Anthony “Tony” Villiotti will be remembered as a dedicated patient advocate whose lived experience with liver disease became the foundation for a broad and lasting contribution to the hepatology community.

After living through MASH, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and ultimately a liver transplant, Tony turned his personal health journey into a mission to improve awareness, education, and support for others affected by liver disease. Together with his wife, Betsy Villiotti, he founded what is now Liver Education Advocates, formerly NASH kNOWledge, to help patients and families better understand liver disease, recognize risk, seek timely care, and advocate for themselves.

Tony’s work helped elevate the patient voice at a critical time for the field. Long before MASLD and MASH were widely recognized by the public, he understood the consequences of delayed diagnosis, stigma, and limited patient education. He used his story not simply to raise awareness, but to build resources, relationships, and community. Through public speaking, educational outreach, patient support, and collaboration across the liver health community, Tony helped ensure that patients and caregivers had access to information many had lacked when first facing diagnosis.

His impact extended beyond patient education. Tony contributed his lived experience and patient perspective to research and clinical initiatives, including work focused on noninvasive biomarkers and tools that could support earlier diagnosis, monitoring, and intervention for patients with liver disease. He was a valued collaborator to clinicians, researchers, nonprofit leaders, industry partners, and fellow advocates, bringing insight, steadiness, humility, and a clear commitment to improving care.

Those who worked with Tony describe a leader who was principled, generous, thoughtful, and deeply focused on what would help patients. He understood that meaningful progress in liver health requires collaboration.. His leadership helped strengthen that shared purpose and encouraged others to continue the work.
Tony’s legacy lives on through Liver Education Advocates, through the family and colleagues who carry its mission forward, and through the many patients, caregivers, and advocates whose lives were changed by his example. His contributions helped advance awareness of MASH and related liver diseases, support patient-centered research, and reinforce the importance of including lived experience in the future of hepatology.

The 2026 AASLD Patient Advisory Group honors Tony Villiotti with gratitude for his advocacy, his leadership, and his enduring impact on the liver disease community.