DaVita Kidney Care appoints new Chief People Officer

DaVita Kidney Care announced Kenny Gardner as its new Chief People Officer (CPO). Gardner has been with DaVita for nearly a decade and most recently served the company as a group vice president (GVP), overseeing field operations in the Southeast U.S.

"Our teams of professionals give life to our patients, day in and day out. It is critical that we provide an environment for both our teammates and our patients to thrive," said Javier Rodriguez, CEO of DaVita Inc. "I am confident that Kenny's track record and proven leadership will take us to the next frontier." 

Gardner has held numerous roles since joining DaVita in 2011 as a regional operations director. He has been an executive sponsor of DaVita's renowned Redwoods recruiting program and a facilitator for DaVita University, which is DaVita's in-house personal and professional development program. In his latest role as GVP, he also led DaVita's diagnostic laboratory along with a specialized, cross-functional team tasked with supporting DaVita teammates through innovative technology and tools.

"DaVita is a special place to work where everyone can belong," said Gardner. "I am honored and excited to be CPO and look forward to this expanded responsibility to serve our thousands of teammates around the world."

Prior to joining DaVita, Gardner worked as an investment banker for Morgan Stanley, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Florida A&M University, along with a Master of Business Administration from Stanford.