Seattle’s Ann O’Hare, MD, Named NKF’s Shaul G. Massry Distinguished Lecture Award Winner
Honor to be presented at the National Kidney Foundation 2026 Spring Clinical Meetings
April 22, 2026, New York, New York — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has awarded Ann O'Hare, MD, MA, Professor/Staff Physician in the Department of Medicine at The University of Washington/VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, with the Shaul G. Massry Distinguished Lecture Award.
Each year NKF considers the work of hundreds of specialists in the field of nephrology and selects among them those who most exemplify the relentless efforts of the NKF to enhance the lives of patients through action, education and accelerating change.
Among these prestigious awards is the Shaul G. Massry Distinguished Lecture Award. NKF has presented this lectureship since 1996. It was established to honor Dr. Shaul G. Massry for his scientific achievements and his contributions to the kidney healthcare community and to the National Kidney Foundation.
Don’t miss Dr. O’Hare’s Shaul G. Massry Distinguished Lecture titled “Will Artificial Intelligence make Medicine more Human Again?” on May 9, 2026, at 8:45am CST.
“I feel very humbled that the committee would have considered me for this award,” said Dr. O’ Hare. "This has been a path shaped by lessons learned and insights gained from patients and their family members, from colleagues within and outside nephrology, from a variety of different research projects, and from ongoing personal reflection."
Since completing her fellowship training in Nephrology, Dr. O’Hare has been engaged in a compelling career-long process of learning how to care compassionately for people with kidney disease.
“We are delighted to present Dr. Ann O'Hare, with the Dr. Shaul G. Massry Lectureship Award,” said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation. “As a leader in nephrology, she exemplifies the highest standards of excellence, compassion, and dedication to improving the lives of people affected by kidney disease. Dr. O’Hare’s commitment to advancing patient care and medical innovation continues to inspire our entire community.”
In addition to being a nephrologist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington, she is also the inaugural holder of the Bill Peckham Endowed Fund for Person Centered Care.
Dr. O’Hare is strongly committed to supporting patients, trainees, and colleagues as individuals regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic background. Her goal is by seeing and upholding “the person”, she can make meaningful contributions to reducing the impact of the range of individual and structural “isms” that pervade our society on the lives of individuals, to include but not limited to racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and classism.
“NKF supports the work of an impressive array of health care professionals and also offers wonderful resources for patients and families,” said Dr. O’Hare. “I feel grateful that I am in a position to do what I can to help improve the illness experiences of people with kidney disease and their family members on a daily basis.”
NKF will honor all award winners at the NKF 2026 Spring Clinical Meetings, which will be held in New Orleans, May 6 - 10, 2026.
NKF Spring Clinical Meetings
For over 30 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings is designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary and interprofessional healthcare teams’ skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year’s Spring Clinical Meetings will be held May 6-10 in New Orleans.
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.
NKF Professional Membership
Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Visit https://www.kidney.org/membership to learn more and join our community today. You belong here.
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 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 kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/
Media Contact:
Jade Rivera-McFarlin
413-537-1155