Dr. Kirk Campbell assumes role as NKF President while Dr. Michelle Estrella is named newest Board Member
(New York, NY – November 22, 2024) — Dr. Kirk Campbell, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology and Professor of Pharmacological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has stepped into the role of National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Board President.
Dr. Campbell graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at Yale University-New Haven Hospital followed by a clinical and research fellowship in Nephrology at Mount Sinai. In addition to treating patients with kidney disease, Dr. Campbell leads an NIH-funded research program focused on developing new therapeutic interventions for proteinuric kidney diseases. He actively participates in clinical trials testing novel agents for primary glomerular disease and is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
“It is a humbling and tremendous honor to have the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary stakeholders to advance kidney health and care delivery for millions of patients nationwide,” said Dr. Campbell. “Nephrology is at a crossroads – never before have we had these concurrent resources of unprecedented clinical trial activity and effective therapy to slow chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. At the same time, we have a lot of work to do to raise awareness around CKD prevalence and increase CKD detection, particularly among underserved and disadvantaged communities where disease burden is disproportionately high,”
In his new role, he plans to focus on initiatives designed to increase rates of CKD detection and devote considerable attention to the workforce, ensuring we can continue to develop and maintain highly skilled multidisciplinary nephrology care team members, ideally positioned to deliver innovative and effective care to patients with kidney disease in these rapidly changing times. In addition, he plans to support efforts that spur innovation and enhance implementation to get novel therapeutics to patients who would benefit from them the most.
“With his proven track record of leadership and a deep commitment to our mission, Dr. Campbell will bring fresh perspectives and strategic vision as we move forward. We are confident that during his tenure, NFK will have continued success and innovation”, said Dr. Sylvia E. Rosas, outgoing NKF President.
Dr. Campbell joined the NKF Greater New York Medical Advisory Board in 2011. He has spent his career in academia holding several leadership roles in medical education, diversity, equity and inclusion and research. Most of that time has been dedicated to basic research, seeking to better understand the pathogenesis of CKD and developing new treatment options for patients. As a principal investigator (PI) and steering committee member for multiple clinical trials in the kidney disease space, Campbell understands all too well the challenges faced by patients, as he has seen close friends affected by it as well.
Additionally, Dr. Michelle Estrella has been named to the NKF board as President-Elect. Dr. Estrella is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and serves as the Renal Section Chief at the San Francisco VA Health Care System and Executive Director of the Kidney Health Research Collaborative.
She obtained her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston where she first gravitated towards nephrology as she learned of the kidney’s intelligent physiology and recognized that nephrologists were the “doctor’s doctor”. Through early clinical experiences, she learned firsthand about the devastation experienced by patients and families affected by kidney disease and endeavored to help alleviate their suffering. To that end, she completed her clinical training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She also obtained a master’s degree in health science at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Estrella notes some of her most rewarding experiences center upon mentorship and sponsorship of young investigators, particularly those who are underrepresented in medicine. She wholeheartedly believes in a team approach to both research and mentorship, and thus works closely to help young investigators thrive academically and personally. She was recognized by the American Society in Nephrology with the Mid-Career Distinguished Mentor Award in 2022.
“I am so grateful and excited for the opportunity to help lead the National Kidney Foundation’s tireless efforts in advocating for the millions of Americans affected by kidney disease. I am deeply honored to work alongside Chief Executive Officer Kevin Longino, the current President Dr. Kirk Campbell, and the staff at NKF in fulfilling NKF’s mission of preventing kidney disease, accelerating innovation in diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease and eliminating systemic inequalities in kidney disease care. The pillars of this mission strongly align with our research team’s work,” said Dr. Estrella. “Coming from a family of nurses and pharmacists, the NKF’s emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaborations have long resonated with me.”
Both doctors assumed their new positions on the NKF board in late October.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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