Governing and Medical Advisory Boards
The following individuals and organizations play an essential role in providing guidance for Gift of Life Donor Program's services and programs.
Governing Board Officers:
Chair: Linda Barrasse, MD, Donor Mom, Cardiologist with Lankenau Heart Group, Main Line Health
Dr. Barrasse works as a cardiologist for Main Line Health. Active in local and national organizations, she serves as a cardiology expert for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. She is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and a fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP). Her special interests involve non-invasive aspects of cardiology, as well as cardiovascular issues surrounding pregnancy.
Dr. Barrasse is a graduate of the School of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine, as well as a fellowship in cardiology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Barrasse is also a donor mother and strong advocate for organ donation. Her son, Cody, was fatally struck by a car in the midst of protecting a friend. Cody was able to save many lives through his generosity as an organ and tissue donor.
Vice Chair: Lynn Fallon, Retired, Co-Founder, CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting Services, former member of Medical Advisory & Policy Board
Ms. Fallon is the co-founder of CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services. She has over 30 years of clinical, academic and industry experience. Ms. Fallon led the development and expansion CTI, including having responsibility for all aspects of the Global Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Medical Affairs and Real World Evidence Departments.
Prior to CTI, Ms. Fallon held positions at both Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Fujisawa Healthcare, and she held clinical positions at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, including serving as transplant administrator, transplant coordinator and clinician. Ms. Fallon is currently a board member of multiple corporate and non-profit organizations. Ms. Fallon received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of the State of New York.
Immediate Past Chair: Warren Maley, MD, Nicoletti Family Professor of Transplantation Surgery, Live Donor Liver Transplant Program
Dr. Maley serves as the director of the Jefferson Transplant Institute, Division of Transplantation and Live Donor Liver Transplant Program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He is also the Nicoletti Family Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Jefferson Medical College and surgical director of the Liver Transplant Program. Dr. Maley has performed extensive research in the fields of liver transplantation and surgical therapy to improve patient safety and care. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgery.
Dr. Maley received Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. He has published research studies in such leading journals as Transplant Proceedings, Transplantation, Liver Transplantation and Annals of Surgery, and he has authored or co-authored eight book chapters.
Treasurer and Secretary: Timmy Nelson, Kidney Recipient and Gift of Life Ambassador, Senior Vice President, Managing Director of State Government Affairs, Retired, United Parcel Service (UPS), former member of Medical Advisory & Policy Board
Mr. Nelson has been a member of the Medical Advisory & Policy Board since 2020. Mr. Nelson has assisted with outreach in the community by speaking at events like the Fatherhood Conference at Community College of Philadelphia, conferences at houses of worship, student summits for local high school students, and social media events such as town hall health forums co-hosted with iHeart Media. He has traveled to Washington, D.C. with Gift of Life staff to speak to government officials on the importance of supporting measures on behalf of organ and tissue donation awareness. In addition to sharing his story so that more people will be inspired to register as organ and tissue donors, Mr. Nelson also educates patients in dialysis facilities about getting listed on the transplant waiting list with Quality Insights Renal Network 4. As an active volunteer at the Gift of Life Donor Program, Mr. Nelson has displayed great work ethic, compassion and dedication.
Honorary Chairman and Co-Founder: Clyde F. Barker, MD, Chairman Emeritus, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgeon, Professor of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Co-Founder, Greater Delaware Valley Society of Transplant Surgeons
Dr. Barker initiated the transplant program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in 1966 and helped build it into the largest program in the area. Dr. Barker’s recognitions include the presidency and the Medallion for Scientific Achievement of the American Surgical Association, and the presidency and the Pioneer Award of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He has served as chairman of Gift of Life Donor Program’s Governing Board four times since 1974.
In 2010, Dr. Barker received the Medawar Prize from the International Transplant Society. In 2009, Dr. Barker received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society of the University Surgeons and the Thomas E. Starzl Prize in Surgery and Immunology of the Starzl Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. He has authored more than 400 scientific papers.
Governing Board Members:
Kristi Caldararo, MHA, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer, Jefferson Abington Hospital, Jefferson Lansdale Hospital
Ms. Caldararo leads operations and strategy for Jefferson Abington Hospital and Lansdale Hospital, both part of the Jefferson Health System in Pennsylvania. She oversees a 667-bed regional referral center and a 140-bed acute care hospital, managing 3,500 employees and $1 billion in revenue. Ms. Caldararo’s leadership has driven significant improvements, including a $70 million profitability initiative and a successful vaccine rollout during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to coming to Jefferson Abington, Ms. Caldararo most recently served a dual role as Vice President of Operations at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Enterprise Vice President for Jefferson Health’s Transplant Service Line. She led a diverse portfolio of clinical and ancillary inpatient and outpatient services at the academic medical center comprising more than $900 million in annual net revenue, including pharmacy, clinical laboratories, pathology, gastroenterology, nephrology, dialysis, transplant, cardiology, surgery, ENT, and the critical care programs, among others.
Ms. Caldararo was honored in Becker’s Healthcare 2024 “Rising Stars: 42 Healthcare Leaders Under 40.” She is also a dedicated mentor, fostering the development of future healthcare leaders and actively participating in community service through organizations like Hosts for Hospitals, which provides lodging and caring support to patients and their families traveling to greater Philadelphia area for medical care.
Niels D. Martin, MD, FACS, FCCM, Vice Chair for Diversity & Inclusion, Dept. of Surgery, Section Chief, Surgical Critical Care Program Director, Traumatology & Surgical Critical Care Fellowships University of Penna. Medical Ctr. — PENN Medicine
Dr. Martin is Vice Chair for Diversity & Inclusion in the Department of Surgery, Section Chief of Surgical Critical Care, Program Director for the Traumatology & Surgical Critical Care Fellowships, and an Associate Professor in Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Martin also serves as Medical Director of the Trauma & Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He is a board-certified Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery for both Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, as well as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Martin received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University. After completing a general surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University and a fellowship in traumatology and surgical critical care at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Martin spent five years on the faculty at Thomas Jefferson University prior to his current faculty appointment at Penn.
David J. Reich, MD, FACS, Surgical Director, Liver Transplant Program and Chief Innovative Technology & Therapeutics Program, Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
A pioneer of donation after circulatory death (DCD), Dr. Reich published one of the first successful series on DCD liver transplants in 2000 and over the following years has shepherded widespread, international adoption of DCD. His bibliography includes more than 75 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts, he has been a member of several editorial boards.
Dr. Reich has led a wide breadth of multicenter device and drug trials. His current innovative work with dynamic organ preservation and reconditioning, using machines to pump hypothermic (cold) or normothermic (warm), oxygenated perfusion fluid with nutrients through donor organs to improve them before transplant, will profoundly increase the number of transplants performed by the hospital.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, Dr. Reich headed Multi-organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, and was Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery, at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.
Dr. Reich earned his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, and completed a general surgery residency at Beth Israel Medical Center. He went on to complete a multi-organ transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.
Diane Wilson, Chief Operating Officer, EVP, Solvita
Mrs. Wilson received her associate degree in nursing from Everett Community College in Everett, Washington and later earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in nursing and health from the University of Phoenix.
Mrs. Wilson’s work in tissue banking began in 1988 through Solvita, then named Community Tissue Services (CTS). In 2005, she was honored with the prestigious Kenneth Sell Award which is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of tissue banking. In 2009, Mrs. Wilson was elected president of AATB. She is currently the chairman of the Board for the Joint Restoration Foundation (JRF). She has co-authored tissue bank standards for the Association of Orthopedic Nurses (AORN) and the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).
Kenneth E. Wood, DO, Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Penn State Health System, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, Penn State College of Medicine
Dr. Wood provides oversight of clinical care standards, scope of practice, medical staff credentialing and overall quality, safety and value of care across the Penn State Health System.
A veteran health care administrator, educator and researcher, Dr. Wood has three decades of clinical experience across diverse settings, ranging from community hospitals to large, integrated academic medical centers. Most recently, he served as Chief Clinical Officer for Lifespan Health System with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Wood also served the University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, as the Associate Chief Medical Officer, Chief Clinical Officer for the University of Maryland Medical Center and Director of the Maryland Critical Care Network. In addition, he was Chief Medical Officer for Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa. and held a number of leadership roles at UW Health, the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Board-certified in internal medicine and critical care medicine, Dr. Wood earned a Bachelor’s Degree in biology at Lehigh University before completing his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at Jefferson Abington Hospital in Abington, Pa. and a fellowship in critical care medicine at Cooper University Medical Center UMDNJ in Camden, NJ.
President and CEO
Richard Hasz, Jr., MFS, CPTC, President & CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program
Mr. Hasz leads the largest and one of the oldest organ procurement organizations in the U.S. He began working at the organization in 1993 as a transplant coordinator, went on to serve as vice president of clinical services for 22 years and assumed this role on January 4, 2022. Mr. Hasz is also the president of Gift of Life Howie’s House and Gift of Life Transplant Foundation.
Read Richard Hasz, Jr.’s full bio here.
Medical Advisory and Policy Board Leadership:
Chair: Michael Marvin, MD, Chair, Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery, Geisinger Medical Center
Dr. Marvin leads the liver and kidney transplant program at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. He earned his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, then completed his residency in general surgery and a fellowship in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Dr. Marvin has published more than 60 papers and book chapters and serves as clinical professor of surgery at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pa. He has held many leadership positions in national organizations including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, United Network for Organ Sharing and American Society of Transplantation.
Vice Chair: Michael G. Benninghoff, DO, Medical Director, Christiana Hospital, Christiana Care Health System
Dr. Benninghoff joined Christiana Care in 2008 and currently serves as section chief for medical critical care, medical director for the medical intensive care unit and respiratory care, critical care committee chairman, co-chair of medical emergency response committee and pulmonary embolism response committee .,
He is also a physician leader for the medical critical care intensivist group and medical director for Christiana Hospital.
He was twice honored with the Physician Ambassador Award for the Wilmington Hospital ICU in Delaware, has received multiple awards for teaching and has been honored as one of the top physicians in Delaware many times.
Dr. Benninghoff graduated from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa. with a bachelor’s degree in biology and natural sciences before attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Physiology followed by his medical degree. During his internal medicine residency at Abington Memorial Hospital in Abington, Pa., he served as chief resident in his third year and went on to complete a pulmonary/critical care fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa.
Dr. Benninghoff is board certified in internal medicine, critical care medicine and pulmonary medicine. His professional memberships include the American College of Chest Physicians, Society of Critical Care Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Association and the American Thoracic Society.
Immediate Past Chair: Peter Lalli, PhD, Director, HLA, Atrium Labs; Director, Donor and Product Testing Laboratory, Eurofins Labs; Director, Histocompatibility Laboratory, Lehigh Valley Health Network
Dr. Lalli received his doctorate in immunology from Case Western Reserve University and went on to complete a fellowship in histocompatibility testing at Allogen Laboratories at the Cleveland Clinic. After completing his fellowship, he moved to Philadelphia to work with LABS, Inc. and the Gift of Life Donor Program, running the HLA and infectious disease testing laboratory.
In 2013, Dr. Lalli became the director of the histocompatibility and flow cytometry laboratories at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. He also serves as the director for the histocompatibility laboratory at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa. and the Eurofins Donor and Product Testing laboratory in Philadelphia. In addition to his clinical roles, Dr. Lalli has served on multiple UNOS/OPTN committees.
Representatives of Transplant Centers:
Matthew H. Levine, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Transplant Surgeon, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Jason A. Rolls, MD, Associate Chief of Kidney Transplant, Christiana Medical Center
Dr. Rolls is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Rolls earned his medical degree from Columbia University. He went on to complete his residency in general surgery at Cornell Campus of The New York Presbyterian Hospital and returned to Columbia for his transplant surgery training. Prior to joining ChristianaCare, Dr. Rolls served as a transplant surgeon in Detroit, Michigan
Kamran Khanmoradi, MD, Transplant Surgery, Jefferson Einstein Hospital
Michael Marvin, MD, Chair, Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery, Geisinger Medical Center (see Vice Chair above)
Jaime Glorioso, MD, Assistant Professor, Transplant Surgery, Jefferson Health
George Rofaiel, MD, Chief, Section of Transplantation Surgery, Lehigh Valley Hospital
Christopher Derby, MD, Surgical Director of Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Intensive Care, Nemours Cardiac Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital
In addition to his role as a surgical director, Dr. Derby is a senior cardiothoracic surgical associate at Nemours Cardiac Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware.
He earned his undergraduate degree at Princeton University and his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Derby trained in general surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, followed by a residency in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Southern California Medical Center and a pediatric cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles under the tutelage of Dr. Vaughn Starnes. Dr. Derby is board certified by the American Board of Surgery as well as the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is credentialed as a donor thoracic procurement surgeon by UNOS.
Balakrishnan Mahesh, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Sunil Karhadkar, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Transplant Surgeon, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
Dr. Karhadkar earned his medical degree from University of Mumbai. He completed residency programs in surgery and urology at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India. Dr. Karhadkar later completed a surgery residency at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and transplant surgery fellowship at University of Maryland. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.
He has received more than 20 academic honors and awards and is a member of multiple professional organizations including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Society of Transplantation and the American Association of Academic Surgeons.
Kenneth Chavin, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, Director, Abdominal Organ Transplant Program, Temple University Medical Center
Ronald F. Parsons, MD, Surgical Director, Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Programs, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
Dr. Parsons is Surgical Director of Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Programs at Penn Medicine and a transplant surgeon at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
A graduate of the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Parsons was a general surgery resident at Penn Surgery and completed an abdominal transplantation fellowship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
He has served as a kidney and pancreas transplant surgeon at Emory Transplant Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and as the Emory Surgical Director of Pancreas Transplantation. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.
Manish Gupta, MD, Associate Surgical Director, UPMC Pinnacle-Harrisburg Hospital
Categories of Representation:
Hospital Administrators:
Charles Barbera, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP, President & CEO, Reading Hospital – Tower Health System
Dr. Barbera is board certified in emergency medicine, and was named to Becker’s Hospital Review 2023 list of “Physician Leaders to Know” for his dedication to improving and optimizing healthcare in our community. Dr. Barbera has more than 25 years of experience in senior clinical and executive roles within the Tower Health system.
As president and CEO of the 714-bed Reading Hospital, he oversees hospital operations, clinical outcomes, employee and physician engagement, and community service. Dr. Barbera played a pivotal role in developing Reading Hospital’s trauma center, community paramedic program, pediatric emergency department, psychiatric emergency department, and telemedicine efforts.
He has received the Berks County Medical Society William J. Alexander Award for Contributions to Medicine and Community Service and has served as president of the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians and the Berks County Medical Society.
Joseph DiMartino, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CCRN Associate Vice President of Nursing, Temple University Hospital
Mr. DiMartino leads nursing operations at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, a 721-bed teaching hospital with over 36,000 annual admissions. He holds a doctorate in executive nursing leadership from Temple University, where his research focused on enhancing organ donation awareness in African American communities. He also earned a Master of Science in clinical trials research from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Temple University.
Throughout his career, Mr. DiMartino has served as a staff nurse and nurse manager in medical-surgical units, surgical ICUs, and trauma ICUs. He is certified as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and holds a nurse executive certification from the American Nursing Credentialing Center.
Voluntary Health Organization
Brian W. Frazee, President & CEO, Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA)
Mr. Frazee’s unique blend of experience spans political, policy, advocacy, and association leadership. In his role as president of DHA, he works with the First State’s hospitals, health systems, and healthcare-related organizations to tackle complex challenges facing healthcare and to advance the well-being of Delaware’s communities through innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
He most recently served as Vice President of Government Affairs for the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA), where he led advocacy efforts on behalf of Maryland’s 60 hospitals and health systems for eight years.
Prior to joining MHA, Frazee served as Director of Public Policy for the Maryland Association of Community Services, an association of more than 100 nonprofit providers supporting people with developmental disabilities.
He also served as an Associate with an Annapolis-based lobbying firm, worked in the office of a Maryland Senate Chairman, and managed the Southern Maryland Democratic Coordinated Campaign in 2010. His leadership in Maryland’s advocacy community led him to being elected President of the Maryland Government Relations Association.
Tissue/Eye Bank:
George Herrera, Vice President, Donor Services, MTF Biologics
Mr. Herrera is vice president of donor services for MTF Biologics. His primary responsibility is to oversee the services that MTF Biologics provides to its recovery partners (organ procurement organizations and tissue banks, both domestically and internationally) that work with MTF Biologics to provide allograft tissue services to their communities. He is also responsible for the four tissue recovery programs that MTF Biologics operates, as well as overseeing its donor screening and acceptance operations, birth tissue donation program, donation communications and public/media relations, and the Donation Board of Trustees.
In 2021, George begins his twenty-eighth year in the field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation and his thirty-first year in non-profit management. He has held leadership positions in various organizations in the field, including the American Association of Tissue Banks and Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. George’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in marketing and management from Tulane University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans.
ICU or Emergency Room:
Michael G. Benninghoff, DO, Medical Director, Christiana Hospital, Christiana Care Health System (see Vice Chair above)
Kelly Willman, MD, FACHE, Trauma Director, Department of Surgery, AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, N.J.
Dr. Willman is a trauma/critical care surgeon within the Department of Surgery, Division Trauma, Vascular and General Surgery/Department of Critical Care at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City Campus in New Jersey.
After earning her medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University-College of Medicine, Dr. Willman went on to perform her residency at Hahnemann University Hospital. She then furthered her training with a fellowship in surgical critical care at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine. A fellow of the American College of Surgeons, she is board certified in surgery and surgical critical care by the American Board of Surgery.
Neuroscience Field:
James F. Peoples III, MD, MS, FCCP, Neurocritical Care Specialist, Critical Care Medicine, Division of Neurocritical Care, UPMC Central Division, Harrisburg, Pa.
Dr. Peoples specializes in neurocritical care and neurology. He holds board certifications in neurology and neurocritical care by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties. Dr. Peoples is a neurointensivist in the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Division of Neurocritical Care with hospital affiliations including UPMC West Shore, UPMC Community Osteopathic and UPMC Harrisburg Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Prior to medical school, Dr. Peoples received his master’s degree in Microbiology/Immunology from Thomas Jefferson University College of Graduate Studies. Dr. Peoples received his doctor of medicine degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He went on to complete preliminary internships in general surgery and internal medicine as well as completed his neurology residency at Temple University Hospital where he served as chief resident. Following residency, Dr. Peoples went on to fellowship training in neurocritical care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and The Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience. Dr. Peoples is an active member of the Neurocritical Care Society, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Academy of Neurology and is a physician fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Histocompatibility Field:
Peter Lalli, PhD, Director, HLA, Atrium Labs; Director, Donor and Product Testing Laboratory, Eurofins Labs; Director, Histocompatibility Laboratory, Lehigh Valley Health Network (see Chair above)
Public:
Cherri Gregg, Esq., WHYY Radio Host
Cherri Gregg is an afternoon drive host/news anchor for WHYY radio. Prior to her current position, the award-winning journalist covered civil rights, social justice, race and public affairs issues impacting marginalized communities in the Greater Philadelphia region and spent nearly a decade on air at KYW Newsradio. She served as the station’s Community Affairs reporter and was the creator, host and executive of the weekly syndicated radio show and podcast, Flashpoint with Cherri Gregg. Under her leadership, the show earned two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2021. Cherri, who is also a licensed attorney, is a past president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. She is also a founding Board Member of the Law & Justice Journalism Project.
Gary L. Collins, MD, Chief Medical Examiner, Delaware Medical Examiners’ Office
Dr. Collins is the chief medical examiner for the State of Delaware in the Medical Examiner Unit of the Delaware Division of Forensic Science. He has held that position since October 2014.
Dr. Collins was born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. He completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Collins then moved to the Philadelphia area where he did his fellowship in forensic pathology at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office. He then spent 7 years at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s office, in the role of assistant medical examiner, and later on was promoted to the position of deputy chief medical examiner. During his time in Philadelphia, Dr. Collins was active in teaching medical students, interns and pathology residents and held adjunct faculty appointments with the Drexel University Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. He is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology and forensic pathology and is active in continuing certification. He is an advocate for the advancement of forensic pathology and takes every opportunity to encourage students to enter the field of medicolegal death investigation and forensic pathology.
Organ Donor Family Member or Living Donor:
Markita Lewis, Donor Mom
Markita Lewis is a proud donor mother. In June 2014, her 13-year-old son Marquis Wood had an asthma attack and was able to save three lives through organ donation. Markita has been able to meet all three of her son’s recipients: Noah, the heart recipient, Nathan, the liver/kidney recipient and Keith, the other kidney recipient. Markita has served as the chairperson of Hearts of Gold, Gift of Life’s Donor Family Support Group, for the past 3 years where she welcomes new donor families and makes a safe space for them to cry, laugh and share stories about their loved ones. Markita lives in Philadelphia. She is also the proud mother of Amaya, Kyon and grandson Kysir Marquis.
Individuals awaiting organ transplant or organ recipient or family member of either:
Lynette S. Luckers, EdD, LPC, NCC, Founder & President, Marion Luckers Kidney Foundation; Family Member, Advocate; Dean of Counseling & Completion, Delaware County Community College,
Lynette S. Luckers is the founder and president of the Marion Luckers Kidney Foundation. She created the non-profit in 2011 after losing her mother in 2009 to renal kidney failure. Her mother battled diabetes for almost 20 years and succumbed to a heart attack two days after burying Lynette’s grandmother. Stress and grief can genuinely have an impact on one’s overall health. Lynette’s mother was a dialysis patient for over five years and was uninformed that she could be on the transplant list. Lynette took an active approach to educating herself about the transplant process and attempted to convince her mother to consider being placed on the transplant list. However, her mother’s health deteriorated, and the physicians did not believe her heart would sustain surgery. This ignited Lynette’s passion for spreading awareness about kidney disease prevention and supporting individuals and families coping with the diagnosis.
The Marion Luckers Kidney Foundation educates the public on kidney disease awareness and prevention, the organ donor process, and supporting research on kidney disease. The foundation supports family members who have a loved one suffering from kidney disease or who has lost a family member or a friend who suffered from this disease. Since 2017, the organization has provided 21 grant scholarships to graduating high school students in the Philadelphia surrounding area pursuing post-secondary education and to students currently attending Community College of Philadelphia.
Professionally, Lynette has 18 years of experience working in higher education and is currently the Dean of Counseling and Completion Services at Delaware County Community College. Previously, Lynette was the Acting Department Head of the Counseling Department and Associate Professor/Counselor at Community College of Philadelphia. She is a grief and recovery specialist and holds a certificate in personal coaching and trauma awareness. Lynette holds a Bachelor of Arts in social work from Bloomsburg University and a Master of Science in counseling with a concentration in college student personnel; she earned a Doctor of Education in administration and leadership at East Stroudsburg University. Lynette was the recipient of the Bloomsburg University Alumni Association’s Maroon and Gold Excellence Award, the American Association for Women in Community Colleges 40 under 40, and the KYW Newsradio Women’s Achievement Awards Rising Star Honoree.
Lynette is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Negro Council of Women, and a Ministry Leader at the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia, PA. She served as the Gift of Life Donor Program Ambassador and a Patient Ambassador for Dialysis Patient Citizens. Lynette is passionate about educating multicultural communities about health disparities and working with young girls to cultivate their personal and social development.
Neal Stansbury, MD, Heart Transplant Recipient, Orthopedic Surgeon, Lehigh Valley Health Network
Dr. Stansbury is an Orthopedic Surgeon at Lehigh Valley Health Network, and routinely uses Tissue Allografts in his surgical practice. Dr. Stansbury serves as the Medical Director of the Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery Center at Lehigh Valley Health Network–Tilghman. He received a heart transplant in 2018 and has remained active with Gift of Life as a Volunteer Ambassador. Dr. Stansbury competed at the 2022 Transplant Games of America, winning a gold medal in cycling.
Dr. Stansbury holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Irvine, and a Doctor of Medicine from Drexel University College of Medicine.