KFF Announces Leadership Transition: Dr. Altman Steps Down After 40 Years; Levitt & Dr. Brodie to Lead Next Year

After nearly four decades of shaping U.S. Health policy, Dr. Drew Altman, the founding president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), has announced his retirement from the leadership role, effective December 31, 2026. The transition marks the end of an era for the nation’s leading nonpartisan health policy research organization, which under Altman’s guidance has become a cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking, polling, and journalism.

The KFF Board of Trustees has named Larry Levitt and Dr. Mollyann Brodie to succeed Altman as CEO and President, respectively, beginning in 2027. Both Levitt and Brodie bring decades of experience to their new roles, having worked together at KFF for more than six decades in senior positions focused on policy research and public opinion analysis.

Altman’s tenure has been pivotal in transforming KFF from its origins as part of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation into a comprehensive health policy institution. Under his leadership, KFF expanded its capacity to conduct rigorous research, commission independent polling, and launch KFF Health News—the largest dedicated health policy newsroom in the country. These efforts have positioned KFF as a trusted source of data-driven insights for lawmakers, journalists, and the public during landmark debates over the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, prescription drug pricing, and the COVID-19 pandemic response.

“Building KFF over the last three decades has been a mission for me,” Altman stated in a May 27, 2026, announcement. “My whole purpose has been to build an institution that could be a force for people and for truth in health care.” His vision resulted in an organization uniquely equipped to bridge research, polling, and journalism—a model that has set a standard for health policy analysis in the U.S.

Levitt and Brodie’s combined experience reflects KFF’s institutional depth. Levitt, a longtime health policy expert, has focused on consumer engagement and health system performance, while Brodie has led KFF’s polling and survey research divisions, including its signature tracking of public opinion on health issues. Their leadership will continue KFF’s mission of providing nonpartisan, fact-based analysis as the organization navigates evolving challenges in health equity, affordability, and innovation.

Altman’s retirement does not signal a shift in KFF’s operational priorities but underscores the need for continuity in an era marked by rapid changes in health policy. With the 2027 transition, the organization will maintain its independence and commitment to evidence-based advocacy, ensuring that its influence on national health debates remains undiminished.

The announcement follows years of speculation about KFF’s future leadership, given Altman’s foundational role in establishing the organization’s modern identity. His departure, however, is framed as a deliberate step to ensure institutional stability rather than a response to external pressures.

For policymakers, media outlets, and the public, KFF’s work remains indispensable as the U.S. Grapples with persistent disparities in access to care, rising costs, and the fallout from the pandemic. The transition to Levitt and Brodie’s leadership will be closely watched for its potential to sustain—or further expand—the organization’s impact on health policy discourse.