NMDP staff
Global nonprofit cell therapy organization recognized among top 3 “extra-large” companies its exceptional employees, its work culture and its life-saving mission
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NMDPSMa leading global nonprofit in the field of cell therapy, announced that the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has named the company a Top Workplace for the fourth consecutive year, ranking third in the extra-large company category of the 2024 Best Places to Work, which recognizes Twin Cities-based companies that excel in creating a positive, thriving work environment for their employees.
With more than 1,000 employees in Minnesota and another 600 employees worldwide, NMDP has grown exponentially since its founding in 1987, becoming a pioneering provider of blood stem cell research, products and services, and a registry that helps patients with life-threatening blood cancers and diseases. Founded in the Twin Cities, the nonprofit organization has impacted more than 130,000 lives through cell therapy and given patients a second chance at life both here and abroad.
“The dedication of our employees is unparalleled, and in the ten years I’ve been here, I’ve been continually inspired by our team’s determination to embody our mission,” said Amy Ronneberg, CEO of NMDP. “We all play different roles and are united in a common vision to save more patient lives. It is our shared commitment to donors, patients, volunteers, supporters and partners that allows us to advance groundbreaking research, provide world-class services and expand equitable access to transplant for patients in need.”
Living our mission
For many NMDP employees, the organization’s mission is personal. More than 30 of the current employees have donated potentially life-saving blood stem cells; some have received these donations themselves, often inspiring them to choose a career at NMDP. About 165 employees serve as volunteer couriers, spending their free time carefully transporting donated cells to transplant centers across the U.S. and around the world to ensure patients have a second chance at life.
NMDP staff member Cortney Alleyne serves as a patient navigator, accompanying patients and their families through every step of the transplant journey, from diagnosis to recovery. She is also a blood stem cell donor and helped cure her sister of sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder treated by transplants.
Bioinformatician Ray Sajulga also serves as a volunteer courier for the NMDP, having traveled more than 17,000 miles to deliver blood stem cells to patients. As a software development expert, Ray translates research findings into patient care tools, enabling transplant centers to continually improve their ability to save patients’ lives. These tools, in part, optimize transplant matching and identify gaps that impact how patients in underserved populations access this life-saving treatment.
“Our employees are the lifeblood of our organization, and their passion and dedication create a powerful alchemy that drives our goal – to create a world where every patient can receive their life-saving blood stem cell therapy,” said Ronneberg. “Being recognized for the fourth time is a testament to the unique culture we have created together and will move us closer to our five-year goals of impacting 10,000 patient lives and doubling the number of ethnically diverse patients receiving a transplant.”
About the 2024 Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Best Places to Work Awards
The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, along with Omaha, Nebraska-based Quantum Workplace, identified 70 companies in the region that received high ratings from their employees when evaluating their employers on a variety of questions about leadership, communication and more. The honorees will be ranked based on their employee survey scores in the journal’s Aug. 23 special Best Places to Work issue, which features all 70 winners.
About NMDPSM
At NMDPSMWe believe that each of us holds the key to curing blood cancers and other diseases. As the world’s leading nonprofit in the field of cell therapy, NMDP creates vital connections between researchers and supporters to inspire action and accelerate innovation to find life-saving cures. With the help of blood stem cell donors from the world’s most diverse registry and our extensive network of transplant partners, doctors and caregivers, we are expanding access to treatment so that every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. NMDP. Find cures. Save lives. For more information, visit nmdp.org.
Contact:
Jess Ayers
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/df5be322-b191-4c62-98f2-2a3ae407acba
