In Arizona, generosity is more than a value; it is a way of life. From boardrooms to classrooms, ballfields to board service, countless individuals quietly give their time, talent, and resources to strengthen the communities they call home.
This Mission Monday column shines a light on those difference-makers. Each week, we spotlight a philanthropic leader or volunteer whose passion for service is creating real, lasting impact across the state. Through their stories, we explore the “why” behind their giving, the mission that fuels their commitment, and the nonprofit organizations working tirelessly to serve Arizona’s most pressing needs. Today, we welcome Leslie McReynolds, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona.
What inspired you to get involved with this organization, and why has its mission remained important to you?
Purpose, more than personal experience, is what first led me to the National Kidney Foundation. I wanted to spend my career doing work that genuinely made a difference in people’s lives.
Like many families, mine experienced unexpected challenges that reshaped how I see the world. They gave me a deep sense of empathy for people facing circumstances they never asked for and a belief that, when we’re able, we have a responsibility to help.
Over the past 16 years, I’ve had the privilege of watching that mission come to life through patients receiving lifesaving care, families finding stability during a crisis, and communities gaining access to preventive health screenings. Those experiences have taught me that our work is about far more than kidneys. It’s about preserving dignity, creating hope, and making sure people don’t have to face life’s hardest moments alone.
For those unfamiliar, can you share the core mission of the organization and the community it serves here in Arizona?
Our mission is to provide awareness, assistance, and hope to Arizonans at-risk and impacted by kidney disease. That means providing free kidney health screenings, education, emergency aid, and programs like Camp Kidney, where children living with kidney disease can build confidence, make lifelong friends, and simply enjoy being kids.
Whether someone is trying to prevent kidney disease, adjust to a new diagnosis, navigate dialysis, receive a transplant, or simply find a way through an unexpected hardship, our goal is to meet them where they are and provide the support they need at that moment. For many families, we’re there when few other resources remain.
What is a program, initiative, or moment that truly captures the impact this organization is making right now?
Right now, some of the most meaningful impact we’re making happens through the lifesaving programs that support patients and their families every single day. Kidney disease doesn’t just affect a person’s health. It can suddenly reshape every part of life. Imagine learning that you’ll now spend three to four hours a day, three or four days each week, on dialysis treatments to stay alive. Keeping a job becomes harder. Family routines change. Even getting to those lifesaving treatments can become an overwhelming challenge.
Last year alone, we provided more than 115,000 rides to and from dialysis treatments across Arizona. We also help patients receive the dental care they need before becoming eligible for a kidney transplant, afford the medications that protect a transplanted kidney, and navigate many other unexpected financial hardships that often accompany a serious illness.
When someone is fighting to stay alive, they shouldn’t also have to wonder how they’ll get to treatment, whether they can afford the medication that protects their new kidney, or if they’ll have to choose between rent and groceries this month. Those are the burdens we’re working every day to help lift.
Are there any upcoming nonprofit events, campaigns, or initiatives you are especially excited about in the coming months?
We’re especially excited that, beginning August 20, Arizona drivers will be able to purchase the state’s new Kidney Health Awareness license plate. It’s the first kidney-focused specialty plate in the country and features a beautiful Arizona desert landscape with a subtle white kidney as the moon.
Every plate purchased directly supports the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona’s programs that serve patients and families across Arizona, from free community health screenings and Camp Kidney for children to emergency financial assistance that helps people get to dialysis, keep a roof over their head, or navigate unexpected medical hardships. Flexible funding like this allows us to respond wherever the need is greatest, making every plate an investment in the health of our Arizona communities.
How do you balance your professional life with your commitment to giving back, and what advice would you offer to others who want to do the same?
For me, working in the nonprofit industry, my professional life and my commitment to giving back have never really been separated. It’s a life my husband and I have intentionally chosen, and one we hope our son grows up seeing as simply part of who we are.
My advice to anyone is to first decide what matters most to you, then intentionally make time for it. Giving back doesn’t always mean changing careers. It can be as simple as sharing your time, your talents, or your voice in service of something you believe in.
I’ve learned that balance isn’t about dividing your time evenly. It’s about living in a way that’s aligned with your values. When I know I’ve helped others through a difficult season, I leave feeling like I’ve received just as much in return.
If your philanthropic work had a theme song, what would it be and why?
I’d choose “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars. One of the greatest privileges of this work is walking alongside people during what is often the most difficult chapter of their life. We can’t solve every challenge, but we can try our best to make sure no one has to face it alone.
Outside of your work with the organization, what are three local spots that you especially love?
LGO (La Grande Orange) for its commuter sandwich and community vibe; Rokerij for its downstairs bar and bacon-wrapped shrimp; and Phoenix Symphony Hall for incredible and diverse performances by the Phoenix Symphony.
