Biography

Robert Knutzen, M.B.A., is the CEO, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of the Pituitary Network Association (PNA). This non-profit organization was created in 1990 shortly after Mr. Knutzen was diagnosed with the pituitary disorder, acromegaly. The PNA has been instrumental in raising awareness of the dangers associated with pituitary diseases and disorders worldwide. To that end, the PNA organizes conferences, publishes health information, raises money to support research, and hosts a chat room/web forum for the pituitary community. On a daily basis, the PNA helps individual pituitary patients on the difficult path from diagnosis to treatment and rest-of-life care.

Working as an advocate on the behalf of pituitary patients, Mr. Knutzen has garnered the support and respect of top medical professionals who recognize the importance of raising pituitary awareness. This coalition between the medical and patient communities has achieved a remarkable level of success in educational endeavors.

Mr. Knutzen’s unrelenting pursuit of public awareness has led him to get involved in a number of ways. By publishing, editing, and contributing articles to the PNA’s Network magazine and Highlights e-newsletter, Mr. Knutzen has managed to keep pituitary issues in the spotlight. He also co-edited an issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics; Emotional Aspects of Pituitary Disease and has contributed entries to “Comprehensive Clinical Endocrinology” and others. His many speaking engagements at the world’s top universities and institutions in pituitary education and patient care include: The National Institutes of Health, The University of California at Los Angeles, The University of Pennsylvania, The University of San Francisco, The University of Erlangen (Germany), Westmeade Hospital (Australia) and The Meeting of Pediatric Endocrinologists (Switzerland). In addition, Mr. Knutzen arranged for the American Medical Association to co-sponsor a one-day press briefing with the PNA in 2003 to raise awareness of hormonal issues. He is best known for creating and publishing the Pituitary Patient Resource Guide and the PNA’s highly respected web site, .

In 2004, Knutzen organized the Family Hormonal Health Symposium, with the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. The Symposium was web cast world-wide. Knutzen received his Masters of Business Administration at Pepperdine University in 1984 and did his undergraduate work at UCLA and Santa Monica College. Mr. Knutzen has been married for 27 years and has four children.