Tampa, Fla., September 8, 2009 – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) elected two new members to its National Board of Directors. The new members were seated September 3 during the Association’s 36th Annual National Convention in Denver, Colo. AAKP is a national non-profit kidney organization directed by patients for patients dedicated to serving the educational and public policy needs of the nation’s kidney disease patients and their family members.

The new members of the Board include Paul T. Conway, transplant recipient (Virginia) and Raymond J. O’Connell, nocturnal hemodialysis (Texas). The AAKP National Board of Directors is responsible for establishing goals and policies for the Association. In addition, Board members are responsible for attending three meetings per year, participation in conference calls and committee membership. In keeping with the bylaws of the Association, more than 50 percent of the National Board of Directors must be comprised of kidney disease patients including chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis patients and transplant recipients. The president must also be a patient. These new members will serve two-year terms. 

“It is a pleasure to have these two distinguished gentlemen join the AAKP Board of Directors,” stated AAKP President Roberta Wager, RN, MSN. “Their life experience as kidney patients is sure to bring value to the Association and the people we serve.”

The 2009-2010 officers include: Roberta Wager, RN, MSN, President, transplant recipient (Texas); Stephen Z. Fadem, MD, FACP, FASN, Vice President, (Texas); Carolyn G. Price, Vice President, transplant recipient (Mississippi); Kelly M. Mayo, MS, Treasurer (Florida); Amy Friedman, MD, FACS, Secretary, daughter of transplant recipient (New York).

The remainder of the Board include: Renee Bova-Collis, MSW, LCSW, (Virginia); Richard S. Goldman, MD, (New Mexico); Mary Heisick, MSW, transplant recipient (California); Alice McCall, RN, transplant recipient (Texas); Robert Miller, MD, FAAP, FCCP (New Mexico); Sam Pederson, transplant recipient (Washington); Thomas Peters, MD, FACS, FASN (Florida); Laurie Shore, MSW, LCSW (Florida); Jess Arceneaux, transplant recipient (Florida); Richard Knight, transplant recipient (Maryland); Brady Augustine (Florida), Mansi Mehta, RD, LDN (Illinois) and Cheryl Thaxton-Roache, ARNP-C (North Carolina). For more information about the AAKP Board of Directors, call (800) 749-AAKP or visit the AAKP Web site, www.aakp.org.

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AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for 40 years, has been dedicated to improving the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical ,emotional and social impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances, and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.