Local Staff & Board

Local Staff

Donna Nickerson

Donna Nickerson
Executive Director
Donna joined the National Kidney Foundation in April 2017. She has over 25 years of medical education, medical communications, association management, medical device, medical conference management, fundraising and nonprofit experience. Donna has developed programs in women’s health, primary care, cardiology, and many other specialties. She has a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration.
Donna.Nickerson@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x331

Stacey Senat

Stacey Senat
Associate Executive Director
Stacey joined the National Kidney Foundation Serving New England in 2015. She has a MPH from Loma Linda University. She has extensive background in renal clinical research, public health curriculum design, program planning and program management. She oversees NKF's volunteer, community and professional education programs, including KEEP Healthy and Your Kidneys & You.
Stacey.Senat@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x333

Kenneth Chamberlain

Kenneth Chamberlain
Senior Community Outreach Manager
Kenneth joined the National Kidney Foundation in January 2022. He has 4 years of experience working in non-profits with a focus in creating community events and maintaining community relations on a peer-to-peer level. Kenneth is passionate about serving the community and using their voices to raise awareness about the National Kidney Foundation. Kenneth has a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from Fisher College. Kenneth.chamberlain@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x335

Judi Sem

Judi Sem
Donor Records & Office Coordinator
Judi has been with NKF New England for over 10 years. She has a BA in Business Management from the University of Massachusetts. Judi handles all donor records, office coordination, accounts receivables and payables, mailings, and general inquiries. She also assists with all events and programs for the New England Region.
Judi.Sem@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x334

Desirae Vasquez

Desirae Vasquez
Director, Programs
Desirae joined the National Kidney Foundation in August 2024. With a Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University, she is a diverse professional with rigorous capabilities in leadership, program management, strategic planning, data-driven development, and community-rooted growth. Throughout her career, Desirae has mobilized a variety of interdisciplinary teams supporting community-based participatory research and action in health promotion, family mental health, and substance misuse prevention, and behavioral health intervention and medical services to achieve significant reductions in risk and disease as well as improvements in health and wellness outcomes. With her extensive experience driving change in the public health field, she carries a passion to empower vulnerable populations and the groups that serve them.
Desirae.Vasquez@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x332

Mary Cannon

Mary Cannon
Director, Development
Mary Cannon is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in community engagement, fundraising, and development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts and a Graduate Certificate in Business Communications from New York University. As the Development Director for the National Kidney Foundation New England, she manages cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for a portfolio of both existing and new corporate supporters, individual donors, and community partners. In previous work, Mary has implemented community-driven initiatives and grassroots campaigns, overseen numerous community-based fundraising events, volunteer management, and the development of educational programs, which resulted in significant growth in revenue and constituent engagement across the Northeast. Known for her leadership, strategic thinking, and community-oriented approach, Mary is passionate about leading impactful initiatives that build lasting relationships and advance meaningful causes within communities.
Mary.Cannon@kidney.org   508.907.6030 x336

 

Board of Advisors

Nikhil Pereira-Kamath, MBA
ProKidney Corp., Chief Business Officer

Mawya Shocair, MD
Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Nephrologist

Amanda Foote, PharmD
Akebia Therapeutics, Vice President R&D Operations and External Collaborations

Jonathan Zombeck, PhD
Visterra Inc., Director Business Development

Mohit Mathur, MD
Visterra Inc., Senior Director Clinical Development

Gigi Shafai, PharmD
TransPerfect Life Sciences, Vice President Medical Affairs & Digital Transformation

Amit Sharma, MD, MBA
Vera Therapeutics, Inc., Executive Vice President

Karen Tubridy, PharmD
Abcuro, Inc., Chief Operating Officer 

Renée Richardson Gosline, PhD
MIT Sloan School of Management, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist

Medical Advisory Committee

Baystate Medical Center – Springfield MA

Daniel Landry, DO
Nephrologist

Boston Medical Center – Boston, MA

Jasvinder Bhatia, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University

Sushrut Waikar, MD, MPH
Chief, Nephrology, Professor of Medicine

Brigham & Women's Hospital – Boston, MA

Kevin Tucker, MD
Nephrologist
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

Lipika Samal, MD, MPH
Internal Medicine

Darthmouth Hitchcock – Lebanon, NH

Clay A. Block, MD
Nephrologist

Joslin Diabetes Center – Boston, MA

Sylvia Rosas, MD
Director, Latino Kidney Clinic

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center – Burlington MA

Adam Segal, MD
Nephrologist

Newton Wellesley Hospital – Waltham, MA

Mawya Shocair, MD, Chair
Nephrologist

Rhode Island Hospital – Providence, RI

Jie Tang, M.D., M.Sc, MPH, FASN
Nephrologist
Associate Professor

Maroun Azar, MD
Nephrologist

Tufts - New England Medical Center – Boston, MA

Scott Gilbert, MD
Nephrologist
Associate Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

UMASS Memorial Medical Center – Worcester, MA

Anil K. Chandraker, MD
Chief of Nephrology, Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation

Matthew Niemi, MD
Nephrologist