Blog
March 22, 2023
Founder and CEO Greg Baroni and Partner Ellen Walsh Obsess Externally to drive awareness for kidney health at the 2023 DC Kidney Ball
The seven core values comprising The Attain Way guide each decision we make and every interaction we have with both our clients and those in our communities. Our values embody the character that we believe a trusted partner and a client advisor should possess and one of these essential values is to Obsess Externally by giving back to the communities in which we live and work.
Attain Partners Founder and CEO Greg Baroni not only authored The Attain Way, he works to live it every day. Along with Partner Ellen Walsh, one of the founding members of our company, Greg champions the mission of the National Kidney Foundation Serving the National Capital Area.
Ellen prioritizes her role as a Board member and Development Chair for the National Kidney Foundation serving the National Capital Area (NKFNCA). As a dedicated fundraising individual for the annual NKF Kidney Walk, she has also consistently led team Attain Partners to be a top fundraiser.
Greg is honored to Chair of this year’s Annual National Kidney Foundation Kidney Ball. He has a long history of service with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) including as an active supporter and Board Member from 2006 – 2014.
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation.
To learn more about their volunteer work and the NKFNCA, we sat down with Greg and Ellen to discuss this year’s ball and their passion for kidney health.
Attain Partners (AP): Can you tell us a bit about this year’s Kidney Ball?
Greg Baroni (GB): The 41st Annual NKF Kidney Ball will be on Friday, March 31st at The Anthem in Washington, DC—it’s an amazing venue and will be a great space for our first in-person Kidney Ball since 2019. We’re honored to have Doug Kammerer and Jummy Olabanji of NBC4 Washington as our hosts for the event. The gala is an electric evening of celebrating and supporting the National Kidney Foundation’s advances in kidney disease awareness, prevention, and treatment!
Ellen Walsh (EW): For years, we held the event in the fall, but as March is National Kidney Month, we decided to move up the date! Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, silent auction, and entertainment by The Reagan Years, the region’s premier 80’s tribute band. Your company can sponsor, or you can purchase tickets today at www.kidneyballdc.org. New this year, we are also offering the public the opportunity to join us for just the “after party” (ticket to see The Reagan Years only) by going to this Ticketmaster link.
AP: How did your involvement with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) begin?
GB: I’m not sure how many people know this, but sadly, my father passed away due to complications with kidney disease. When he was first diagnosed, I wasn’t really aware of the severe risks associated with kidney disease and I didn’t understand the long-term implications. I miss my father every day. To honor him, and to help others, I got involved with the NKF shortly after he passed. Unfortunately, since that time, two close colleagues also have been faced with serious kidney disease issues. I’m passionate about kidney health and giving back, and the rest is history—I’ve been heavily involved in this important cause ever since. I’ve chaired the ball before, served on the board for a long period of time, and have made sure to embed the NKF as one of our cornerstone philanthropies at Attain Partners.
EW: I was originally introduced to the NKF by Greg, and only after getting involved began to realize just how prevalent and devastating kidney disease is—and how much we can do to help prevent it. When Greg founded Attain, he immediately wanted our company to invest in NKF as one of its core philanthropic channels. I first started as a member of the Kidney Ball committee in 2009—it was a big, exciting event and we worked hard to engage our team. Over the years, I’ve expanded my support to include the annual Kidney Walk, which I’ve had the chance to chair, and in 2017, I joined the NFK board.
AP: How has your passion for kidney health grown?
EW: After becoming involved with NKF, I learned that I have a family member who suffers from kidney disease. I was shocked to realize he had been dealing with this for years and I never knew. My friend and colleague Manish Agarwal was also diagnosed with kidney disease and needed a transplant almost immediately. The impact kidney disease had on both Manish and my cousin really opened my eyes to the challenges of kidney disease and kidney health. I wanted to find a way to help them and others dealing with this diagnosis.
GB: As Ellen mentioned, Manish’s diagnosis came as a shock to all of us. Working together at Attain at the time, it seemed like one day Manish was healthy, and then suddenly things took a turn. Thankfully, his experience is a wonderful success story now. He was generously gifted a kidney from his sister-in-law, Ena, and has remained healthy since the transplant ten years ago.
I am passionate about helping to educate others on kidney health. There are some important statistics that point to how prevalent kidney disease is in our country and in the Washington, DC-metro area. Did you know that 33% of adults in the US are at risk for kidney disease? Just in DC alone, there are 700,000 people with kidney disease, 14,000 on dialysis, and 2,000 waiting for transplants. Ellen and I lead Attain Partners to give back to this cause because it really matters—the work of the NKF directly supports those suffering from kidney disease, their families, donors, as well as the medical community promoting kidney health.
AP: What are some of the ways NKF supports kidney health?
EW: So many ways! The work of NKF centers on awareness, education, and support for families, and it also influences policy changes that make a national impact. They’ve collaborated with labs on the “Kidney Profile” that doctors can order as part of routine blood tests which diagnose kidney issues as early as possible. Thanks to NKF, this lab panel is something that you or I could ask for at an annual physical. To spread the word about early detection, the Foundation is working with stakeholders across the region to develop a road map to drive a cultural shift in primary care—to increase the incidence of early diagnosis and management of kidney disease. When kidney disease is detected in its earlier stages, progression of the disease can be delayed or prevented, greatly enhancing patients’ quality of life. NKF is also working on Capitol Hill to make sure if you donate a kidney, you are not discriminated against when getting life, disability, and long-term care insurance, and that insurance companies cannot drop or refuse coverage, or change their premiums based on your status as a living kidney donor.
AP: Greg, what are you looking forward to as Chair of the Kidney Ball this year?
GB: I am excited for the opportunity to come together once again to celebrate, honor, and remember our loved ones who have faced or are facing the battle of kidney disease. Together, we can provide the NKF the necessary dollars to help give those living with kidney disease and their loved ones “more”. More personalized care, more innovative treatments, more time with family, more voices in federal and local government, and, most importantly, more hope. I am proud to be involved in helping continue the fight. I believe that business leaders have a responsibility to give back to the community. Your support of the Kidney Ball reinforces that belief.
I’m also honored to be working with so many wonderful colleagues on the Kidney Ball Executive Committee this year including Ellen, Manish Agarwal, CEO of LetsTango, along with Brian Tillman and Joe DePalma, Co-founders of Punch Digital Strategies (who designed our website). Collaborating together on this important cause is not only rewarding, but also fun!
AP: What is your favorite NKF event and why?
EW: I always look forward to the Kidney Ball, and also love the Kidney Walk—there’s something so powerful about leaving Freedom Plaza in DC all together and walking around the monuments to support this important cause. But I think my favorite NKF event is the organ donation awareness basketball tournament which is held on center court at CapitalOne Arena. It’s a great time and allows people to come together for some friendly competition in support of a great cause.
GB: We’ve never taken the trophy home, but we’ve fielded two teams each year that NKF has done the tournament. Ellen’s right, it’s a lot of fun and a great way to get a variety of team members involved in an event. Of course, I also really enjoy the Kidney Ball. It’s special to come together to celebrate kidney health and the wonderful work that the NKF is doing for our region. Not to mention the musical guest always puts on a great show and gets everyone dancing together—it’s a great night of giving back. This year, we’re excited to welcome musical guest and 80’s tribute band, The Reagan Years.
AP: Why is it important to you to give back to the community through your service to NKF?
GB: I believe wholeheartedly that business leaders have a responsibility to give back to the community. I also believe in leading by example, which is why my colleagues know that when I support a cause, I go all in—I even created one of Attain Partners’ core values to specifically address our need to give back. We Obsess Externally sharing our time, talents, and treasures to positively impact the communities in which we live and work.
EW: It’s an interesting question because my first thought was, “How can you not prioritize giving back, when we’ve been given so much?” My mom always reminds our family, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” I believe it’s a privilege to be able to pay it forward and give back to my community in a real way. That may look different for every person. It could be volunteering time, helping to support a cause through a monetary donation, raising awareness, or offering a pro bono service or your expertise. For me, it’s helping to put a spotlight on NKF’s critical work by fundraising and leading events that help spread education and awareness.
My kids will tell you that their birthday has been on Kidney Walk day many times over the years, and they were always there, helping to support the event. They are 17 now, and this year both will be volunteering at the Kidney Ball. Having been involved over the years, the twins are more aware of kidney disease and best practices for kidney health. I’m so proud that they are stepping up to volunteer with me. They know that it matters to give back, just as it’s ingrained in our work culture at Attain Partners.
GB: One of the reasons why I am so proud to lead Attain Partners is because Obsessing Externally is part of the fabric of who we are. And, Pamela Fitch, a recent addition to our team with extensive philanthropic leadership experience, will soon be rolling out the next phase of our corporate responsibility framework which I’m really excited about. What greater obligation is there than doing great work and supporting your community?
AP: How can readers support kidney health?
GB: The National Kidney Foundation is calling on everyone to join in raising awareness of kidney disease and the 33% of adults in the US who are at risk. We are asking for your help in changing these numbers. Most people are unaware that the risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and family history, with diabetes being a leading cause of kidney disease. If any of these apply to you, chat with your doctor and ask specifically for a kidney health panel with your next blood draw.
EW: And if you’re interested in getting involved with NKF in any capacity, reach out. It is an amazing organization, and it is always looking for new volunteers. Working to support NKF has been a real blessing in my life and has taught me so much about my own health. That’s the way it is though—often, we get so much just from giving back.
GB: We hope to see you at the Kidney Ball on Friday, March 31—Come out and join us for a fun night to support the important work of NKF in the fight for kidney health!
More Information
Learn more about Greg here.
Learn more about Ellen here.
Learn more about the DC Kidney Ball here.
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