NMDP Appoints Amy Ronneberg as Chief Executive Officer
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. June 10, 2020 The NMDPSM today announced the appointment of Amy Ronneberg as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the first female CEO for the organization. Ronneberg joined NMDP in 2013 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief of Staff, and has served as Acting CEO since February.
NMDP is a non-profit organization that delivers cures to patients in need of life-saving blood stem cell therapy. The organization operates the national NMDP Registry®, the world's largest and most diverse listing of potential stem cell donors. As trusted leaders in advancing stem cell therapy, NMDP also provides ground-breaking research, innovative technologies, patient support, and education so even more lives can be saved.
Around the same time Ronneberg joined NMDP as CFO, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now cancer-free, she brings unique passion and perspective to her work.
"As a cancer survivor, I have personally felt what many other cancer patients and their loved ones encounter every day. My experience, the patients we serve, and our outstanding, dedicated employees are my motivation," Ronneberg said. "I am deeply honored to be selected to lead this organization and look forward to further advancing our commitment to providing equal outcomes for all. The recent pandemic has put a spotlight on healthcare inequalities, and we are uniquely positioned to address one glaring disparity that is affecting ethnically diverse patients that is the ability to find a matching donor. I look forward to leading our team in diversifying the registry and delivering more life-saving treatments to patients of all backgrounds."
After the Affordable Care Act was implemented, Ronneberg led a NMDP budget restructure that netted a sustainable $50 million cost reduction and made marrow transplants more affordable. Those efforts and more earned her one of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal's 2016 CFO of the Year awards. Ronneberg also played a pivotal role in establishing NMDP's operations in Mexico.
This spring, the NMDP Board of Directors worked with an outside firm to identify the qualities needed in its next CEO and unanimously agreed that Ronneberg possesses all of them.
"Amy has the perfect blend of business experience, passion and health care expertise to lead NMDP," said Chair of the Board David L. Porter, M.D. "She likes to say, 'patients first, employees always.' I applaud her commitment to carrying out our mission and putting people first."
Ronneberg is also responsible for NMDP BioTherapies®, which partners with global cell and gene therapy industry leaders to deliver high-quality, consistent and compliant therapies to patients in need. Under her guidance, NMDP BioTherapies has invested in several therapeutics companies and launched an integrated supply chain platform called MatchSource®.
Prior to joining NMDP, Ronneberg spent 12 years at Capella Education Company where she served as Chief Accounting Officer, Vice President of Finance and led enterprise-wide operations and customer service. She also worked for Ernst & Young as an Audit Manager.
Ronneberg has served on several boards and is currently on the board of Magenta Therapeutics (MGTA), the Finance Committee for Allina Healthcare and the World Marrow Donor Association.
Ronneberg earned a Master of Business Administration from Capella University, Minneapolis, Minn. and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
"Going through treatment with my husband and young children at my side made me a much stronger person, leader and decision maker," Ronneberg said. "Cancer is an unfortunate reality that millions of people have to face, but with support, hope and the right medical tools, it can be overcome."