Our founder, Risa Simon, is a positive disruptor for change. As a preemptive (live-donor) kidney transplant recipient, Risa knows the importance of patient advocacy and the need to disrupt the status quo through proactive patient engagement. Risa’s on mission to help kidney patients secure a better and longer life, the life she can proudly say she (and many of her fans and followers) are now living.

Using her voice to encourage proactive-choice, this fierce patient advocate is elevating patient empowerment opportunities at every turn. Whether she’s speaking, consulting, writing, coaching, mentoring or volunteering she’s touching the hearts and minds of all patient and professional audiences. You can find Risa serving in various volunteer roles with highly respected kidney patient communities like, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and the Polycystic Kidney Foundation (PKD). 

Risa’s Desire to Serve 

Risa thought the success of her 30 year dental practice management career was set for life. At least that was until a force bolder than her master plan came into play. That shift occurred when the same genetic kidney disease that took her father’s life in his early 40’s (Polycystic Kidney Disease), started creeping into her life.  

While exploring new kidney patient territory, she uncovered critical “blind spots” in patient education and hidden facts to essential information. She also experienced provider reluctance to proactively encourage patients to become their own best advocate and seek their best future.  These insights are what compelled Risa to morph her talents into creating more powerful patient engagement systems to advance kidney patient communities.  

Today, you can find Risa paying it forward with her heart strapped to her sleeves. As the founder and CEO of the TransplantFirst Academy and The Proactive Path (and Simon Says Seminars, inc)—she’s leading the way to empower kidney disease patient outcomes. Risa’s patient empowerment programs and motivational books (In Pursuit of a Better Life and Shift Your Fate) continue to inspire kidney patients to become their own best advocate and fight for their best life possible.

For more information visit: www.TransplantFirst.org/Finding-Kidney-Donors

Seminars & Webinars:  The Donor-Seeker® Program: How to Activate Transplant Candidates to Proactively Attract Living Kidney Donors & Seek A Better Quality of Life

Publications: In Pursuit of a Better Life: The Ultimate Guide For Finding Living Kidney Donors, and Shift Your Fate: Life-Changing Wisdom for Proactive Kidney Patients continue to inspire her book fans and followers to become their own best advocate and bring their dreams to life.

Awards:  NKF’s 2018 Patient Engagement Award,  AAKP’s 2014 Samuel J. Orenstein Award, and the driving force and pioneer of Living Kidney Donors Day.

Give-Back: Risa serves as an advocate and/or peer mentor for organizations like the American Association of Kidney Patients, American Transplant Foundation, National Kidney Foundation—and the Polycystic Kidney Foundation.   

For more information, email: Risa@transplantFirst.org