After earning a BS in microbiology from McNeese State University and finishing up 6 years as a special operations forward air controller in the Louisiana Air National Guard, Kip Hanks began employment with the FDA as a field investigator in 1997. After a few years as a generalist covering multiple FDA-regulated products, he became a district biologics specialist and then the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) biologics national expert. In this role, Kip was responsible for providing regulatory and guidance interpretation and application to ORA staff, training and mentoring new investigators, serving on policy and document workgroups and advising ORA senior leadership on biologics-related matters. In July 2021, he joined the American Association of Tissue Banks as its first director of regulatory and governmental affairs. In this role, Kip establishes and communicates the AATB official position regarding regulatory issues that may impact AATB member organizations to the FDA and other applicable governmental and standard-setting organizations. He provides expert interpretation, guidance, strategy and counsel on existing laws, regulations, standards, and guidance that impact AATB members.

La Dra. Astrid Malagón es una experta con más de una década de trayectoria en la Dirección técnica, implementación y certificación de Buenas Prácticas en bancos de tejidos, abarcando componentes oculares, piel, membrana amniótica, dermis acelular y tejido osteomuscular. Además la Dra. Astrid Malagón ha liderado proyectos de investigación, desarrollo e innovación en medicina regenerativa y terapias tisulares. Su perfil combina liderazgo técnico, experiencia regulatoria y una sólida contribución académica, que la ha llevado a ser consultora internacional en normativa y buenas prácticas para bancos de tejidos en Latinoamérica.

 Actualmente es la vicepresidenta de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Bancos de Tejidos ALABAT, La Dra. Astrid Malagón ha sido reconocida con el premio Make a difference otorgado por la WUTBA World Union of Tissue Banking Association. Cuenta además con una amplia experiencia en la industria farmacéutica, especializada en la implementación de Buenas Prácticas de manufactura y Sistemas de Gestión de Calidad.

La Dra. Astrid Malagón es Bacterióloga (Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca), Magíster en Ciencias y Microbiología (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) y cuenta con posgrados en Gerencia de la Calidad (Universidad Santo Tomas).

Kevin Wheeler is a Research Microbiologist at AlloSource.  He has over thirty years of experience in microbiology and microbial ecology.  He earned his undergraduate degree at DePauw University and a Master of Science at the University of Dayton.  Kevin worked in clinical and environmental laboratories before joining the tissue banking community.  Kevin has been at AlloSource for over 19 years working on environmental monitoring, clean room design, microbial detection strategies and the development of novel methodologies for improving tissue quality.  He has collaborated with numerous private and university institutions with multiple publications.  He is a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist from AATB and a NRCM Pharmaceutical and Medical Device specialist from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).  He is a member of the NIST Rapid Microbial Testing Methods consortium and volunteers time training high school teachers and students through the Colorado Biosciences Association (CBSA).  He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hikes, kayaking and the cool stuff growing on rocks and rotting wood.

AJ Gardener (they/them) serves as the Culture and Employee Experience Coordinator at the Center for Organ Recovery & Education in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With a professional background spanning health education, LGBTQ+ advocacy, community engagement, and organizational diversity initiatives, AJ has spent more than a decade helping organizations build more inclusive and equitable environments. They have presented nationally on topics including health equity, trans-inclusive care, and creating empathy-centered workplaces. AJ is passionate about creating meaningful connections, fostering belonging, and advancing health equity in both workplace and community settings.

Michael E. Gilbert, MBA, CTBS, is the Manager of Donor Services at Artivion, where he has more than two decades of experience in tissue donation and partner collaboration. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from Kennesaw State University, his MBA from Shorter University, and has held the Certified Tissue Banking Specialist designation since 2006.

Michael began his career with Artivion (formerly CryoLife) in 2004 after transitioning from the Fire/EMS field. He started in the Donation Support Center as a Donor Services Coordinator, working closely with recovery partners to evaluate and screen donors.

As a Technical Trainer, Michael led hands-on workshops across the country, helping recovery partners refine cardiovascular tissue recovery techniques. He later served as an Account Manager, where he managed key partner relationships and supported collaboration between organizations.

In his current role, Michael leads Donor Services initiatives, leveraging his deep operational knowledge and field experience to support partners and advance best practices across the industry.

Julie A. B. Bly, M.P.S., is a seasoned association professional with more than two decades of experience turning membership programs into engaged communities. As Director of Membership for the Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics (AATB), a role she has held since 2018, she focuses on membership growth, retention, and engagement, leading initiatives that help strengthen connections and deliver value to members.

Her career reflects a deep commitment to the power of professional communities. Before joining AATB, Julie held roles with the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO), where she supported membership and exhibitor programs. Known for her ability to translate goals into meaningful member experiences, she has consistently delivered measurable gains in engagement, retention, and revenue.

Julie holds a Master of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and an Associate’s degree in Legal Studies from Central Penn Business College. Outside the office, Julie enjoys spending time in the kitchen trying out new recipes, working in her garden, and getting outdoors for camping trips, especially when it means unplugging, touching trees, and relaxing with family and friends.

Aaron Pan is the Director of Tissue Services at Solvita responsible for the tissue recovery operations in the state of Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Southwest Idaho. With a background rooted in operational management, Aaron focuses on building high-performing teams to drive sustained growth and maximize community impact. Having navigated the shift from passive event sponsorship to active community engagement, Aaron is passionate about sharing realistic blueprints that help teams justify, build, and scale dedicated outreach infrastructure.

Hayley Resk is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Solvita Portland. Hayley started out as a Recovery Coordinator at Solvita in 2023 but as she spent more time at Donate Life community events, outreach and education pulled her attention, so it seemed like a natural fit when a position for outreach was born. Hayley is a two-time liver recipient (2007 and 2024) and a Donate Life Northwest board member, and her lived experience informs her work every day. Educating people on organ, eye, and tissue donation is her lifelong passion. She is also an avid birder and enjoys travelling around Oregon and adding to her life list.

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. 

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 the Chair of 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.

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 in the Chicago, Illinois, suburbs. She is responsible for overseeing referral intake, eligibility screening, donor logistics, and telephonic authorization conversations for tissue and eye donation. Samantha's teams work 100% remotely and are dispersed across multiple states.

 Samantha has been with Gift of Hope since late 2018. Before joining Gift of Hope’s life-saving mission, she had a varied career path, including 911/police/fire/EMS dispatch, paramedic, disaster program manager with the American Red Cross, and Executive Director of Call Center Operations at Medcor, Inc.

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.

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. 

Dr. Paul Lange, MD, FCCP, is Vice President of Medical Affairs at MTF Biologics, where he provides clinical leadership and medical oversight in support of advancing tissue donation, transplantation, and biologics innovation. A board-certified physician in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Lange brings nearly three decades of clinical, executive, and academic experience spanning critical care medicine, donation, and healthcare leadership.

Prior to joining MTF Biologics, Dr. Lange served as Medical Director for Donor Alliance, where he provided oversight of clinical practices, medical policies, and donation performance improvement initiatives. He also previously held senior leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer at Gift of Life Michigan and Chief Medical Officer for Ascension Borgess Medical Group.

In addition to his executive leadership experience, he was a practicing intensivist and former Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), American Thoracic Society (ATS), and American College of Physicians (ACP). Dr. Lange earned his undergraduate degree in Biology/Psychology from the University of Michigan and his medical degree from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Known for his thoughtful leadership and commitment to saving and enhancing lives through donation and transplantation, Dr. Lange brings a unique blend of bedside clinical expertise, operational leadership, and strategic vision to the evolving biologics field.

Lester Oliver, is the Product Owner at DonorIQ, where he focuses on AI development and implementation across a platform built for tissue banks, biologics organizations, and transplant programs.

Over the past decade he’s built products across healthtech, pharma, entertainment, media, e-commerce, and supply chain. That's meant getting close to complicated workflows and turning that understanding into software that fits how people actually work.

His background spans product management in pharma and healthcare SaaS, UI/UX consulting across supply chain and e-commerce, and more recently focused work on AI development and implementation in regulated environments. He’s AWS Certified with specific training in Generative AI on AWS.

At DonorIQ he sits at the intersection of product ownership, development, and implementation, spending most of his time on where AI can genuinely support donor screening and referral workflows, reducing manual work, improving data integrity, and keeping organizations compliant without adding friction to an already time-sensitive process.
For him this work goes beyond the technical. Tissue donation has a real human cost when things go wrong, and a real opportunity when they go right. That's what keeps him focused on building things that are both practical and meaningful.

Michelle Reef, MA, is a mission-driven healthcare leader with more than 20 years of experience across organ and tissue donation, healthcare sales, and leadership development. She is the founder of Unlock Leadership Consulting, where she partners with organizations to translate mission into action by strengthening systems, developing leaders, and improving performance across complex care environments.

Michelle previously served in senior and executive leadership roles with the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, where she oversaw tissue and organ operations, family services, referral management, hospital partnerships, and multidisciplinary teams.

She also serves as a consultant and operational advisor with DonorIQ, helping guide AI-enabled solutions for donation and transplantation. In that role, she provides subject matter expertise on tissue and organ workflows, donor screening, eligibility processes, operational handoffs, and client implementation strategies to ensure technology solutions align with real-world operational and compliance needs.

At the national level, Michelle has held committee and leadership roles with AOPO, NATCO, The Alliance, and DLA, and frequently speaks at conferences and educational programs. Her contributions have been recognized with honors including The Alliance Rising Leader Award.

Michelle holds a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership from Liberty University, certifications in GiANT Worldwide Leadership Coaching and FranklinCovey programs, and is a graduate of the Art and Science of Leadership Program through the Gift of Life Institute in collaboration with The Wharton School and Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

Michelle values collaboration, industry partnership, and learning from the many mission-driven professionals advancing donation and transplantation.