Bethesda, MD – After four years as the Chair of The Geneva Foundation’s Board of Directors, Neil Vining, MD, MBA, is passing the gavel to Kent Kester, MD.
Dr. Vining is a former orthopedic trauma surgeon in the U.S. Army and currently practices orthopedic trauma surgery in North Carolina. His dedication to the advancement of military medicine led him to Geneva, serving on the organization’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) beginning in 2012, and as the SAB Chair from 2016-2020. Joining Geneva’s Board of Directors in 2018, Dr. Vining assumed the role of Chair in 2021. During his tenure, Geneva reached a milestone anniversary of 30 years.
“Geneva has matured into a world-class organization that is changing the course of scientific applications in the military and beyond. And, increasingly, changing the lives of our warfighters for the better,” said Dr. Vining. “I could not be prouder of the team’s achievements.”
“We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Vining’s unwavering leadership and guidance during this time of change and growth for The Geneva Foundation,” said Geneva’s President and CEO, Elise Huszar, MBA. “Dr. Vining’s legacy at Geneva is firm, and now I am excited to continue to partner with Dr. Kester to strategically build on Geneva’s impactful work.”
Assuming the role as Chair, Kent Kester, MD, COL (Ret.), USA, joined Geneva’s Board of Directors in 2023. Previously, Dr. Kester served on the SAB beginning in 2018 and as the SAB Chair from 2021-2024.
Dr. Kester is currently Executive Director of Vaccine Research and Development at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). During a 24-year career in the U.S. Army, he worked extensively in clinical vaccine development and led multiple research platforms at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest and most diverse biomedical research laboratory with a major emphasis on emerging infectious diseases, an institution he later led as its Commander.
About The Geneva Foundation
Geneva advances operationally relevant, military-unique research aligned with DoD requirements to ensure mission success. We accelerate military medical R&D to deliver deployable solutions that enhance the health, readiness, and capabilities of service members and the communities they serve. With deep expertise in research operations, government contracting, strategic collaborations, and commercialization, Geneva ensures successful research outcomes and remains a committed strategic partner in advancing military medicine. Discover more about our impactful work and solutions at https://genevausa.org/ and engage with us on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Facebook.
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