Michael Osso

Michael Osso leads the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation as president and CEO. The Foundation, the world's largest public nonprofit dedicated to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), aims to find cures and improve the lives of the 1 in 100 Americans with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The Foundation has played a role in every major research and treatment breakthrough in IBD, investing over half a billion dollars in research to date and supporting more than 2,500 research projects.

In his role, Michael oversees the mission and operations of this national organization headquartered in New York City with offices in 34 locations across the United States and covering all 50 states. Deeply committed to the Foundation's mission, Michael has focused on positioning the organization as a leader, convener, and innovator for the IBD community.

Under Michael's leadership, and in collaboration with hundreds of dedicated staff and thousands of volunteers, the Foundation has introduced several groundbreaking initiatives:

• The Foundation established IBD Plexus®, a research accelerator housing the most comprehensive collection of IBD patient data and biosamples in the world. By connecting hundreds of researchers with the right data, expertise, and technology, it significantly accelerates innovation, reducing the time it takes to discover new treatments and advancing the Foundation’s journey toward cures for IBD.
• The Foundation launched IBD Ventures, a venture philanthropy initiative that supports the early development of new products and therapeutics that hold the promise of transforming IBD patient care.
• The Foundation spearheaded an organization-wide diversity and inclusion Initiative to develop and implement strategies supporting a diverse and inclusive staff and volunteer base.
• The Foundation instituted innovative research, focusing on precision nutrition to understand the impact of diet on IBD management; chronic pain in IBD to investigate alternatives to opioids; and the role of stress in IBD. The Foundation also implemented new tools such as Gut Friendly Recipes, a free, dietitian-approved online recipe finder.

Michael has dedicated his entire career to advancing nonprofit organizations' missions since graduating from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the Foundation as chief business development officer in 2013 before becoming CEO in 2015. Previously, he spent seven years at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, first as executive director of its New York City chapter and then as senior vice president of revenue at the national office. His earlier work includes serving as executive director of the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, and working for various cultural organizations, including the Mark Morris Dance Group, José Limón Dance Foundation, and City Center Theater.

• The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia