TAMPA, Fla.—The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) announced Aug. 18 that it has appointed Karen Ryals as its new executive director.
“Karen Ryals is the ideal person to lead the American Association of Kidney Patients into the future,” said AAKP President Carolyn Price. “Her depth of experience within the nonprofit sector combined with successful fund development strategies and strong commitment to patient services and patient advocacy will help support our efforts to meet the growing educational and patient advocacy needs in the kidney community.”
Ryals replaces Michael Landy, who served as AAKP’s interim executive director following the March 16 resignation of patient organization’s previous executive director, Kim Buettner.
Prior to joining AAKP, Ryals worked for the United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay, Inc. D.B.A. Achieve Tampa Bay, where she had many roles, including chief executive office, executive director and director of Program Services & Consulting.
“The American Association of Kidney Patients has a history of meeting the needs of our nation’s kidney patients and their families, enriching their lives through education and advocacy,” said Ryals. “I am honored to have been chosen to lead this organization which has contributed so much to the nation’s chronically ill people, and to have the opportunity to take it to new levels in patient services and community outreach.”
Ryals has a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology & audiology from the University of Florida and a Master’s degree in speech language pathology from Florida State University. She’s also served as an executive committee member of the Children’s Cancer Center in Tampa, Leadership Tampa, and the St. Joseph’s Hospital quality review board.
