the shadows. When we support kidney patients and defeat the stigma of chronic illness, we will truly embrace inclusivity. Joining the NKF national board is an honour, and I am grateful to contribute to this important cause.”
Alison Steiber from Shaker Heights, USA began her career in renal nutrition more than 25 years ago in Lincoln, USA at Bryan Memorial Hospital. She has always been interested in renal nutrition, making a point to weave it into her doctorate at Michigan State University, in her research agenda as a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University, and now in her current position as a registered dietitian nutritionist and chief science officer at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—where she leads a 13-person team in the areas of research, international and scientific affairs.
“Nutrition plays a huge role in maintaining optimal health throughout each stage of your life, and good kidney health actually keeps you alive,” said Steiber. “I am passionate about the impact that nutrition can have on the health outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease, so I am absolutely honoured to join the NKF Board of Directors and share my decades of expertise in the field of renal nutrition.”
