Kelly Patrick has 21 years of tissue banking experience, working the last 18 years for Solvita (formerly Community Tissue Services).  She has worked as a Tissue Processing Technician, Production Planning Manager, Quality Systems Specialist, and Recovery Partner Director.  Kelly has been a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) since 2005, and earned her MS in Regulatory Science in 2019 from Johns Hopkins University.  Kelly also serves on AATB's Quality Council and Certification Committee, and has presented in-person and virtually on various tissue banking topics for AATB, FDA, and several Solvita customers and Recovery Partners over the last 15 years.

Dr. Theodore (Ted) Kieffer is the US Area Abbott Transfusion Medical Director with Medical, Scientific, and Clinical responsibilities. He is Board Certified in Clinical Pathology & Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking with Fellowship training in Clinical Microbiology. He trained at Indiana University Health Department of Pathology and laboratory medicine with professional experience in medical reimbursement, Academic Hospital Medical Directorship, Private Blood Center & Cell Therapy Medical Directorship, and in vitro diagnostic development. Dr. Kieffer has been involved in organ and tissue donation since training including setting up non-heart beating donor testing at WVU and engaged in their transplant program  development. 

Amber Carriker is the Director of Laboratory services at Mid America Transplant.  She has been involved in the clinical laboratory testing of both donors and recipients for more than 20 years.  The on-site laboratory at Mid America Transplant is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of organs and tissues for transplant.  While in the director role at Mid America Transplant, Amber has upgraded the testing platforms and technologies to improve accuracy and efficiency to increase the number of lives saved.  In 2022, the Laboratory and Mid America Transplant were awarded the UNIVANTS of Healthcare Excellence Award of Distinction for the improvements and efficiencies achieved through new rapid donor screening protocols.

Kelly Patrick has 21 years of tissue banking experience, working the last 18 years for Solvita (formerly Community Tissue Services).  She has worked as a Tissue Processing Technician, Production Planning Manager, Quality Systems Specialist, and Recovery Partner Director.  Kelly has been a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) since 2005, and earned her MS in Regulatory Science in 2019 from Johns Hopkins University.  Kelly also serves on AATB's Quality Council and Certification Committee, and has presented in-person and virtually on various tissue banking topics for AATB, FDA, and several Solvita customers and Recovery Partners over the last 15 years.

Dr. Theodore (Ted) Kieffer is the US Area Abbott Transfusion Medical Director with Medical, Scientific, and Clinical responsibilities. He is Board Certified in Clinical Pathology & Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking with Fellowship training in Clinical Microbiology. He trained at Indiana University Health Department of Pathology and laboratory medicine with professional experience in medical reimbursement, Academic Hospital Medical Directorship, Private Blood Center & Cell Therapy Medical Directorship, and in vitro diagnostic development. Dr. Kieffer has been involved in organ and tissue donation since training including setting up non-heart beating donor testing at WVU and engaged in their transplant program  development. 

Amber Carriker is the Director of Laboratory services at Mid America Transplant.  She has been involved in the clinical laboratory testing of both donors and recipients for more than 20 years.  The on-site laboratory at Mid America Transplant is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of organs and tissues for transplant.  While in the director role at Mid America Transplant, Amber has upgraded the testing platforms and technologies to improve accuracy and efficiency to increase the number of lives saved.  In 2022, the Laboratory and Mid America Transplant were awarded the UNIVANTS of Healthcare Excellence Award of Distinction for the improvements and efficiencies achieved through new rapid donor screening protocols.

With over 20 years of experience in standards-setting and accreditation, Eduardo is a seasoned association executive with a proven track record of relationship and program management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning. In his current project with AATB, Eduardo is working alongside the organization's leadership to reimagine and rebuild the Association's Standards Program. In his time as an association executive, Eduardo has published extensively on topics ranging from the use of quality management systems in the perioperative setting to how associations should approach the use of standards-setting in fulfilling their mission.

Mr. Sindaco joined AATB in 2023 as Director of Standards. Prior to joining AATB, he spent 18 years at the United States Pharmacopeia, heading operations for standards and serving as Executive Secretariat to the Council of Experts. He initially joined USP’s quality department after holding various operations, quality, and regulatory affairs leadership positions in the blood and clinical laboratory industries. Mr. Sindaco earned a B.A. in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College, an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation from the University of Florida, and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. 

With over 20 years of experience in standards-setting and accreditation, Eduardo is a seasoned association executive with a proven track record of relationship and program management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning. In his current project with AATB, Eduardo is working alongside the organization's leadership to reimagine and rebuild the Association's Standards Program. In his time as an association executive, Eduardo has published extensively on topics ranging from the use of quality management systems in the perioperative setting to how associations should approach the use of standards-setting in fulfilling their mission.

Mr. Sindaco joined AATB in 2023 as Director of Standards. Prior to joining AATB, he spent 18 years at the United States Pharmacopeia, heading operations for standards and serving as Executive Secretariat to the Council of Experts. He initially joined USP’s quality department after holding various operations, quality, and regulatory affairs leadership positions in the blood and clinical laboratory industries. Mr. Sindaco earned a B.A. in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College, an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation from the University of Florida, and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Walter began working with LifeCell in 2003. He currently holds the position of Sr. Regional Field Manager. In this capacity, Walter works with a number of tissue banks and organ procurement organizations throughout the Central and Southern United States. He is responsible for the coordination of tissue procurement, on-site training, technical and material support, and manages and oversees the LifeCell National on Call Coordinators.  Walter is a Certified Surgical Technologist, Certified Tissue Banking Specialist, and an active member of the American Association of Tissue Banks.

Haydee Barno is the Director of Education at the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and is responsible for the management and execution of educational programs and the Certified Tissue Bank Specialist program. Prior to joining AATB, Haydee was the Director of Education at the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, a professional society dedicated to advancing the science of clinical pharmacology and to engage in educational efforts in the interest of Members, the clinical pharmacology community, and the public. During her tenure, Haydee was responsible for directing the planning and execution of the society’s continuing medical and pharmacy education programs. Haydee has been in the non-profit sector for over 20 years holding different positions including continuing education and certification programs.

Haydee earned her law degree from the Universidad Americana of Managua (UAM) and earned her MBA at Strayer University in Washington, DC. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Brandi Brewer has been involved in the tissue bank community since 2015. She currently serves as the Manager of Donation Services at LifeShare Tissue Services in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and has been LifeShare Network since July of 2020. Prior to this, she served as a Client Services Associate at United Tissue Network, a non-transplant donation organization. She obtained her CTBS certification in 2021 after beginning her role as a Donation Services Coordinator at LifeShare. In her current position, Brandi provides leadership and training to the Donation Services staff offering guidance on tissue allocation, proper documentation techniques, and approach and authorization coaching enabling coordinators to speak confidently to donor families. She is passionate about continuous growth, education, and professional development for the individuals that she leads.

Brandi has earned an Associate of Applied Science in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Ethics from Mid-America Christian University and is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies in Healthcare Law at the University of Oklahoma. 

Allisen Wayda is the Manager of Tissue Recovery at Lifeshare Network. With over 10 years of experience, she has been with Lifeshare Tissue Services since 2014. She began her career in Tissue Recovery as a Tissue Recovery Technician.  Since that time, she has held positions as a Tissue Recovery Coordinator and a Business Intelligence Analyst at Lifeshare, prior to accepting the position of Tissue Recovery Manager.  In this role she also developed and now manages the “Labor of Love” initiative, which is Lifeshare’s Birth Tissue program.  She has maintained her CTBS since 2016 and is a member of the RADE Council for AATB and a member of the I-Transplant Superuser Committee. As a commitment to donation and donor families, she also serves as an educator for the Oklahoma Funeral Director’s Association. Her years of experience in tissue recovery and data analysis has been instrumental in the success of these programs.  

Dr. Emma Hoffman has 15 years of combined experience in cell culture, gene therapy, cancer biology, and neuroscience. Her extensive knowledge and experience in cellular and molecular techniques associated with cell-based disease models, combined with a background in the development of primary cell isolations and new cell culture products, has allowed her to foster a passion for understanding translational priorities for designing new therapeutics. Dr. Hoffman's current role as the Supervisor of Cell Culture Product Manufacturing with Lonza involves the oversight of primary cell isolation, as well as custom and one-off cell culture projects, and the laboratory operations surrounding these isolations.  

 Dr. Hoffman earned her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Nottingham and a Ph.D. in Biology with a focus on Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of Liverpool in the UK. She worked on various post-doctoral projects focused on oncology, gene therapy, and rare diseases before moving to an industry setting.  

Jonathan has worked in the tissue banking and donation field for 15 years holding roles in tissue recovery and leadership. Jonathan is currently the Associate Director of Tissue Acquisition at Lonza where he supports Lonza’s various divisions engaged in research and clinical applications utilizing human organs, tissues, and cells. Prior to joining Lonza, Jonathan served as the Director of Education at AATB where he led the development of educational programming and webinars just like this one.

Jonathan is an active member of the AATB Recovery and Donor Eligibility Council, International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners Board of Directors and Advocacy Committee, and the National Association of Medical Examiners Ad-Hoc Organ and Tissue Procurement Committee.

 Jonathan earned his undergraduate degree in communications, a master’s degree of science in management, and is a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist and a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.