Melissa Mantei,
President & CEO
After unexpectedly losing longtime NeKF leader Carol LaFleur in June of 2021, Melissa Mantei stepped in to fill the role of President & CEO.
Melissa is a highly experienced, successful, and well-regarded non-profit leader. She is also no stranger to the kidney community as she is an altruistic living kidney donor, donating her kidney in 2008.
Melissa is a graduate of Siena College and has hit the ground running since her start in July. “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to meld my professional skills with my personal passion. Carol impacted so many lives during the course of her career and she is missed every single day. I have big shoes to fill and I am looking forward to growing in this role while making an impact to better the lives of those affected by kidney disease.”
Whitney Malone,
Director of Operations
Whitney joined the Northeast Kidney Foundation in October 2019 and has been a critical member of the team ever since. Often referred to as the “office superstar,” she was promoted to Director of Operations in July 2021 to better reflect the scope of her role and responsibilities.
Whitney is a lifelong resident of the Albany community and a graduate of Boston University. She has truly felt at home with the Northeast Kidney Foundation after having worked in the banking industry for many years. She brings a wealth of knowledge in business operations and years of experience to back it. We are so fortunate to have her on the team.
