
LaVarne A. Burton, MA
President and Chief Executive Officer

LaVarne Addison Burton is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Kidney Fund (AKF), a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to fight kidney disease and help people live healthier lives. Led by Ms. Burton since 2005, AKF works on behalf of the 1 in 7 Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease, the fastest growing non-contagious disease in the country. With programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy, no kidney organization directly impacts more lives than AKF.
Each year, AKF provides financial assistance to an average of more than 75,000 people with low incomes who are on dialysis and living with transplants. With this vital support from AKF, they are able to pay for insurance premiums and other health care-related costs not covered by insurance. AKF has been a pioneer in the development and operation of patient assistance programs by providing grants to cover health insurance premium costs for low-income patients to ensure access to care. Additionally, AKF is proud that this financial assistance plays a critical role in helping about 130 people per month get off dialysis and receive a lifesaving transplant. AKF is also there to support patients facing a natural disaster.
Millions of people benefit annually from AKF's many educational campaigns about the different aspects of living with kidney disease.
Because kidney failure disproportionately impacts people of color, AKF cannot successfully conduct its mission without addressing issues of health disparities. AKF's Kidney Health for All initiative is focused on closing gaps around early prevention and diagnosis of kidney disease, participation in clinical trials and closing the gaps in access to home dialysis and transplantation. This ongoing initiative includes an online education hub with evidence-based, patient-friendly resources, a national PSA campaign, grassroots and educational events, advocacy trainings and more.
In recent years, as the science has advanced, AKF has introduced a suite of educational programs tailored to people living with rare and genetic forms of kidney disease, and has convened the kidney community around the importance of recognizing the critical need to accurately identify the root cause of an individual's kidney disease — whether that cause is diabetes, hypertension, genetics or congenital issues. AKF's Unknown Causes of Kidney Disease Project seeks to improve understanding of how undiagnosed or misdiagnosed causes of kidney disease directly impact patient care and outcomes. Through this initiative as well as the Rare Kidney Disease Action Network, AKF has led efforts to address this critical issue, developing educational resources for both professionals and patients, advocating for coverage of genetic testing and increased kidney disease research funding and raising awareness about rare kidney diseases.
In addition to these initiatives, AKF has significantly enhanced its programs and services during Ms. Burton's tenure, and her leadership has propelled the organization to notable milestones:
- Expanded its award-winning Know Your Kidneys program, providing people at risk for kidney disease and those living with kidney disease with comprehensive, interactive resources to support them through the entire kidney disease journey — from prevention through post-transplant.
- Developed a platform to ensure that patients are empowered to tell their own stories and have their voices heard. The nationwide AKF Advocacy Network has grown to more than 36,000 Ambassadors. AKF provides training and support to these patients and caregivers so they can educate policymakers, the media and the general public about the realities of kidney disease. These Ambassadors play a crucial role in AKF's advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal level as AKF fights for policies that will help improve health outcomes for people with kidney disease as well as living kidney donors.
- Launched the renal community's only national annual gala, The Hope Affair, which honors patients, advocates and caregivers.
- Developed KidneyNation, a peer-to-peer platform that engages patients, their loved ones and caregivers in funding the fight against kidney disease.
- Provided grants to more than 50 promising clinical researchers over the last through AKF's Clinical Scientist in Nephrology program. Alumni of this program are among the most respected leaders in the field of nephrology.
- Increased AKF revenues from $80 million in 2005 when Ms. Burton became President/CEO to $304 million in 2024.
Ms. Burton also established the AKF Quality of Work Environment Initiative (QWE), an ongoing effort to involve employees in defining workplace values and practices, carrying them out and evaluating progress. These efforts have contributed to AKF being selected by the Non-Profit Times as one of the top 50 nonprofit employers in the United States.
AKF is included in the Consumer Reports list of "Best Charities for Your Donations" and has received Charity Navigator's highest, 4-star rating for 24 years and the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar. Charity Navigator's rating system evaluates nonprofits for their financial health, accountability and transparency, and impact. AKF also is listed on "America's Top 100 Charities" list by Forbes.
Before joining AKF, Ms. Burton was a senior partner at Martin & Associates, a consulting firm for the health care industry and to major health information management and technology companies. Previously, she served as President of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), the national trade association representing pharmacy benefit managers. During her tenure, Ms. Burton collaborated with congressional committees to develop Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit modeled after the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) pioneered by PCMA member companies.
Ms. Burton served as Executive Secretary to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she managed policy development and regulations and was advisor to the Secretary. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget Policy at HHS and as Senior Analyst to the Budget Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, advising the Committee on funding policy and legislative positions for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other health programs.
Ms. Burton has served twice as Chair of the National Health Council Board of Directors, the only organization of its kind that brings together all segments of the health community to provide a united voice for the more than 133 million people in the U.S. with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers. She is also Chair-Elect of Kidney Care Partners, the nation's leading kidney care multi-stakeholder coalition representing patient advocates, physician organizations, health professional groups, dialysis providers, researchers, and manufacturers. She serves or has served on boards and coalitions, including the Advisory Council for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as the NIH Council of Councils. She was a Founder and Board Member of Women in the Health Care Industry Foundation and was named by The Wall Street Journal to be among a select group of 100 women chosen nationwide to The Journal's Executive Taskforce on Women in the Economy. She was a member of the Advisory Board for DefenseWeb, a health care information technology company and subsidiary of Humana.
Ms. Burton was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended public schools there. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University and Master of Arts from George Washington University, both in Washington, D.C.