Glenda Roberts

AAKP Ambassador

Glenda is the Director of External Relations and Patient Engagement for the Kidney Research Institute (KRI), a collaboration between Northwest Kidney Centers and UW Medicine dedicated to transforming the lives of people with kidney disease through innovation and discovery. 

Diagnosed with kidney disease just out of college, Glenda has first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by patients and family. Refusing to accept limitations, she managed the progression of her disease through diet and exercise and enjoyed a stellar career in the corporate world, evolving from a software developer to a senior business executive managing multi-million-dollar business units for top-caliber corporations, including General Electric and Microsoft. Simultaneously, she has been a passionate advocate for kidney disease patients and research. Glenda co-founded a non-profit to support kidney disease advocacy, community outreach and collaboration with external groups. She’s a member of the KRI Patient Advisory Council, the Patient Advisory Board for the Center for Dialysis Innovation, the planning committee of Northwest Kidney Centers annual gala that supports kidney research and the outreach committee for the UWMC Team Transplant. Most recently she served as Executive Director for Transplant House. 

Prior to a kidney transplant, she experienced in-center hemodialysis and at-home peritoneal dialysis with the help of Northwest Kidney Centers. Glenda brings to her role a combination of corporate leadership and patient experience and views herself as being uniquely positioned to be a positive force for advocacy, advancement and awareness.