(New York, NY- January 14, 2026) — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is excited to announce the appointment of three new board members to NKF’s National Board of Directors. Dr. Meredith Atkinson, Doreen Griffith and Viral Chawda were nominated and approved at NKF’s most recent Board meeting held in October.
“We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding leaders to our Board of Directors,” said Kevin Longino, Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Foundation. “Each brings a wealth of experience, passion and commitment that will strengthen our mission and advance people battling kidney disease. Their diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we continue driving innovation and expanding our impact.”
Meredith Atkinson, MD, MHS, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Nephrologist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she also serves as Co-Director of the Pediatric Lupus Multi-Disciplinary Clinic and as the Director of the NIH-funded Predoctoral Clinical Research Training Program.
“As a pediatric nephrologist and clinical researcher. This appointment represents an opportunity to help shape the future of kidney health across the full lifespan, ensuring that the unique needs of children and adolescents are fully integrated into national priorities, advocacy strategies, and patient-centered care initiatives, said Dr. Atkinson.
Atkinson attended Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. and brings with her a wealth of experience. Currently she serves as the president of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), and her clinical research program focuses on identifying modifiable risk factors for kidney disease progression in children, increasing pediatric clinical trials, and prenatal interventions for congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract.
“I hope to elevate the pediatric voice within national kidney health policy and advocacy, advocate for research that bridges across the lifespan, strengthen the future kidney health workforce, and expand partnerships that amplify patient and family impact, said Dr. Atkinson.
Doreen Griffith is a board member of Grant Thornton LLP and recently retired from Grant Thornton Advisors as a Partner. She has 35 years of professional services experience and has served in various leadership roles including Dallas Market Managing Partner, Tax Services Growth Leader, and California Market Managing Partner.
“I joined the NKF board because I’ve seen firsthand the challenges kidney patients face,” said Griffith. My aunt is a living donor, and my cousin successfully underwent a kidney transplant. Now, years later, he is an amazing healthy adult. Being part of this family allows me to give back, raise awareness, and help others feel less alone on their journey.”
Griffith received her bachelor’s degree in accounting, summa cum laude, at Louisiana Tech University. She has extensive experience managing cross-service line teams in multiple geographies, and she has in-depth knowledge of best practices within structuring, compliance and federal tax consulting.
In addition, she is also the recipient of multiple leadership honors, including being named one of the Bay Area’s Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times, being named one of the Most Inspiring Leaders by the Dallas Business Journal, and most recently, being named 2025 Distinguished Alumni of the Louisiana Tech University College of Business and the 2025 Forbes Best in State CPAs.
Viral Chawda, Senior techno-functional AI executive, has spent his professional career helping companies leverage AI and Data to drive meaningful impact. In addition, he is a Partner at Grant Thornton helping organizations with AI and Data driven transformation in accomplishing their organizational visions.
“Joining the National Kidney Foundation is an opportunity to help advance a mission of profound national importance. With more than 35 million Americans affected — most unaware — early detection remains one of the greatest unmet needs in public health,” said Chawda. “At the board level, I am committed to supporting NKF’s vision of using data-driven insight and responsible innovation to shift the system from late-stage treatment to early intervention. It is a privilege to contribute my experience to a cause that can meaningfully change health outcomes for millions of families.”
Chawda attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha for his MS of Computer Science and an Executive MBA from the Washington University in St. Louis - Olin Business School. He also obtained an Executive Master of Business Administration – Washington University, St. Louis, MO, a Master of Science, Computer Science – University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE and a Digital Electronics Engineering – S.B.M.P
Chawda’s professional highlights include, building AI, Data, Finance, Engineering & Technology practices for Big-4 firms to deliver high-impact, transformative projects across national security, healthcare, defense, banking, financial services, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturing domains
Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence
For 75 years, The National Kidney Foundation has been a leader in advancing kidney health, working to ensure that every person has access to high-quality, patient-centered care—from prevention and diagnosis to transplantation.
As we celebrate this milestone, NKF has launched its 75th Anniversary campaign - a bold initiative aimed at transforming kidney health and patient care by 2030. Our goal is to impact 75 million lives by raising funds to help fulfill the NKF mission, drive innovation, empower patients, and advocate for systemic change in kidney health. To make a difference in the fight against kidney disease, visit DONATE TODAY!
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 37 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 National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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Media Contact:
Jade Rivera-McFarlin
413-537-1155