2024-2026 Living Donor Council Officer Slate

Bill Cassarly, CTBS
Regenerative Biologics, Inc.

Professional Bio
A seasoned and results-oriented Director /VP with 25 years of experience in the tissue banking industry. Proven success in leading operational excellence, fostering team growth, and implementing innovative solutions to maximize efficiency and profitability. Skilled in strategic planning, process improvement, staff development, and building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"The Living Donor Council stands at the forefront of a transformative movement – one where every birth holds the potential to improve countless lives through the ethical and accessible collection of birth tissue. This vision profoundly resonates with me, and I'm driven by the opportunity to contribute my expertise to the LDC's mission.

If elected, I see a future where:

Standardization and best practices flourish: By convening leading subject matter experts, we can collaboratively develop and advocate for national guidelines that prioritize donor consent, tissue quality, and traceability. 

Public awareness becomes a cornerstone: I envision a world where knowledge empowers healthcare professionals, expectant mothers, and the general public.

The streamlined collection is the norm: A seamless system for collecting and distributing birth tissue for approved transplants is paramount. This will accelerate breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, leading to groundbreaking treatment options for many conditions.

Ethical principles remain unwavering: Every step of the birth tissue collection process will be guided by unwavering ethical principles. Ensuring informed consent, respecting donor anonymity (if desired), and exploring fair compensation mechanisms are fundamental to earning and maintaining trust.

Collaboration becomes the engine of progress: I believe in the power of collaboration. By fostering strong partnerships between collection agencies, healthcare providers, researchers, advocacy groups, and policymakers, the LDC can champion safe and ethical birth tissue collection practices. Together, we can create a legacy that benefits future generations.

My passion for this field and my commitment to excellence drive me to contribute significantly to the LDC's mission. I am confident that together, we can make a profound difference."

Andrea Ho, MD
AlloSource

Professional Bio
"I am an Associate Medical Director at Allosource. I have been at this position for 5 years. I have been on the Physicians council for the past 2 years and was a member of the COVID, MTB, and the Monkey Pox subcommittees. I am also on the Annual National Meeting council representing the members of the Physicians council. I recently joined the Living Donor council. I have already participated in the committee to revise the DRAI for living donors."

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"I wish to assist the Living Donor Council in becoming more organized and consistent with a regular meeting schedule. I would to engage more members of this council to participate in designated subcommittees."

Shannon Renaud, MHA, CTBS
Gift of Life Michigan

Professional Bio
Shannon has been involved in the tissue bank community since 1998. She began her work in transplant at the University of California San Francisco Tissue Bank as a tissue team leader and developed comprehensive training programs. She later moved to Arizona and worked in Quality & Regulatory Affairs for the Donor Network of Arizona. Shannon then worked at Transplant for Life, first as the Director of Quality and later as the Tissue Bank Director, where she helped develop the facility’s birth tissue program. She currently works for Gift of Life Michigan as the Tissue Recovery Manager, where she was instrumental in the development of their birth tissue program. 

Shannon has served on the several AATB councils since 2013, including the Living Donor Council and Quality Council. She has been a speaker for the AATB regarding development of birth tissue programs and building tissue recovery programs. She was also involved in the American Medical and Research Association (AMERA) and was a speaker for several years at their annual meetings. 

Shannon received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Cornell College and her master’s in health administration from Grand Canyon University.

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"Living donation brings amazing resources to individuals in need, but the wider impact of this program offers tissue banks a unique opportunity to educate the community. So often, donation is only considered and discussed between family members at a time of tragedy, but living donation offers an opening to discuss donation under far different and happier circumstances. A child whose birth tissues were donated grows up knowing that they made an impact in this world from the day they were born. Donation becomes part of their story. Later, at a time when they are faced with another donation choice, whether to check that box as they receive their driver's license for the first time or when they have to consider options for a loved one, donation will not be a vague or unknown concept to them. They will be able to make more fully educated decisions based on their personal history with donation." 

If elected, I want to help foster trust and collaboration between living donor programs and the families we serve. Standardized practices help ensure that the gifts we are entrusted with are handled with respect and utilized to the best of our ability. Living donation has the potential to change perspectives on donation. I would like to be a part of this transformative movement, advocating for awareness and education, to empower individuals to consider and embrace the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.

Anna Tirrell, CTBS
Birth Tissue Recovery, LLC

Professional Bio
Anna is President and Chief Operating Officer at Birth Tissue Recovery, an AATB-accredited institution. Since 2012, she has guided the dynamic evolution of BTR’s donation programs and quality system, materially contributed to the 14th edition of AATB’s Standards (the first to identify birth tissue as a unique form), and hosted numerous regulatory inspections across BTR’s multistage operation. She has served on Standards committee and is the current Vice Chair of the LDC. Her knowledge of, and dedication to safety, robust donor screening, collaboration, and ethics makes her well-fitted to the position.

Originally hailing from London, where tea is a solution to every problem.

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"The Living Donor Council has envisioned that every donation is valued and utilized to its fullest potential, benefiting both donors and recipients. Should I be elected as Vice Chair, I will continue to raise awareness about the importance of birth tissue donation, advocating for banks that acquire, process and release birth tissues, and ensure the ethical guidelines for donation and usage are updated to reflect current practices, and foster collaboration between other AATB councils." 

Audra Holmes, MBA, CTBS
Nevada Donor Network, Inc.

Professional Bio
Audra Holmes is a dedicated professional with 14 years of experience in the donation community. She currently serves as the Manager of Birth Tissue Services at Nevada Donor Network (NDN), where she established the Birth Tissue Donation Program in 2019. Audra provides essential operational direction and coordination for the growth of NDN's Birth Tissue Donation Program. She delivers the leadership and management necessary for proper birth tissue operational procedures and efficient clinical operations. Audra is passionate about mentoring a growing team of birth tissue donation professionals.

Prior to her current role, Audra excelled as a Hospital Services Liaison at NDN, fostering collaborative relationships with hospital staff and offering education on organ and tissue donation processes. Her passion for this field was sparked during her tenure at Gift of Life Donor Program in Philadelphia, where she spent eight years in the Transplant Information Center, holding roles as an In-House Coordinator and TIC Team Leader.

Audra has been a member of the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) since 2012 and joined the Living Donor Council in 2019. Audra is an active member of the LDC subgroup focused on the creation of a Birth Tissue Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) for AATB member use and currently serves as a member of the LDC Track subcommittee for the 2024 AATB Annual Meeting.

Educationally, Audra holds a Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Business Administration with a Project Management Concentration from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She is a graduate of The Art and Science of Leadership: Driving Results for Donation and Transplant Professionals Certificate Program presented by Gift of Life Institute, a Six Sigma Green Belt, a Certified Lean Practitioner, and a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist. Her academic background compliments her wealth of experience in the donation community, making her a valuable asset in her field.

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"My vision for the Living Donor Council (LDC) is to foster collaboration and innovation within the growing field of birth tissue donation. I aim to support the LDC in driving initiatives that promote education, awareness, and best practices for birth tissue donation. By cultivating a supportive environment for LDC members to exchange ideas and resources, we can advance the field of birth tissue donation and ultimately save and heal more lives. Together, we can shape a future where donation opportunities are maximized, and every individual in need receives the gift of life and healing."