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LaVarne A. Burton is Chief Executive Officer of the American Kidney Fund (www.kidneyfund.org), the nation’s #1 source of direct financial assistance to kidney patients, and a leader in providing education to people who are at risk for kidney disease.

 

While providing the leadership to manage AKF’s longstanding and robust patient grant programs, Ms. Burton also has identified ways AKF can assist kidney patients with emerging areas of financial need. Under her leadership, the organization has launched a Medicare Part D assistance program to help qualified dialysis patients with the cost of bone disease medications.

  

Prevention of kidney disease has become a major focus of AKF’s efforts during Ms. Burton’s tenure. The organization has enhanced its MIKE program (Minority Intervention and Kidney Education), which provides free kidney screenings and follow-up services to members of minority populations who are most at risk for kidney disease in Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. In addition, AKF has launched public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the risk factors for kidney disease.  

 

Before joining AKF in October 2005, Ms. Burton was a senior partner at Martin & Associates, a consulting firm to the health care industry and to major health information management and technology companies.

 

Previously, she served as President of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, the national trade association representing pharmacy benefit managers and their partners.

 

From 1997 to 2001, Ms. Burton served as Executive Secretary to the United States Department of Health and Human Services where she managed policy development and regulations and was advisor to the Secretary of the largest domestic agency within the federal government.

 

From 1994 to 1997, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget Policy at the Department of Health and Human Services. From 1979 to 1994, she was a senior analyst for the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, advising the Committee on funding policy and legislative positions for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs.

 

She received her bachelor’s degree from Howard University and her master’s degree from George Washington University. She is a Founding Member and on the Board of Advisors for Women Business Leaders in the US Health Care Industry Foundation and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.