The Max Foundation (Max) Expands Board and Global Team to Advance Mission of Accelerating Health Equity

• Max adds three new members to the Board of Directors, increasing the seats from eight to 11
• In addition, Max has added 10 new team members in 2024 to support growing patient reach, collaboration with partners, and new disease areas
• This expansion will ensure Max can meet its strategic goals, including treating more patients, amplifying the voice of the patients it serves, and sustaining work through partnerships

SEATTLE, Washington – Jan. 28, 2025 – The Max Foundation (Max), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity by delivering medication, technology, and supportive services to patients worldwide, today announced it added three new board members and expanded U.S. and global staff to meet strategic goals including treating more patients, amplifying the voice of the patients it serves, and sustaining work through robust partnerships.

The new Board members are:

• Aparna Anderson, PhD – Anderson brings over 30 years of experience in research, biostatistics, and leadership to the Max board. She currently works as a Portfolio Statistics Leader at the Gates Medical Research Institute. She has contributed to several published articles, most recently RSM01, a Novel Respiratory Syncytial Virus Monoclonal Antibody: Preclinical Characterization and Results of a First-in-Human, Randomised Clinical Trial. Anderson has been a member of the American Statistical Association since 1995. During her career, she has earned several accolades, including the BMS James B.D. Palmer R&D Award for Excellence in Drug Development in 2016.
• Amadou Diarra, PhD – Diarra is a distinguished healthcare executive with over three decades of leadership experience in the global pharmaceutical industry. He started with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) in 1991 and recently retired from the company as Senior Vice President of Global Policy, Advocacy, and Government Affairs. Diarra has also served as a member of the Science & Technology in Society Forum, a member of the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors, Chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) International Section Executive Committee, Chair of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) Council, and Chair of the BioNJ Board. He received the 2024 Heart of BioNJ Award for his exceptional efforts on behalf of patients.
• Viji Venkatesh – Venkatesh has over 36 years of professional experience in cancer care and patient support from her role as Region Head, India, & South Asia at The Max Foundation. She retired on Dec. 31, 2024. Over her career, Venkatesh developed the Friends of Max patient support organization, which began in Mumbai and now has 35 local chapters throughout India, as well as Chai for Cancer, a unique awareness campaign that raises funds for people living with cancer. She has received several awards for her work, including the 2024 International CML Foundation Prize and the 2016 Patient Advocacy Award from Max.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our new board members. Each one brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and unique perspectives that we need to enable access to innovative medicine and treatment,” new Board Chair Curt Malloy said. “The new board members will hit the ground running to help us envision practical, scalable solutions for patients that strengthen health systems across the globe.”

Beena Narayanan is now the India Country Head, taking over for Venkatesh. Narayanan has been with The Max Foundation for 20 years, most recently as a program officer. She’s been instrumental in advocating for patients in India and managing programs like Project Shiksha, which provides financial aid to cover the education costs of children on lifelong medication for cancer.

In addition, The Max Foundation has been expanding operations with new staff. In 2024, the organization added 10 positions in seven countries, including the U.S., Kenya, Nepal, and Guatemala. Positions included partnership management, development, and program coordinators, who are based in countries with active Max programs and work with patients one-on-one to ensure they get medicines, care, and other services, like transportation grants, they need to sustain access. This year, Max plans to add around 15 more positions to support growing patient numbers and new programs, including treatment access for advanced breast cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a rare and debilitating blood disease.

“Our employees are at the heart of what we do. The Max Foundation is built on people helping people,” said CEO Pat Garcia-Gonzalez. “Expanding our team is an important step in reaching more people living with cancer and other critical illnesses in low- and middle-income countries. They don’t have time to wait – they need help accessing treatment, care, and support now.”

This expansion is part of The Max Foundation’s five-year strategic plan, which focuses on providing access to medication, diagnostics, and holistic support like adherence monitoring, education, and emotional support. An important part of the strategy is to strengthen health systems in the 80+ countries where Max operates. That includes introducing or expanding diagnostic capacity in 50 countries, enabling treatment for an additional 25,000 patients, expanding global programs and physician networks, and recruiting key experts for priority critical areas.

About The Max Foundation

The Max Foundation is a leading global health nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity. For 27 years, Max has pioneered practical, scalable, high-quality solutions to bring life-extending treatments and patient-centered health care to more than 100,000 people living with cancer and critical illness in low- and middle-income countries. Max believes in a world where all people can access high-impact medicines, where geography is not destiny, and where everyone can strive for health with dignity and with hope. Learn more at www.themaxfoundation.org.

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