Former CEO Kevin Longino named first-ever Chief Investment Officer to build on the NKF Innovation Fund’s momentum and accelerate patient-centered breakthroughs
(NEW YORK CITY, NY – September 22, 2026) – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) today announced it is expanding its commitment to the NKF Innovation Fund by appointing its first Chief Investment Officer effective November 1, 2026. Former NKF CEO Kevin Longino, who led the Fund’s launch five years ago, has accepted the position and will oversee its next phase of growth.
Accelerating innovation is a cornerstone of NKF’s strategy to transform kidney care. The Innovation Fund is a key program, one of many, that is designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies, treatments and approaches.
Since its launch in 2021, the NKF Innovation Fund has invested in early- to mid-stage companies developing patient-centered solutions across the kidney health spectrum—from earlier detection and better dialysis to organ preservation, transplantation and personalized treatment. The Fund combines investment capital with NKF’s clinical, policy, regulatory and patient expertise to help promising innovations reach the people who need them.
“Innovation in research & development is essential to achieve NKF’s mission,” said Marc Hurlbert, PhD, chief executive officer of the National Kidney Foundation. “The Innovation Fund has built real momentum by backing ideas with the potential to change what is possible for people with kidney disease. We are pleased with its progress, excited by the opportunities ahead and committed to increasing its impact. Kevin’s experience as a patient, nonprofit leader and investor makes him uniquely qualified to lead its next chapter.”
The Fund’s portfolio reflects the breadth of unmet need in kidney care. Its investments have supported companies pursuing portable dialysis, earlier identification of high-risk chronic kidney disease, better organ preservation and transportation, technologies intended to rehabilitate donor kidneys, and more personalized treatment for transplant recipients.
“The strongest innovations begin with a clear understanding of what patients need and what stands between a promising idea and real-world impact,” Longino said. “NKF can bring together patient insight, scientific and clinical expertise, policy knowledge, investment capital and trusted partnerships in a way few organizations can. My focus will be on building that platform, supporting innovators with the potential to solve meaningful problems and moving better options to patients faster.”
As Chief Investment Officer, Longino will oversee the Fund’s investment strategy, cultivate relationships with donors, investors and innovators, and work with NKF leadership to identify opportunities aligned with the organization’s long-term goals: preventing kidney disease, eliminating the transplant waitlist and ensuring that people who need dialysis have safer, more effective options that support fuller and more productive lives.
To learn more about the NKF Innovation Fund, visit kidney.org/innovationfund.
About Kidney Disease:
In the United States, CKD remains an under-recognized public health burden that impacts 1 in 7 adults, and 90 percent of those affected are unaware of their condition. Approximately 1 in 3 U.S. adults are at risk for CKD, but less than 20% are assessed with guideline-recommended testing, eGFR and uACR. 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 develop kidney failure. Hispanic and Native American people experience kidney failure at approximately double the rate of White people.
About the National Kidney Foundation:
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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For Media Inquiries:
Paul McGee (716) 523-6874 or paul.mcgee@kidney.org