KHI Patient and Family Partnership Council – Kidney Health Initiative (KHI)

Curtis Warfield, MS

Chair

Curtis Warfield is a systems analyst from Indianapolis, IN. In 2012, Curtis was diagnosed with stage 3 chronic CKD due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis symptoms (FSGS). His ki...

Curtis Warfield is a systems analyst from Indianapolis, IN. In 2012, Curtis was diagnosed with stage 3 chronic CKD due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis symptoms (FSGS). His kidneys rapidly declined and started Peritoneal dialysis in 2014. His daughter tested to be a living donor. Unfortunately, she was a match. His daughter's college sorority sister had followed their story and decided to be tested and was a perfect match. In January 2016, Mr. Warfield received her kidney and a new lease on life. Since his transplant, Curtis is very passionate about advocating and educating the community by bringing awareness to kidney disease and organ donation. As an advocate leader he serves as Chair of the Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) Patient and Family Partnership Council (PFPC), he is co-chair the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Kidney Advocate Committee and is chair the NKF Patient Diversity Workgroup which addresses health disparities in the kidney community. As a peer mentor he provides personal support to those who are experiencing the challenges of kidney disease. Curtis speaks with legislators on both Capitol Hill and the Indiana State Legislature about kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation. Curtis is a patient representative with Indiana University on the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP), Advancing Kidney Health through Optimal Medication Management (AKHOMM) and Patient Advisory Council for the Chronic Disease Coalition. He represents the patient voice on several policy committees, medical review panels, patient advisory boards and kidney and organ transplant committees. He served on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)/ American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Diseases. He also is an advocate with several kidney organizations. Curtis is a member of the Board of Directors of NKF-Indiana. He is the recipient of the 2025 Derek Forfang Patient Advocate Award, 2024 NKF-Indiana Board of Directors President Award, 2021 NKF Celeste Castillo Lee Patient Engagement Award, NKF's highest honor to a distinguished kidney patient volunteer. He has a B.S. degree from Central Michigan University and a M.S. from Oakland City University. Curtis is an active member of his church and a community volunteer in the Indianapolis area. Curtis is married 39 years, has four adult children and one grandchild.

Thelma Barber

Vice Chair

Thelma is a two-time kidney transplant recipient living with chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Despite experiencing symptoms at just 12 years old, it took ...

Lisa Bonebrake

Member

Lisa Bonebrake is an Alport syndrome patient, caregiver, advocate, and Executive Director of Alport Syndrome Foundation, a patient support organization led by and dedicated to indi...

Seferiana Day, MS, MSW

Member

Seferiana Day was diagnosed with Primary Membranous Nephropathy and Stage 1 chronic kidney disease in 2016. She gained partial remission after many years of treatment, but permanen...

Kelly Helm

Member

Kelly Helm is a kidney disease patient advocacy leader and caregiver to her young adult daughter who was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in 2009 at the age...

Vincent Ko

Member

Vincent Ko is the Founder and Executive Director of KidneyFuture (formerly the CAKUT Foundation), a patient-powered organization uniting families, clinicians, researchers and indus...

Austin Lee

Member

Austin Lee is a two-time kidney transplant recipient from the DC-Maryland-Virginia Area. Austin was born with a rare birth defect known as Posterior Urethral Valves that caused his...

Pesh Patel

Member

Pesh Patel is the Founder and CEO of A Kidney Life. Pesh is a former hospitality executive with over three decades of hospitality and real estate experience. He utilized his deep k...

Sejal R. Patel, MD, FASN

Member

Dr. Sejal R. Patel is a medical doctor with extensive experience in clinical practice, research, and patient advocacy. Currently, affiliated with the Mayo Clinic as a research coll...

Anne Rohall, JD

Member

Anne has practiced disability and healthcare law for 25 years, advocating for patients and their support networks on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies. After law school, she s...

David Rush

Member

David Rush is a platinum selling recording artist formerly signed to Pitbull's label ,Mr.305 inc. As a former in-center and now current home Hemo patient with "Tablo" Dialasis mac...

Leigh-Ann Williams, MS, MPH

Member

Leigh-Ann is a lifelong resident of the greater New Orleans area. Her educational background includes a B.S. in toxicology from Univ. of Louisiana Monroe, a M.S. in toxicology fro...