2024-2026 Processing and Distribution Council Officer Slate

Sarah Lopez, CTBS
United Tissue Resources

Professional Bio
"With over 20 years of experience in the tissue banking industry, I began my career as a musculoskeletal tissue processing technician. I advanced through my career in management of quality and distribution systems and am now the Senior Vice President of Tissue Operations at United Tissue Resources. I have the honor of leading the organization while serving the Central Texas community, donor families and end-users. I am confident in my strategic planning and customer relationship management skills that allow for continued organization success.

Since 2020, I have served on the Processing and Distribution Council Leadership Team - first as the Vice Chair, and now as the current Chair of the PADC Council. I have also participated with AATB Standards Committee, and successfully completed the first annual Emerging Leaders Program in 2016. Currently, I have an active role with AATB Board of Governors, providing representation and insight from our council membership to the Association’s leadership. I am a proponent of our industry’s mission and the Association’s vision." 

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"As current Chair, along with the support of the Council Leadership Team, the PADC has effectively launched initiatives that focus on standardized council meeting content, engaging and connecting our members, support to industry supply chain related issues and membership resources.

I am running again as Chair to lead the continued initiatives necessary to maintain the growth and development of the council. If re-elected as Chair, I will support the members’ goals and create awareness with efficient and defined measures that safely support tissue banking today and tomorrow."

Brett Flesher
Solvita

Professional Bio
"In 2019, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Akron (go zips!) with experience in orthopedic implant design and manufacturing. My ultimate goal was to dedicate my career to improving and saving the lives of others using a blend of creativity and engineering principles. Over the past 5 years, I have taken a sincere interest in the mission of saving and enhancing lives through donation, starting my journey in tissue banking with Solvita as a Manufacturing Engineer in 2020. I currently serve as the Process Improvement Engineering Supervisor at Solvita, leveraging data analytics and Black Belt Lean Six Sigma certification to streamline our processes and create a culture in the organization that can do the same. Within AATB, I have been actively involved with PADC initiatives for 4 years. I have volunteered three consecutive years as the lead representative for PADC for planning the educational breakout sessions at the annual meetings and am currently working with the Supply Chain Subgroup on developing strategies to deploy related educational content and projects that benefit our industry as a whole. Outside of tissue banking, I enjoy working on my cars and renovating houses with my soon-to-be wife!"

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"My goal as Processing and Distribution Vice Chair is simple: Develop strategies to educate, recruit, and execute successful improvement initiatives that benefit the industry and promote council participation. Our council is broad in scope, which opens countless opportunities for process optimization, best practices education, and cross-functional involvement amongst organizations of all sizes. While each organization has their own secret techniques that set them apart, we are all here for the same reason and my goal is to find common initiatives we all find valuable to make the industry more robust and efficient. My interests lie in leveraging data analytics and Lean Six Sigma techniques to identify what value PADC can bring to the industry through Supply Chain Subgroup, our educational sessions at annual meetings, data analytics, and cross-council initiatives."

Adam James, MBA, CPHQ, CTBS
CellRight Technologies

Professional Bio
Adam James serves as Associate Vice President, overseeing donor services, partner relations, and clinical recovery affairs. Prior to joining CellRight in late 2023, he spent three years in Dallas with Southwest Transplant Alliance, most recently as the Vice President of Tissue Operations. He holds a Master of Business Administration Degree with a specialization in Healthcare Leadership and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) by the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). Additionally, with nearly 20 years of tissue banking acumen, Adam is a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and remains an active member of the AATB Accreditation Committee and Processing and Distribution Council. He has also previously served on the Association of Organ Procurement Organization (AOPO) Tissue Banking Council. With a strong understanding of international business development, he is a trusted resource among the donation and transplantation community around the globe. In his local community, Adam serves on a number of collegiate boards, including the College of Healthcare Professions, Arizona College of Nursing, and North Central Texas College, shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals throughout North Texas. Lastly, Adam enjoys ultra-marathon trail running, talking about his cat Poose, coaching his 7-year old daughter Rylee’s soccer team, and spending time with his lovely wife Kelli – in no particular order.

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"With a progressive outlook and an eye towards innovation, I hope to provide greater exposure to the fascinating advances in biomedical sciences across the globe with the goal of fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration. Additionally, I hope to continue driving the recent strides and efforts made in bridging the work of OPO/Tissue banks and tissue processors alike, to foster mutual understanding towards a shared mission. Lastly, I hope to promote an open and transparent environment where best practices and idea exchange can flow freely, in order to better serve all partners and ultimately, the awaiting recipients of our life saving and life enhancing tissue." 

Sean Piersol, MBA, CTBS, CEBT
LifeNet Health

Professional Bio
Sean Piersol is currently employed as a Clinical Recovery Account Manager with LifeNet Health since 2020. Previously, he was with Lifeline of Ohio from 2012-2020, where he held multiple positions, lastly as the Manager of Tissue and Eye Recovery. He is both CTBS and CEBT certified. His education includes a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Bachelor of Science and Associate of Nursing degrees from Kent State University. He has been a member of the Processing and Distribution Council since 2019. 

Statement Outlining Vision and Goals for the Council
"Be a resource for information, education, and networking for those on the council. To help move AATB forward in a positive direction. Foster effective communication and collaboration among all members."