Vineeta Kumar, M.D., F.A.S.T., F.A.S.N., is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology and the inaugural holder of the Robert and Cutessa Bourge Endowed Professor in Transplant Nephrology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Kumar is the Medical Director of UAB’s Incompatible Solid Organ Transplant Program. Dr. Kumar played a key role in UAB's Kidney Xenotransplantation efforts and the heralded greater than 100 pair kidney chain through the UAB Kidney Paired Donation Program. Dr. Kumar is an exemplary clinician and a superb educator and is the awardee of over 30 prestigious awards throughout her career from her years as a trainee to an attending physician  both at the local, regional and national level. The Cobb Rutsky Award for Clinical Excellence for 10 consecutive years, 2017 Brewer Heslin award for professionalism, 2018 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching,  2019 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2021 Nonsurgical faculty teacher of the year for the UAB General Surgery Residency Program, 2022 Service Excellence from the American Nephrologists of India Origin (ANIO) and 2023 Medal of Excellence for Service from the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP). Her mission is to improve the care and outcome of living organ donors and the medically complex transplant patient through direct care, education, and clinical research. Dr. Kumar has multiple leadership roles nationally as the past Chair of American Society of Transplantation (AST) Education Committee, AST Living Donor Community of Practice, AST’s Living Liver Donor Transplant Consensus Conference, American Society of Nephrology (ASN) COVID-19 Response Team Transplant subcommittee, Chair of AST’s Cutting Edge in Organ Transplantation (CEoT) meeting planning committee, Co-chair of NKF’s externally lead patient focused drug development and was on the AST Board of Directors. Dr. Kumar has mentored countless students, residents, fellows and junior faculty over the years and lectures nationally with NKF, ASN, AST, AFLDT, AREP.