We congratulate Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Mid-Missouri Area Operations Director Leanne Peace, MSW, MHA, on receiving the 2024 National Kidney Foundation’s Council of Nephrology Social Workers Robert Whitlock Lifetime Achievement Award. Leanne was honored at the NKF Spring Clinical last month in Long Beach, Calif.
The lifetime achievement award honors the legacy of Robert W. Whitlock, MSSW, MHA, LCSW, Missouri Kidney Program director, and a leader in the kidney community who passed away in 2008. Bob was a dedicated nephrology social worker and an outstanding contributor to research, teaching and clinical practice in nephrology social work.
“Social work is my heart,” Leanne said. “I’m greatly humbled to get this award because I knew Bob Whitlock as a strong mentor to me throughout his years as MOKP’s Director. Not only was he a social worker, he was a lobbyist and, when he would go down to our state capitol in Jefferson City, he would call me and ask me to speak at committee hearings on disability rights, transportation or Medicaid, plus to bring a patient to testify.”
Leanne was selected by the council’s executive committee for her contributions advancing nephrology social work and improving the lives of kidney patients and family through research, presentations, articles and/or program development.
She feels “fortunate to always haveworked in a nonprofit health care setting.” DCI’s “mission has always aligned with my views and allows … compassion.” Her 37-year nephrology social work career includes serving patients in all modalities: in-center and home dialysis, transplants, living donors; as well as leading as the state kidney program and currently as a DCI Area Operations Director.
She started her career as a DCI social worker in Columbia, Mo., while utilizing DCI’s education reimbursement to earn her master’s degree. DCI medical directors and University of Missouri nephrologists encouraged her involvement in the American Nephrology Nurses Association and National Kidney Foundation’s Council of Nephrology Social Workers.
A highlight of her career was serving Missouri’s rural renal patients by flying to visit area clinics with the medical director, who was also a pilot, in his six-seat Cessna.
Leanne’s involvement in the Council of Nephrology Social Workers at the state and national levels provided connections and camaraderie, while providing professional growth opportunities.
She believes “advocating for medical care is essential for healthy citizens” and is proud to see that mental health awareness has improved over the course of her career.
Congratulations, Leanne, on this most-deserved lifetime achievement award! Thank you for all that you do for our patients and clinics, and for furthering the nephrology social work profession.