Tamara Ruggiero, M.Ed.

Since 2005, Tamara Ruggiero has developed and led the American Kidney Fund's marketing and communications team. After growing up with a father on dialysis, she is passionately dedicated to ensuring that AKF's external communications and marketing campaigns are informed by the authentic patient voice and perspective. Under her leadership, AKF has developed an authoritative, top-tier kidney website with nearly 18 million annual page views; created a dynamic social media platform that engages 1.5 million people monthly; instituted creative new programs such as the Living Donor Protection Report Card; and developed a media relations program generating more than 2 billion annual media impressions. Ms. Ruggiero is honored to lead a talented and dedicated team who have partnered with colleagues across the organization to produce campaigns and materials that receive dozens of awards annually.

A journalist by training, Ms. Ruggiero held a range of communications and marketing positions before joining AKF, working in leadership roles for a large DC-area hospital system, a national human resources association, major textbook publishers, and a daily newspaper where she was a reporter and editor. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University and a master's degree in education from Mount Saint Mary's University.