Josh Brennan spent six years as an EMS professional and was an educator for the Red Cross. Josh has been with New England Donor Services since 2008 in various roles in the Tissue Operations Department. He is currently the Director of Tissue Operations. He has published three abstract articles with the American Association of Tissue Banks and was part of the creative development team for the Hopes Heroes - Donor Family Program. He has been invited to speak at multiple workshops/conferences/webinars on various topics, including Electronic Tissue Authorization, Call Center Scheduling, Algorithmic Tissue Screening, Electronic Tissue Allocation, DRAI competency & training, and Grief Concepts. Josh is currently serving on the AATB Education Committee and was the project co-manager on the development of the Sepsis Education Online Learning Tool for the RADE Council.

Miles Kueffner currently works as a Partner Relations Manager for two musculoskeletal processors and previously led teams responsible for initial donor screening, donor family paperwork, and tissue processor allocation. Through her time in these roles, she's also been responsible for the review of donor records prior to Medical Examiner release. She has almost 15 years' experience in donation, and prior to her time in our industry, served as a high school teacher. Miles holds a master's degree in healthcare administration in addition to being CTBS certified. When not thinking about how to get donors accepted, she likes winning music trivia and interior design. 

Please welcome Rufus Tolbert, the Multicultural Outreach Specialist at DonorConnect. Rufus has been with DonorConnect for five years, beginning his work in the transportation department and now serving in a key specialized leadership role as the organization's only Multicultural Outreach Specialist.

Rufus covers a vast region that includes all of Utah, western Wyoming, southern Idaho, and eastern Nevada. A recognized leader in his field, he has developed strategic partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, culturally specific organizations, institutions of higher education, and LGBTQ+ organizations to expand the reach and impact of donation education. His primary focus is serving underserved, under-educated, and marginalized communities. Promoting an “Education is essential” to the life-saving mission of organ, eye, and tissue donation amongst communities of color.

 Before joining DonorConnect, Rufus retired from a distinguished career in law enforcement, where he served as a Public Relations and Community Outreach Officer. That experience built the foundation for his current role—bridging trust and connection across diverse communities.

 His innovative and forward-thinking ideas help create opportunities for communities to learn about registering to be an organ donor and ways to change the dynamic of the historical mistrust of the health care system.

Rod Hale, Account Executive at DPT-Eurofins—graduated magna cum laude from Utah State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology.  In 1997 he earned his Master of Science in Medical and Molecular Genetics from Indiana University.  He has 25+ years’ experience in the Human Cell & Tissue Product (HCT/P) industry, the first 12 years of which were spent at Laboratories At Bonfils (later, LABS Inc.).  Rod started on the bench, performing various immunological and molecular tests for the screening of organ, eye, tissue, and other transplant donors.  He eventually became the manager of the Infectious Disease department, where he successfully created and implemented the testing logistics that enabled the small regional lab to achieve nationwide success.  In 2010 he left LABS Inc. to be the Laboratory Manager at the start-up human-screening division of VRL, eventually becoming the Director of Operations at VRL-Eurofins, and later moving into the Account Executive role once VRL merged with LABS Inc., Inc to create DPT-Eurofins.

Pam began her career at New England Donor Services (NEDS) in June of 1989 as a donation coordinator, coming to this position with ten years of transplant nursing experience in Boston.  At NEDS, she has worked as the Education Specialist/Hospital Development Coordinator, donor family liaison, Director of Tissue Operations and Aftercare Services.    In July of 2015, she took on the role of Sr. Director Tissue Donation.   In this roles see oversees she acts as a performance coach for Tissue Operations Center staff who obtain authorization/disclosure for tissue donation as well as a mentor and coach for new managers and directors in Tissue Donation Services. Pam is a faculty member for the Gift of Life Institute with a focus on tissue authorization.    Pam’s work with donor families has been recognized with the Musculoskeletal Foundation Donor Care Award as well her work in tissue donation with the American Association of Tissue Banks Jeanne C. Mowe distinguished Service Award.

Alex is a 37 year old middle school teacher and summer camp counselor. He enjoys backcountry skiing, sailing, making, and hiking. In the fall of 2023 during a paragliding class he had an accident and broke his back (and more!) leading him to become a tissue recipient. Since the accident he has been working hard on getting back out into the mountains and has been able to hike and run. 

Josh Brennan spent six years as an EMS professional and was an educator for the Red Cross. Josh has been with New England Donor Services since 2008 in various roles in the Tissue Operations Department. He is currently the Director of Tissue Operations. He has published three abstract articles with the American Association of Tissue Banks and was part of the creative development team for the Hopes Heroes - Donor Family Program. He has been invited to speak at multiple workshops/conferences/webinars on various topics, including Electronic Tissue Authorization, Call Center Scheduling, Algorithmic Tissue Screening, Electronic Tissue Allocation, DRAI competency & training, and Grief Concepts. Josh is currently serving on the AATB Education Committee and was the project co-manager on the development of the Sepsis Education Online Learning Tool for the RADE Council.

Alyssa Harrison serves as the VP of Tissue Operations at LifeShare Network. She has been in the donation industry for over 10 years, starting at United Tissue Network, a non-transplant domination organization.  In her current role, she oversees all aspects of Tissue Recovery and Donation Services, including day-to-day management, donor assessment and evaluation, organization policy, procedure protocol application, training, strategic planning, and administrative duties. She reviews and evaluates all performance metrics and key performance indicators with a primary focus on identifying opportunities for improvement and growth for both departments.  She works as an executive leader to develop and execute strategic plans and annual operative and capital budgets.

Alyssa is a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist and is an active member of AATB, having served on numerous committees, councils, and the Board of Governs. 

She has earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Adult Education and a Master of Business Administration.

Kimberly Delk-Brooks is an Accreditation and Regulatory Affairs Manager at the American Association of Tissue Banks, where she leads the day-to-day management, maintenance, and efficient operation of the electronic systems and people processes involved in AATB’s accreditation program. With over 10 years of experience in FDA and quality auditing, Kim is a biologics subject matter expert and offers a strong commitment to delivering results that align with both business goals and customer needs. Before joining AATB, Kim held positions at the Food and Drug Administration as a Biologics and Tobacco Specialist and Program Monitor, where she contributed to the development and implementation of innovative inspection programs and tools for biologics and tobacco products, such as the simulated saline incident task force and the drug shortages mobile application. Her career has been defined by a focus on improving processes, solving problems, and enhancing analytical skills in the field of biologics and tobacco regulation and compliance.

Kim holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Non-profit and Governmental Administration from Kennesaw State University and a Bachelor of Biology with a minor in Community Health from Georgia Southern University. She is actively involved in advocating for issues impacting children and military veterans in her community. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with her family and attending concerts.

Amanda joined the tissue banking industry over 13 years ago, she started her career speaking with families to offer the gift of tissue donation. Amanda then transitioned into the Quality department where she currently serves as Director, Quality Assurance at New England Donor Services. Amanda has led and participated in projects covering all aspects of the tissue donation process. She received a BS degree in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has hold the CTBS certification since 2014 and have been a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt since 2017.

Samantha Golden is the Director of the Donor Resource Center and Tissue Authorization Departments at Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network. She is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing procedures and protocols to advance Gift of Hope’s mission to save and enhance the lives of as many people as possible through organ and tissue donation. Samantha has been with Gift of Hope since late 2018. Samantha began her career as a 911 emergency dispatcher while also working as a medic (for paid and volunteer services.) In 2010, she began working at the American Red Cross in Blood Services and in 2013 transitioned to the role of Disaster Program Manager for the city of Chicago, Cook County and surrounding counties. Samantha was then the Executive Director of Call Center Operations at Medcor, Inc., in McHenry, Illinois prior to joining Gift of Hope’s live saving mission. Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala., and a Master’s of Business Administration from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. She is a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (CTBS), a certified professional with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP), and an SSGI/Baldrige Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Taylor Knapp has over six years of experience in tissue banking, starting as a Donor Referral Coordinator where she screened medical histories of potential donors and guided families through the donation process. In 2022, she was promoted to Supervisor of the Donor Referral Center, focusing on employee training, fostering professional growth, and ensuring an empathetic experience for donor families. Before her career in tissue banking, Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and gained experience in whole body donation at two medical schools with a focus in the process of Plastination. She is also an active member of AATB's Donor Family Services Council.

Benjamin Schelke is Manager of the Donor Operations Center at Gift of Life Michigan.  He joined Gift of Life Michigan in 2022 after a decade with Eversight working in the eye bank’s Donation Support Center, including a six-year stint as co-manager of the Ann Arbor center.  Benjamin has a bachelor’s in Health Fitness Preventative and Rehabilitative Programs from Central Michigan University and a master’s in Healthcare Administration from Eastern Michigan University.  Benjamin is passionate about the work he does to support donation and donor families at the nation’s 10th-largest organ procurement, based in Ann Arbor.   He diligently honors Gift of Life Michigan’s core purpose of honoring life through donation by ensuring his team has what it needs to succeed.

Mark Hoffman is a CTBS and instructional designer with 23 years’ experience in tissue donor screening, approach/authorization/DRAI, and tissue recovery. Prior to beginning his career in donation, Mark worked as a clinical laboratory tech and autopsy assistant. He has been with LifeGift of Texas since 2016 and currently serves as their Manager of Donation Communication Training. Mark holds a certificate in E-Learning Instructional Design from the UC Irvine Department of Continuing Education, in addition to his previous Paramedic certification, earned at Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City. Mark is a former member of AATB’s Quality and Donor Suitability Workshop Task Force. He served as a plenary session moderator at the 2012 QDSW meeting and presented a case study at that meeting as well.

Lesly Gatton is a Recovery Partner Director at Solvita. Prior to this role, she served as the National Trainer for tissue recovery. She is a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist and has more than 10 years of experience in tissue banking. Lesly earned her Master of Science degrees in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Louisville School Of Medicine and attended Wake Forest University for her undergraduate education. She is committed to improving the quality of tissue recoveries and maximizing tissue donors’ gifts to improve and save the lives of recipients.

Kimberly Elliott is the VP of Sales for Eurofins DPT. She brings over 25 years’ experience in the human cell and tissue industry. Kimberly’s knowledge and expertise in HCT/P services span regulated testing, business development, effective application of regulations and customer support for the recovery, testing and transplantation of organs, tissues, and tissue and cell-based products. Prior to joining Eurofins, Kimberly has held leadership roles supporting HCT/P establishments in the tissue banking, cell therapy and regenerative medicine space. Kimberly is an active member of the American Association of Tissue Banks. She is a graduate of Arizona State University with a BS in Exercise Physiology.

Dr. Slawski is from Gift of Hope in Itasca, Illinois. He is a Clinical Trainer at The Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network. He has over 18 years of experience within the organization encompassing tissue recovery, quality assurance, and training. Most recently in 2014, Gregory joined the newly instituted Research & Development Department within Gift of Hope. Gregory received his doctorate from Scholl College of Podiatric medicine in Chicago and his bachelor's degree in biology from Loyola University in Chicago.

Emmitt A. Savannah, III serves as the Manager of Tissue Recovery and Research Training at LifeGift Organ Donation Center, where he provides leadership, supervision, development and implementation of training programs for LifeGift in all its Texas regions that reinforce accepted industry practices and comply with organizational operating procedures, AATB standards, and FDA regulations. Emmitt has worked in the donation industry for over 14 years, and is passionate about leading, training, educating and developing people and teams as well as developing the programs in which they work to achieve goals efficiently.

Currently functioning as Manager of Tissue Recovery focused on training and education with New England Donor Services, Dan has spent 10 years in the tissue banking community. A graduate of Northeastern University, he spent 5 years working in the Emergency Room, before joining NEDS. He began his career as a Tissue Recovery Specialist, quickly flourishing into Tissue Recovery Field Trainer. In his current role, he has focused primarily on collaborating across the community to enhance effective and approachable training. His work expanding a knowledge and practical skills- based training program has supported the growth of a successful tissue recovery team. When not working he enjoys golfing, all Boston sports teams (named after Danny Ainge of the Boston Celtics), and especially skiing and snowboarding around the world. 

Lindsey West is the Associate Director of Solvita’s Birth Tissue Program, bringing over a decade of expertise in tissue banking to her role. Prior to this position, she served as a Recovery Coordinator, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in the field. As a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist, Lindsey is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards in tissue donation and transplantation.

Lindsey earned her Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and completed her undergraduate studies at Wright State University. Her passion for advancing the field of tissue banking is driven by a commitment to empowering individuals to save and enhance lives through donation.

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.

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.

Sara Ham is a dedicated healthcare professional with over 12 years of experience in the medical field. Currently serving as a Tissue Supervisor at Mid America Transplant, she has spent the past three years overseeing tissue recovery operations, ensuring compliance with industry standards, and leading teams to enhance donation outcomes. Prior to this role she held the role of Tissue Team Lead and Tissue Ocular Procurement Coordinator.

Bravin Herring, CTBS, CEBT, is the technical trainer for Artivion Inc, based in Columbus, OH. He comes with a strong recovery background from his time at both Lifeline of Ohio and We Are Sharing Hope SC. Bravin has over 10 years of operating room and tissue banking experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in health information management from WGU and is currently working on a master's degree in education technology and instructional design. Bravin is also a member of the RADE council and an active member of the Education Committee.

Kristen Osada-Ayd is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of specialized experience in aseptic tissue processing and medical device manufacturing, currently serving as Associate Director of Quality Systems. She has a diverse background in quality, operations, engineering, operations training and compliance, and facilities management. At MTF Biologics, Kristen leads the development and continuous improvement of Quality Management Systems aligned with FDA, AATB, ISO, MDSAP, and other global regulatory standards.

Recognized as a subject matter expert in aseptic tissue processing, Kristen has driven significant advancements in operational compliance, training programs, and manufacturing excellence. She holds Certified Tissue Bank Specialist (C.T.B.S.) credentials from the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and has successfully led initiatives that reduced deviation rates by over 50% through targeted process improvements and robust compliance strategies.

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Leadership from Capella University and an Associate of Arts in Biology from Union County College. With a strong foundation in Lean Manufacturing and regulatory compliance, she combines technical expertise with strategic leadership to ensure product quality, patient safety, and operational efficiency.

Katie Hanzlicek is the Operations Manager at JRF Ortho where she supports supplier relationships, balances osteochondral allograft supply and demand, and manages the company quality systems. Katie began her career in tissue banking in 2012 as an Operations Technician at AlloSource and became CTSB certified in 2013. She gained hands-on experience in allograft tissue production, cleansing, and packaging, as well as product development, quality management, and technical writing. Katie co-authored two patents (currently pending) on rapid allograft treatment. She completed her Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Change Management in 2020 at the University of Colorado, aligning her passions in science and business.

Michelle Tomiuk is a Director for Shared Health Provincial Coordinated Health Services.  She is a certified Cytogenetic and Molecular Genetic Technologist, as has been with the same organization for 26 years. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Manitoba, and a Certificate from Red River College in Health Services Management. She is relatively new to Tissue Banking, with only 3 years experience with Tissue Bank Manitoba, however her extensive background in Diagnostic Laboratory Services and autopsy supervisory experience provides her with an excellent basis in which to develop her tissue banking skills. Michelle is currently an active member of the AATB Education Committee as well as the Webinar Committee. 

Kai Sprando, MA TESOL, is the Instructional Designer at Infinite Legacy. In addition to 16 years of teaching experience for both language studies and Kenpo Karate, he also has a BA in Asian Studies, a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Instructional Design from UMBC, a certificate in DEI from Cornell, and has spent time studying at Takushoku University in Tokyo, Japan.

He is a passionate advocate for Trans Rights and Invisible Disabilities, and seeks to make space for voices at the table that might otherwise not get an opportunity. He seeks to educate around intersectionality and provide meaningful context around what it means to be included.

 When not teaching, he can be found playing video games, practicing belly dance with his dance troop, drawing, running his small crafting business, and spending time with his chosen family.

Corinne is the Executive Director, Chief Operations Officer, and Treasurer of the Anatomy Gifts Registry (AGR), a non-profit whole body donation program. AGR is one of the accredited Non-transplant Anatomic Donation Organizations, or NADOs. Corinne has over 12 years of experience in non-transplant tissue banking ranging from donor family services through research client services and executive management. Corinne has been active in the AATB Ad-Hoc committee, recently turned council, working on the physical assessment and risk assessment guidance documents, among other projects. 

Corinne has Bachelor's and Master's of Science degrees in human nutrition, focusing on clinical nutrition and epidemiology, and has completed her clinical dietetic internship at the University of Maryland,Medical Center, and holds a Registered Dietitian (RD) credential, and has been a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) since 2009.

I am a highly driven lawyer with over a decade of experience providing guidance to senior leaders. Currently, I serve as Senior Corporate Counsel for Artivion, Inc., a publicly traded medical device company. I previously served for eleven years in the US Army in the Judge Advocate General Coprs. 

In my role at Artivion, I provide legal counsel and strategic advice across various areas of the organization, including issues relating to; data protection; document management; A.I. Governance; and compliance. I serve on Artivion’s artificial intelligence committee, corporate responsibility committee, and cybersecurity committee. 

The thoughts and opinions that I share today are mine and not that of Artivion. I am not representing Artivion on this call. 

I am a Cybersecurity and Risk Management professional with over 18 years of experience guiding organizations through complex security, compliance, and governance challenges. Currently, I serve as Cybersecurity Team Lead for Artivion, Inc., a publicly traded medical technology company. In this role, I lead the information security and risk management initiatives across Artivion’s operations in the US, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC.

I provide strategic guidance in areas such as information security governance, data protection, third-party risk management, and regulatory compliance. I also play an active role in shaping the organization’s approach to responsible technology adoption as a member of Artivion’s artificial intelligence committee, AI usage committee, and Cybersecurity Steering Committee.

The thoughts and opinions that I share today are mine and not that of Artivion. I am not representing Artivion on this call. 

Joe Shaara earned a Masters in Buisness Administration and a Bachelors in Biological Engineering. His current role is Senior Manager of Continuous Improvement at Evergen. In this role, Joe works with the leadership team to mitigate risks and clear roadblocks to achieve goals by challenging them to think differently through 1:1 coaching, team Kaizens, rapid problem-solving and continuously evolving the Lean Daily Management processes. He has more than 15 years of leadership experience, working first for Target as a Senior Operations Manager of Engineering and Facilities, where he led a team of engineers responsible for advanced material handling systems, including robotics and automated storage and retrieval systems. Prior to joining RTI, Joe held a leadership role for Thermo Fisher Viral Vector Services division within Quality Control and Operational Excellence, developing and deploying a world class quality and compliance strategic plan that applied lean, continuous improvement, and statistical process control methodologies. Throughout his tenure, Joe has coached and mentored leaders to deliver higher levels of performance using these methodologies.