(New York, New York – April 4, 2025) — Dr. Giselle Guerra, internationally renowned transplant nephrologist, has been named the newest member of the National Kidney Foundation (NFK) Board of Directors.
Dr. Guerra graduated from the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and completed residency training at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University up in Boston, MA. She went on to complete her fellowship in Nephrology as well as her Transplant specialty at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. Her academic career grew in Miami, Florida where she became Professor of Medicine/Surgery and Medical Director of Transplant Services for over 13 years along with Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant Program for nearly a decade at the Miami Transplant Institute. This past year she decided to expand her career abroad to help other countries. She helped establish the most comprehensive solid organ transplant center at the largest private healthcare system in Brazil including building the quickest growing living kidney donor program in the country while still helping the transplant field within the US.
“It’s both a great honor and achievement to be part of the NKF board," said Dr. Guerra. “As a transplant nephrologist, I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the kidney community. I love that NKF is patient centered and truly makes an impact in the lives of those with CKD. I hope to be a part of that difference while serving on the board.”
A key focus of Dr. Guerra’s work has been expanding the use of what we refer to as expanded or marginal kidneys, which has allowed her team to increase the number of viable organs available for transplant. This includes leading national efforts to refine donor-recipient matching and customize immunosuppressive regimens to improve transplant success rates and ensure that more patients have access to life-saving procedures. These initiatives have been critical in our ability to expand the transplant pool and improve patient outcomes.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Guerra to the board,” said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation. “Her expertise and commitment to improving care for those living with CKD will be invaluable as we work together to advance our mission and make a meaningful impact on the communities we serve."
As mentioned, Dr. Guerra expanded her efforts internationally this past year. In Brazil she helped strengthen transplant programs and promote the concept of "transplantation without borders." This global perspective is vital work to improve care for patients worldwide, especially driving living donation efforts and starting international transplant training programs where mentorship is key for generations to come.
Dr. Guerra and team live the NKF’s mission of Kidney Equity for all every day! Quad lingual, speaking English, Spanish, Portuguese and some French allows Dr. Guerra to connect and educate her patients on a cultural level. This includes creating a clinic with Spanish language speaking staff to help with language barriers but also more importantly relate to minorities on a cultural level thus teaching and influencing where it counts the most – health matters. “Like Miami, US is full of diverse individuals, and we need to be able to relate to them and have a better understanding of what they are going through. This allows them to be empowered and make the right decision at the right time, having a greater impact on their CKD journey”.
Dr. Guerra is committed to clinical care, research, and education. During her time on the board, she wants to continue the work on educating the masses. “As doctors, teaching is one of the most critical parts of our job. It is truly our privilege and calling, said Dr. Guerra. “One of best things about being part of the NKF is being able to start a conversation on the impact of CKD; thus, raising awareness in our communities. Clearly, every life counts, and our mission should be to prevent ESRD whenever possible but if not save the lives of these recipients through transplantation.”
Dr. Guerra assumed her new position on the NKF board in February.
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.
Media Contact:
Jade Rivera-McFarlin
Jade.riveramcfarlin@kidney.org
413-537-1155
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