Seattle, WA (Oct. 31, 2023): Northwest Kidney Centers has named Dr. Matthew B. Rivara Chief Medical Officer, Jennifer D. Eslava, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, and Heather Thomasson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer.
Dr. Rivara, since 2020, has served as medical director of Northwest Kidney Centers’ Broadway clinic in Seattle. He is an assistant professor of nephrology at the University of Washington and an investigator at the Kidney Research Institute. A 2009 graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Rivara has become a prolific researcher in addition to treating patients. He has authored dozens of papers on renal health and has participated in numerous studies at the Kidney Research Institute. He’s also an active participant in Northwest Kidney Centers’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, leading staff sessions on patient-provider communication to enhance overall inclusion. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology and member of the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis. Dr. Rivara serves on the editorial boards of both the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and Frontiers in Nephrology.
In his role at Northwest Kidney Centers, Dr. Rivara provides medical oversight of in-center, home and acute dialysis programs leading clinical care and process improvement to ensure delivery of state-of-the-art care.
Eslava comes to Northwest Kidney Centers with 22 years of experience working in finance in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Northwest Kidney Centers, she worked as regional controller, Washington, at Kaiser Permanente. She also worked for Proliance Surgeons, MultiCare Health Systems, and served the healthcare community while working for Moss Adams LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Eslava, who graduated from the University of Washington, Tacoma, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and earned her master’s degree in business administration from Seattle University, is on the board of Washington Global Health Alliance and the Institute of Internal Auditors, Puget Sound Chapter.
In her role at Northwest Kidney Centers, she is responsible for managing the financial health and wellbeing of the Seattle-based non-profit. She serves as a strategic business partner to senior executives and board members, advising them on enhancing performance and growth, and expansion opportunities.
Thomasson most recently worked as South King County director of nursing services for MultiCare Health System, overseeing its Auburn and Covington medical centers. She previously worked in nursing management at Tacoma General Hospital. Thomasson earned her Bachelor of Nursing Science from Pacific Lutheran University, her Master of Science Nursing from Western Governors University, and is completing her Doctor Nursing Practice from Capella University.
As Chief Nursing Officer, Thomasson will oversee patient care supporting Northwest Kidneys Centers frontline caregivers including nurses, dialysis technicians, social workers and dietitians.
“We are excited to add these talented leaders to our team,” said Northwest Kidney Centers CEO and President Rebecca Fox. “Their commitment to our mission will further enhance our efforts to support those impacted by kidney disease.”
Northwest Kidney Centers is a not-for-profit, community-based provider of kidney dialysis, public health education and research into the causes and treatments of chronic kidney disease. Founded in Seattle in 1962, it was the world’s first outpatient dialysis organization and today is the eighth-largest dialysis provider in the United States, serving nearly 2,000 patients a year in 20 dialysis centers and eight hospitals in the Puget Sound region.
Northwest Kidney Centers’ mission is to promote the optimal health, quality of life and independence of people with kidney disease. Its patients have access to the first-in-the-nation kidney palliative care program, as well as an outpatient pharmacy staffed by kidney specialists. Through its long-standing partnership with the University of Washington, Northwest Kidney Centers helped establish the Kidney Research Institute and the Center for Dialysis Innovation in support of new treatments and discoveries to better patients’ lives. For more information, visit www.nwkidney.org.
