Meet Our Leadership Team

Setting the example for our core values: compassionate, determined and professional.

Senior Leadership Team Members

Dorrie Dils, President and CEO
President and Chief Executive Officer

Dorrie Dils

Dorrie Dils is responsible for overall operations, management and compliance. She reports to the Gift of Life Governing Board. Dorrie is also the President of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO).
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Sharon Bayliss, VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION/CFO
Vice President, Administration/CFO

Sharon Bayliss

Sharon Bayliss oversees all of Gift of Life's financial functions, administrative services, and the human resources department.
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Kristin Delli Carpini, VP of Performance Excellence
Vice President, Performance Excellence

Kristin Delli Carpini

Kristin Delli Carpini oversees Gift of Life’s strategic planning process, the quality department, business intelligence reporting and leads performance improvement efforts across all departments of the organization.
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Jeff Patierno, Associate VP, Clinical Operations
Associate Vice President, Clinical Operations

Jeff Patierno

Jeff Patierno oversees the clinical operations departments responsible for the organ and tissue donation process from referral through recovery.
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Bruce Nicely, VICE PRESIDENT, DONATION OPTIMIZATION
Vice President, Donation Optimization

Bruce Nicely

Bruce Nicely is responsible for the overall performance and direction of organ and tissue recovery operations. He is responsible for partner relationships that advance donation.
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Jeffrey Wisniewski, VICE PRESIDENT, COMPLIANCE AND GENERAL COUNSEL
Vice President, Compliance and General Counsel

Jeffrey Wisniewski

Jeff Wisniewski oversees all of Gift of Life's internal legal and regulatory functions including contracts, the technology department and compliance with both regulatory bodies and the uniform anatomical gift act (UAGA).
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Patrick Wells-O'Brien, VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Vice President, Communications and External Relations

Patrick Wells-O’Brien

Patrick Wells-O'Brien oversees all of Gift of Life's community outreach efforts, public education, marketing, events, internal and external communications, governmental affairs, family support services and fundraising.
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Department Directors

Walter Herczyk, director of laboratory services
Director, Laboratory Services

Walter Herczyk

Walter Herczyk is responsible for overseeing the operations of Gift of Life’s full-service laboratory.
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Ryan Cormier, director of tissue services
Director, Tissue Services

Ryan Cormier

Ryan Cormier oversees tissue donation, from referral and screening through surgical recovery of donated gifts, maintaining the highest standards for recovery and empathy for donor families.
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Remonia Chapman, director of public education and community relations
Director, Public Education and Community Outreach

Remonia Chapman

Remonia Chapman leads community outreach, public education programs and the family support/aftercare. She is also the Program Director for the Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP).
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Racha Kardahji, director of marketing and communications
Director, Marketing and Communications

Racha Kardahji

Racha Kardahji leads internal and external communications, including website, social media, print materials, digital assets and public relations to provide consistent branding and public support for donation.
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Misty Brock, director of quality assurance
Director, Quality

Misty Brock

Misty Brock oversees all quality assurance functions, audits, and regulatory compliance.
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Mary Pat Butcher, director of hospital development
Director, Hospital Development

Mary Pat Butcher

Mary Pat Butcher is responsible for partnerships and working relationships with donor hospitals, medical examiners and funeral homes.
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Lori Lawyer, director of finance
Director, Finance

Lori Lawyer

Lori provides strategic leadership in all finance functions of the organization, including analysis of financial results, regulatory reporting, and preparation of reports for leadership review.
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Jamee Zielke, director of administration
Director, Administration

Jamee Zielke

Jamee oversees the facilities, materials and sterilization departments and administrative staff.
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Eric Anderson, director of information technology
Director, Information Technology Services

Eric Anderson

Eric Anderson is responsible for Gift of Life’s information technology services and cyber security.
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David Moder, director of donation authorization
Director, Donation Authorization

David Moder

David Moder ensures that donors' documented decisions are honored, and works with the families of those not on the Donor Registry to create a legacy through organ donation.
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Courtney Kurpres, director of human resources
Director, Human Resources

Courtney Kupres

Courtney Kupres directs and provides strategic leadership in all human resource functions and fosters a people-first, inclusive work culture.
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Brytany Bailey, director of preservation and placement
Director, Preservation and Placement

Brytany Bailey

Brytany Bailey oversees the organ allocation, recovery, preservation and research departments and efforts.
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Susan Rink, director of advancement
Director, Advancement

Susan Rink

Susan Rink leads the organization’s fundraising efforts to raise money for programs that support organ and tissue donation and grow the Michigan Organ Donor Registry.
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Board of Directors

Governing Board
  • Chair: Kathleen Vogelsang, CFA, Van Andel Institute, donor family member
  • Immediate Past Chair: Pamela Sexton , Old National Bank
  • Chair Elect: Richard Boothman, Esq., Boothman Consulting Group, LLC

Directors:

  • Damanpreet Bedi, M.D., Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital.
  • Denise Brooks-Williams, Henry Ford Health System
  • Carolyn Cole-Brown, Michigan Medicine
  • Dorrie Dils, President & CEO, Gift of Life Michigan, ex-officio
  • Kandiss Ecton, State Farm
  • Sherrie Farrell, Esq., Dykema
  • Janice Firn, University of Michigan Medical School
  • Michael Grisdela, Henry Ford Medical Group
  • Ann Hollenbeck, Esq., Jones Day
  • Annette Joe, M.D., donor family member
  • Rachel Kuntzsch, Public Sector Consultants, heart transplant recipient
  • Alan Leichtman, M.D., University of Michigan Medical School
  • John Magee, M.D., Michigan Medicine
  • Leslie Rocher, M.D.
  • Pamela Sawhney, R.N., Esq.
  • Sarah Scantamburlo, MSW, MS, PA-C, CNS Healthcare, kidney transplant recipient
  • Christian Schafer, Esq., Trinity Health
  • Shannon Wilson, Priority Health
Advisory Board
  • Chair: Reg Dawson, Community Tissue Services
  • Chair Elect: Gabriel Maine, Ph.D., Corewell Health East

Board Members:

  • Harry Anderson, M.D., St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor
  • Peter Archangel, heart transplant recipient
  • Meredith Barrett, M.D., Michigan Medicine
  • Valerie Canary, R.N., Hurley Medical Center
  • Patricia Franz, M.D., Corewell Health East
  • John Hayden
  • R. Michael Hofmann, M.D., Mercy Health St. Mary’s
  • Steven Kemp, Kemp Funeral Home & Cremation Services
  • Dean Kim, M.D., Children’s Hospital of Michigan
  • Emad Kishi, M.D., Ascension St. John Hospital
  • Sangjin Lee, M.D., Corewell Health West
  • Julie Lepzinski, R.N.
  • Adhnan Mohamed, M.D., Henry Ford Hospital
  • Gary Roth, D.O., Michigan Health & Hospital Association
  • William Ryan, Transplant Life Foundation, donor family member
  • Kurt Schumacher, M.D., S.C. Mott Children’s Hospital
  • Kyle Sheehan, M.D., Michigan Medicine
  • John Stanifer, M.D., Munson Medical Center
  • Randy Swain, R.N., Ascension Providence Hospital
  • Staff: Bruce Nicely, Vice President, Donation Optimization, Gift of Life Michigan
Detroit MOTTEP Foundation

The Detroit MOTTEP Foundation is also a separate entity with its own Board of Directors. Gift of Life MOTTEP is a partnership between Gift of Life Michigan and the Detroit MOTTEP Foundation.

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