Dorman has served as the Funeral Services Liaison for Carolina Donor Services since 2007. Before this, Dorman served as a funeral director and Operations Manager at a multi-location funeral home serving over 1,000 families each year.

Dorman is a current member of the Donate Life America Funeral Services Committee. Dorman previously served as the President of North Carolina Funeral Directors Association, on the NFDA Policy Board, Chaired NCFDA Convention Committee, PAC Committee, Nominating Committee & Donor Services Committee, and NCFDA District Director from 1999-2005.

Tina Tursi Holmes, CFSP is the chair of the Donate Life Funeral Services Committee and works with Donate Life SC to develop strategies on improving the relationship between donation and funeral service. She is a 35-year licensed Funeral Practitioner in NJ, NC, and SC.  She is an adjunct instructor and Advisory Board member for the Funeral Service Education Program at Piedmont Technical College (SC).  Before retiring from We Are Sharing Hope SC as their Funeral Liaison, Tina achieved a goal; to develop a collaborative group of Funeral Liaisons for sharing resources, ideas, and support of donation. Building synergistic partners between donation and funeral service is Tina’s continued focus as she works with DLA and DLSC.

Tina earned her B.S. in Psychology and was awarded the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner from the Academy of Funeral Service Practice.  She also is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Program and currently a member of Toastmasters International.

In 1971, while working as a Surgical Technician, Dr. Powers had his first exposure to tissue donation. He later received a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Old Dominion University and trained further in blood banking and HLA immunology. This training allowed him to work closely with the kidney transplant program at Eastern Virginia Medical School. A DDS was earned at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1987 followed by a General Practice Residency at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals. Ralph has over 40 years exposure to all facets of transplantation. The last 25 were focused on allograft use in dentistry. Currently, he has “the best job in the world” – retirement. However, he stays active as a medical writer and consultant focused on health communications and non-profit management. Ralph actively supports the American Association of Tissue Banks in their educational efforts.

Melinda received her Mortuary Science degree from the University of Minnesota. Following graduation, Melinda was employed by the Benson Funeral Home before transitioning to her role at LifeSource where she has been instrumental in many areas of the organization since 2005. One of those areas was as a Surgical Recovery Technician, recovering tissue from donors who have so generously given the gift of life. Melinda is active on several committees within the organization which help provide opportunities of improvement with the goal for enhanced performance, greater customer and partner relationships while meeting the needs of those we serve. Melinda primarily oversees LifeSource’s relationship with Medical Examiner/Coroner offices, Funeral Service Providers and Hospice facilities.  She is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Minnesota. Melinda continues to provide part-time service to local funeral homes and is an active member of the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota Funeral Director Associations; the Arrowhead Funeral Directors Association; a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist; and a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner which is the highest professional designation you can achieve in funeral service.

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.

Melanie Peffer is the Director of Business Development at United Tissue Resources (UTR).  She joined UTR in 2020, bringing her extensive career in tissue banking, to focus on developing external partnerships to maximize donation opportunities.  Melanie has been in tissue banking for 22 years and has been a member of AATB with CTBS certification since 2001.  She has been a member of the Recovery and Donor Suitability Council for many years.  She has been a member of the Donate Life America Funeral Service Committee for the past two years in addition to the three years prior to it becoming an official committee.  Melanie started her career at LifeNet Health in 1999, then relocated back to her home in New England to join New England Donor Services in 2014 until joining UTR in November 2020.  She graduated from ASU’s Thunderbird School of Global Management with her Master’s in Applied Leadership and Management in May 2021.

Charles is a graduate of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary with a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Sacred Theology where he focused on American Religion and Culture. He has previously served as a Family Advocate and the Religious Affairs Coordinator for Southeast Tissue Alliance. Charles currently serves as a Hospital Development Coordinator for HonorBridge, formerly Carolina Donor Services, where he focuses on rural and smaller urban hospitals. Charles has worked in the tissue banking and OPO industries for 19 years.

On a more personal note, Charles' mother was a tissue donor early in his tissue banking career. Charles serves as a chaplain for his local Cub Scout pack and is a published fiction author.

Gabrielle Atturio is an Aftercare Specialist II at New England Donor Services. She supports donor families through the first year after donation and beyond. She is passionate about her work with donor families and recipients and helping them make a meaningful connection. She is involved in the AOPO counsel as well as volunteers for New England Donor Services during her free time.