Medical Advisory Board Distinguished Service Award

This award has been established to recognize an individual for their educational activities and community service in promoting the mission of the National Kidney Foundation on a local level. 

Ana Ricardo is a nephrologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She received her Medical Degree from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, and completed Internal Medicine Residency at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, and Nephrology Fellowship at UIC. She received a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and a Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Science degrees from the UIC School of Public Health. Her research is focused on health disparities and health behaviors in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dr. Ricardo has led clinical research studies evaluating racial and ethnic, as well as sex-related differences in CKD progression and cardiovascular outcomes in adults with CKD. In addition, she has studied the impact of health behaviors including physical activity, smoking, diet, and sleep on outcomes in individuals with CKD. Dr. Ricardo has mentored medical students, internal medicine residents and nephrology fellows in research projects related to CKD and health disparities in kidney disease. Her clinical interests include the management of complications of CKD, including hypertension, and diabetic kidney disease. Dr. Ricardo is an active member of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois Professional Advisory Board Executive Committee.

Read press release here.