Leadership
Executive Team
Management Team
Executive Team
Tunji Alausa, M.D.
Emeritus Chief Medical Officer & Founder
Tunji Alausa, M.D. is a board-certified Nephrologist and the founder of both Kidney Care Center, a nephrology practice and Dialysis Care Center, a rapidly growing provider of boutique dialysis services nationwide. Dr. Alausa has created these national brands focusing on optimal care for patients with chronic kidney disease in underserved communities. He has made a remarkable contribution to these communities by creating numerous job opportunities for diverse stakeholders. Additionally, he has established a team of highly skilled professionals across the country who share his vision and mission.
Dr. Alausa served as a Chief Medical Resident at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, after completing his residency in Internal Medicine. In this role, he supervised the training of several interns and residents and acted as an Attending Physician. Later, he joined Rush University Medical School as an Assistant Professor. He then moved to the Medical College of Wisconsin for his specialist training in Nephrology and Hypertension.
Dr. Alausa has been recognized with multiple awards for his charitable contributions and voluntary service to those in need, which is a testament to his philanthropic spirit. He has published numerous medical papers covering a diverse range of practices. His publications have transcended basic medical research and clinical medicine and appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. In 2007 & 2012, Dr. Tunji Alausa was named one of America’s Best Physicians.
Mohammad S. Shafi, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer & Executive Co-Chairman
Mohammad S. Shafi, M.D. is a board-certified Nephrologist. He is the co-founder of Dialysis Care Center and Kidney Care Center. Both companies provide services to ensure a better life for CKD or kidney failure patients. He is recognized as a leader, owing to his expertise in nephrology, compassion for his patients, and his commitment to innovation. His insight was instrumental in launching the nation’s first Staff Enhanced Home Hemodialysis program.
Dr. Shafi completed his medical education at the King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan, in the year 1991. During his residency, he trained in internal medicine at Englewood Hospital, affiliated with the renowned Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He also served as the Chief Resident during his time there. In 1997, Dr. Shafi completed his fellowship training in nephrology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He also completed 1 Year fellowship in critical care at the University of Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Shafi has over twenty-one years of experience in Nephrology. In addition to his nephrology practice, his particular interest lies in infection control in dialysis settings which is a significant cause of death in dialysis patients. He speaks passionately at several national and international conferences. He is firmly committed to contributing to society and is deeply committed to his charitable endeavors. Currently, he holds the position of the board’s chair at the IPAC Foundation, where he works towards promoting preventive healthcare in underprivileged regions across the globe.
Babajide Salako, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Babajide Salako, M.D. is an experienced leader with varied international experience in medicine and the business of medicine in various roles and responsibilities. He joined the Dialysis Care Center in 2014 as the Chief Executive Officer. He drives the company’s visionary plan and growth and oversees the daily dialysis business operations. Before joining DCC, he was Senior Director of Disaster Response and Business Continuity with Fresenius, where his responsibility included responding to and managing disasters as they impacted kidney patients globally. Dr. Salako’s business acumen and extraordinary vision have earned him numerous recognitions including Person of the Year from the Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition.
Dr. Salako is an Internal Medicine trained physician with an MBA from George Washington University.
Michael Mance, CPA
Vice President of Financial Operations
Michael Mance, CPA serves as Vice President of Financial Operations at Dialysis Care Center. He leads the Finance Team, ensures strategic growth, and drives the financial strength of the company’s future, overseeing the strategy, finance, banking, and audit relationships, capital financing, financial reporting, treasury, internal controls, accounting close, budgeting, forecasting, expense management, financial planning, tax planning, and compliance and acquisitions. Leading the DCC’s financial operations, accounting, and strategic acquisitions, Michael possesses over 30 years of experience in accounting, corporate compliance, financial reporting, and shared services with global publicly and privately held companies.
Michael has completed his undergraduate studies in accounting at Illinois State University and is now a Certified Public Accountant. He believes in making a difference in his team’s careers and ensuring their success.
Monique Barnes
Vice President of Education, Quality and Care Delivery
Monique Barnes brings a combination of management and clinical expertise with 20 years of experience in Dialysis. She oversees all areas of clinical operations, including In-Center, Home, Quality/regulatory, and the education departments of DCC. Monique believes in impacting the lives of dialysis patients by offering high-quality care and that of healthcare personnel by ensuring a safe and nurturing environment.
Monique holds an MBA degree coupled with HCM and BSN, which gives her the unique expertise to find creative ways to solve problems. She is also a member of the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA).
Michele Crnich
Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Marketing/ Communications
Michele Crnich is currently the Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Marketing/ Communications. She has been with Dialysis Care Center for over four years, working to build the Human Resources department, H.R. services, and the Marketing department. Michele brought a wide breadth of Human Resources and Communications experience in the Healthcare field, specifically 20-plus years focused on Skilled Nursing and Rehab facilities.
Michele’s passion for working with people is apparent as she works with the team, assisting them in their professional development, consults with Managers, addresses challenges, creates processes, continually evaluates employee benefits, and focuses on maintaining a healthy, happy, professional work culture for the entire DCC team. Michele is proud to be a part of the phenomenal DCC growth and looks forward to many challenges and improvements that DCC will experience.
She earned a B.S. degree in Communications with an emphasis on Public Relations. As an SHRM member, she remains current with employment law and H.R. updates.
Salman Azam
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
Salman Azam serves as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Kidney Care Center and Dialysis Care Center. He manages all legal personnel and legal matters for the company, including all transactional work, regulatory affairs, compliance, and labor and employment issues. He has helped navigate the Company’s multi-state expansion over the last decade. Mr. Azam was recognized by Crain’s as a Notable General Counsel for his work with DCC as well as a Notable Not For Profit Leader for his community work with Downtown Islamic Center. He has been awarded SuperLawyer and Leading Lawyer honors for several years and counting. Salman has also served as a Past-President of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago and has been featured as a TedX speaker.