The Foundation Board
The current Foundation Board consists of 12 members from the healthcare sector and one legal member with an advisory role in legal matters.
Their extensive experience and in-depth knowledge strengthen the Swiss Kidney Foundation in its commitment to health.
Member of the Foundation Board
François Verrey
| First name | François |
| Family name | Verrey |
| Year of birth | 1954 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activity | After a few years as a doctor, including in nephrology, worked for many years as a lecturer in physiology and researcher (professor at the UZH) in the field of epithelial physiology, in particular the transport of salt and amino acids in the kidneys. |
| Previous activities, if relevant | Director of National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney.CH, Director of Institute of Physiology of the University of Zürich, President of Swiss Society of Nephrology and the Swiss Physiological Society. |
| Current activities | As Prof. emeritus, also active for other foundations: Member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary of the Health Sciences e-Training (HSeT) Foundation, Head of the continuing education program ‘Translational Nephrology’ (CAS/DAS of UZH and Unibe), President of the jury for the prizes for translational medical research of the Fondation Leenaards. |
| Voluntary activity |
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| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | President |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | retired SSN member |
| Citation | “Joy in nature and life in a dynamic balance is healthy” |
Olivier Bonny
| Titel | Prof. Dr med Dr phil nat |
| First name | Olivier |
| Family name | Bonny |
| Year of birth | 1969 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities |
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| Previous activities, if relevant | Secretary & President, Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) |
| Current activities | Head of the Service of Nephrology, HFR, Freiburg |
| Voluntary activity |
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| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Vice-President |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | SSN Member |
| Citation | “Alone we go fast, together we go further.” |
Pietro Cippà
| First name | Pietro |
| Family name | Cippà |
| Year of birth | 1982 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activity | Clinical nephrologist, basic researcher |
| Previous activities, if relevant |
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| Current activities |
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| Voluntary activity |
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| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation Italian-speaking Switzerland |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | President – elect SSN |
| Citation | “A healthy life is a collection of happy moments” |
Ulrich Hänsenberger
| Year of birth | 1965 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | SNS Foundation Board 2019 bis 2022 |
| Current activities |
Owner of Hänsenberger GmbH, legal services and consulting |
| Voluntary activity | with various associations |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Legal advice |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “Health is a gift that not everybody receives.” |
Dusan Harmacek
| First name | Dusan |
| Family name | Harmacek |
| Year of birth | 1988 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activity | Nephrology |
| Current activities | Senior Physician Nephrology, University Hospital Zurich |
| Voluntary activity | Member of the Board of Young Swiss Nephrology (YSN) |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation of Young Swiss Nephrology (YSN) of the SSN |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Member SSN – YSN |
| Quote | “Live and let live” |
Sabine Herzig
| First name | Sabine |
| Family name | Herzig |
| Year of birth | 1978 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | Worked for many years as a qualified nurse and specialist carer nursing and advising people with chronic kidney disease. Experience of teaching and training specialist nurses with the focus on chronic diseases and renal insufficiency |
| Previous activities, if relevant | Caring for people with kidney disease as a specialist nurse on the nephrology ward at Inselspital Bern, Switzerland. |
| Current activities | Head of specialist consultations for chronic kidney diseases, Inselspital Bern. Advanced practice nurse APN |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation Nursing |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “Finding pleasure in the little things helps you to focus on the positive.” |
Thomas Hunziker
| First name | Thomas |
| Family name | Hunziker |
| Year of birth | 1956 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activity | ADPKD, care of patients prior to transplantation, family support |
| Previous activities, if relevant | |
| Current activities |
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| Voluntary activity |
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| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation Renal Patients Association (VNPS) together with Andrea Schäfer |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “I live healthy and enjoy the present and listen well to my body” |
Salome Lex
| Year of birth | 1993 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | Several years of experience in the nutritional-therapeutic care of patients with kidney disease in inpatient and outpatient settings. Member of the SVDE Nephrology Section German-speaking Switzerland |
| Current activities | Head of nutritional counseling at St. Gallen Cantonal Hospital with specialist responsibility in nephrology |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation of nutrition counseling |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “You don’t have to be great to start. But you have to start to become great” |
Pierre-Yves Martin
| First name | Pierre-Yves |
| Family name | Martin |
| Year of birth | 1956 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | Head of the Department of Nephrology (2000-2021) |
| Previous activities, if relevant | Chief Physician Department of Medicine University of Geneva |
| Current activities | Professor Emeritus University of Geneva |
| Voluntary activity | President Fondation AGIR |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation French-speaking Switzerland |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | retired SSN member |
| Citation | “To enjoy every day, even for a short moment, the beauty of the nature of our country” |
Andrea Schäfer
| First name | Andrea |
| Family name | Schäfer Affentranger |
| Year of birth | 1961 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activity |
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| Previous activities, if relevant | Co-founder and President of the “Transplanted Sports Association Switzerland” |
| Current activities | – Member of the nephrology quality group – Member of the “Swiss Kidney Biopsy Register” |
| Voluntary activity | President VNPS (Swiss Kidney Patients Association) |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation Renal Patients Association (VNPS) together with Thomas Hunziker |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “Give man a dog and his soul will be healed” |
Sibylle Tschumi
| First name | Sibylle |
| Family name | Tschumi |
| Year of birth | 1976 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities |
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| Current activities | Head of Paediatric Nephrology Unit, Inselspital Bern |
| Voluntary activity | None at present |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation Pediatric Nephrology |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | SSN Member |
| Citation | “I am invigorated by a short walk with friends and family every day.” |
Seraina von Moos
| Title | PD Dr. med. |
| First name | Seraina |
| Family name | von Moos |
| Year of birth | 1981 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | Nephrology with focus on post-transplant care |
| Previous activities, if relevant | Medical studies & Master studies Biology/Immunology University of Zurich Advanced training in internal medicine and nephrology Senior physician at the University Hospital of Zurich President and co-founder of Young Swiss Nephrology |
| Current activities | Senior Physician Cantonal Hospital Lucerne |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation German-speaking Switzerland |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Member SSN |
| Citation | “Confidence and serenity are important supports of our mental and physical health” |
Lilian Weisbrod
| Year of birth | 1972 |
| Experience in the field or focus of activities | Social worker, social counseling at Inselspital, focus on nephrology, pneumology and diabetology, adults and children. Support and counseling of patients and their families in difficult psycho-social situations. |
| Current activities | Social worker, social counseling at the Inselspital |
| Function/representation on the Swiss Kidney Foundation (SKF) Board | Representation of the social sector |
| Function in the Swiss Society of Nephrology (SSN) | Non-member |
| Citation | “Every smile you send out returns to you twofold.” E. Kästner |
Former members of the Foundation Board
Alfred Bär, Oberwil BL
Isabelle Binet, St. Gallen
Professor Andreas Bock, Aarau
Professor Michel Burnier, Lausanne
Ursula Dietrich, Bern
Walter Geiser, Dornach
Professor Jean-Pierre Guignard, Lausanne
Pandora Kunz Notter, Bern
Professor Heini Murer, Beckenried
Professor Bernard Rossier, Lausanne
Dr. Carlo Schönholzer, Breganzona
Professor Jürg Steiger, Basel
«I live healthy and enjoy the present and listen well to my body»
Thomas Hunziker, Member of the Foundation Board
