Kidney Research Institute Appoints Glenda Roberts as Director of External Relations and Patient Engagement

We are thrilled to announce that Glenda Roberts has joined the Kidney Research Institute, a collaboration between Northwest Kidney Centers and UW Medicine, as Director of External Relations and Patient Engagement. In this position, Glenda will combine her passion for incorporating the patient voice in research with her skills gained from years working as a senior business executive at Microsoft and General Electric.

“The work underway at the KRI is extremely important for people living with kidney disease,” says Glenda. “When I worked in information technology, I often asked myself if my job was really helping anyone. I’m confident that the work that I’ll do at the KRI will enable me to be of service to the kidney community and the public at large. I am honored that I’ll have the opportunity to expose people to the potential of the life-enhancing research that the KRI is undertaking and to encourage kidney disease patients and the general public to support this work.”

Glenda was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease shortly after college but, by managing her diet and exercising, was able to delay dialysis for four decades. After time on dialysis, both at Northwest Kidney Centers and at home, she received a kidney transplant in 2010. Since her diagnosis, Glenda has advocated for patients at the local, state and national levels, started a nonprofit with her husband that provides support to transplant recipients and donors, and most recently served as CEO of Transplant House, a non-profit home-away-from home for people that come to Seattle to await or recover from an organ transplant.

“Our vision at the Kidney Research Institute is that every person living with kidney disease will be informed about, participate in and benefit from our research,” says Dr. Jonathan Himmelfarb, director of the Kidney Research Institute and a professor in the Division of Nephrology at University of Washington. “To accomplish this we seek innovative solutions to many challenging problems. Glenda’s articulate voice and passion for our work will make us better at what we do.”

Welcome, Glenda!