Vineeta Kumar, M.D., F.A.S.T., F.A.S.N is a Tenured 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 deeply dedicated to patient care and serves as the Director of UAB’s Incompatible Solid Organ Transplant Program, offering her expertise in consultative care for adult and pediatric high immunologic risk kidney, heart, lung, and liver organ transplants, both pre- and post-transplantation. She played a pivotal role as the lead nephrologist in UAB's Kidney Xenotransplantation efforts and in the success of the UAB Kidney Paired Donation Program, facilitating the over 100-kidney transplant chain. Her commitment to compassionate care is further demonstrated through her leadership in programs like National Schwartz Rounds for Compassionate Delivery of Care, where she fosters interdisciplinary discussions on compassionate healthcare practices. Dr. Kumar has been honored with numerous prestigious regional and national awards, including the Cobb Rutsky Award for Clinical Excellence for 10 consecutive years, the prestigious Brewer Heslin Award for Professionalism, the 2023 Medal of Excellence in the Kidney Transplant Professional Category by the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) and American Nephrologists of India Origin (ANIO) service excellence award. For her innovative teaching skills she was awarded both the Deans and the Presidential Award for excellence in Teaching. Dr. Kumar has held leadership positions within AST as the chair of AST’s Education committee, the living donor community of practice (LDCOP), Chaired the planning committee for AST’s Cutting Edge in Organ Transplantation (CEoT) meeting and more recently was an elected member of AST’s board of directors. She has also lead the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) COVID-19 Transplant Response Team during the pandemic and was the co-chair of NKF ‘s Externally led patient focused drug development which led to FDA approving the emergency use authorization of porcine kidney for human Xenotransplantation. Dr. Kumar has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and actively participated in over 20 clinical research endeavors. She lectures nationally with NKF, ASN, AST, AFLDT, AREP and has mentored countless students, residents, fellows and faculty over the years.