2023-2025 Executive Committee
Jeff Cox, CTBS
Chairperson
United Tissue Resources
Jeff Cox has over 30 years of experience in tissue and eye banking, having been both a certified tissue bank specialist and a certified bereavement specialist. He is a current chair of the American Board of Tissue Banking Committee, a current member of the Finance Committee, and is a coach for the AATB Emerging Leaders Program. He was previously a member of the AATB Ethics, Accreditation, Standards, and Program Committees, as well as the former Secretary of the Accredited Tissue Banks Council and Donor Suitability Council. He is also a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, holds a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry with Bachelor’s in Chemistry and Biology, and is the President and CEO of United Tissue Resources.
Ronda Horstman, CTBS
Immediate Past Chairperson
Solvita
Ronda Horstman has been in the organ and tissue donation field since 1996 and is currently the Chief Recovery Services Officer at Solvita. As a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist and an active member of AATB, she has served as the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary of the Recovery and Donor Suitability Council, a Coach for the Emerging Leader’s Program, and a member of both the Communications and Accreditation Committees and is currently the Chair of the Nominating and Awards Committee. In 2000, she was awarded AATB’s Peer Recognition Award for Public and Professional Relations. She has served on the Advisory Council and is currently serving as Secretary for the Board of Donate Life America. Ronda is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on Medical Management and a minor in Business Administration.
George Herrera
Chairperson-Elect
MTF Biologics
George Herrera is Executive Vice President for MTF Biologics. His primary responsibility is to oversee the Donor Services Division, which focuses on ensuring that MTF Biologics has sufficient musculoskeletal, dermal, and birth tissues from donors to meet patient needs. Donor Services provides a broad variety of services to 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 International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM) and Statline, which are divisions of MTF Biologics. IIAM provides donated human organs and tissues for research into cures, treatments, and technologies for a wide variety of diseases and conditions. Statline screens potential organ, eye, and tissue donors for organ procurement organizations (OPOs), eye banks, and tissue banks and coordinates organ transplants for transplant centers around the country. It also provides electronic donor record capabilities through its proprietary software.
In 2023, George begins his twenty-sixth year at MTF Biologics, his thirtieth year in the field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, and his thirty-third year in non-profit management. He has held leadership positions in various organizations in the field, including the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT), American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), Donate Life America (DLA) and has served on the medical advisory board of eight OPOs. George’s education includes a B.S. in Marketing and Management from Tulane University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans. George lives in New Jersey with Barbara, his wife of 30 years. They have two adult children
Alyssa Harrison
Secretary-Treasurer
LifeShare of Oklahoma
Alyssa Harrison has proudly been a part of the donation community for the past ten years. She currently serves as the Vice President of Tissue Operations at LifeShare of Oklahoma. She has been with LifeShare of Oklahoma since March 2019. Prior to that, she served as the Executive Director of United Tissue Network, a non-transplant donation organization.
In her current role, she is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating operations for the Tissue Recovery Services and the Donation Services Center. She provides executive leadership, management, and vision necessary to ensure the company has the proper clinical operational controls; clinical operational, administrative, and reporting procedures; and people/systems in place to grow the organization effectively and to ensure operating efficiency in all clinical areas. She is also responsible for the administrative direction and leadership activities that relate to tissue services as well as special projects. She is responsible for managing all hands-on clinical operational aspects of tissue operations. In addition, this role oversees the recruitment, development, and retention of all Tissue Recovery staff and Donation Services Center staff.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Adult Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Master of Business Administration from Washington State University. She is currently seeking to obtain her Doctorate of Education in Public Health Education from the American College of Education.
2023-2025 At-Large Governors
Mark DeFilippis
New England Donor Services, Inc.
Mark DeFilippis is the Vice President of Tissue Operations at New England Donor Services and has been an active member of the AATB community for the past 19 years. Mark’s career progression at New England Donor Services has resulted in a broad and deep knowledge base, including quality systems, donor eligibility, authorization, continuous improvement, and operational and executive leadership.
Mark earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Salem State University, an MBA from Endicott College, and is a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist.
Melissa O'Connor
StimLabs, LLC
Melissa O'Connor, M.S., FRAPS, RAC, CTBS, serves as the Chief Quality and Regulatory Officer for StimLabs, LLC, a birth tissue processor in Roswell, Georgia. Since the company’s inception in 2015, Melissa has been responsible for developing and growing all aspects of Quality and Regulatory Affairs and major infrastructure operations for StimLabs. She has 20+ years of experience in medical device, combination product, human tissue new product development research, engineering, commercialization, and Quality Management. She is a Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS) member, holds an active RAC certification, a B.S. in Biological Sciences, and an M.S. in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs. Melissa is a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (2017) and a RAPS Fellow (2022). Melissa’s interest in tissue banking pre-dates her time with StimLabs back to 2011 when her horse received ophthalmic amniotic membrane allografts to save his sight. As a member of the AATB Quality Council from 2016 to 2022, she co-chaired the CAPA Best Practice Guidance document authoring.
2023-2025 Tissue Policy Group Representative
Doug Wilson
LifeNet Health
Douglas Wilson has been part of LifeNet Health for over 25 years. Since 2006, he has served as Executive Vice President, a position in which he oversees functions in nearly every facet of the organization, from organ procurement and donor family care to tissue recovery and life sciences and strategic services.
Douglas Wilson has been an active participant on AATB committees and task forces throughout his career. He was a founding member of – and continues to serve on – the Tissue Policy Group and has been a member of numerous other committees, including the organization’s Public Relations Task Force during times of heightened media focus. Douglas currently serves as Chair of the Tissue Policy Group and a member of the ATTB Board.
Douglas has been a national spokesperson on transplant-related issues, has testified before congressional committees, and has partnered with more than 50 OPOs across the United States. He has represented tissue banks nationally following a case of allograft-transmitted HIV prior to the implementation of modern testing methods, and he worked within LifeNet Health to share technology with others in the industry. These efforts would help prevent such infections from ever happening again. Additionally, he has been active in the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO).
Wilson received his B.A. degree in Political Science with focus on communication, from Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1987.
2024-2026 Council Chairs
Ryan Cormier
Accredited Tissue Banks Council
Gift of Life Michigan
Ryan Cormier began his journey in tissue banking in 2011, performing tissue recovery at Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA). In 2012, he transitioned to a comparable role at New England Donor Services (NEDS), before assuming the position of Tissue Recovery Manager at Gift of Life Michigan in 2015. In mid-2020, he was promoted to Director of Tissue Services, overseeing both tissue recovery and the Donor Operations Center. At Gift of Life, Ryan orchestrated the implementation of novel staffing models for both departments, resulting in the doubling of tissue volume over six years and sustained annual growth. Renowned for his success in leadership development and fostering employee engagement, Ryan has consistently propelled departmental outcomes to new heights as a director. He continues to expand on previous work at Gift of Life to create standard recovery packs that were adopted by all processors Gift of Life works with to include all tissue types (Dermis, MS, CV, and BT). He has also led efforts to introduce and validate standard Gift of Life Musculoskeletal shippers, resulting in streamlined processes and supply chain efficiencies across the board. Noteworthy affiliations include CTBS since 2014, active membership in the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), serving as a member of both RADE and ATBC since 2015. Ryan received his bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.
Bill Cassarly
Birth Tissue Council
Regenerative Biologics, Inc.
Bill Cassarly is the Director of Operations with Regenerative Biologics. Having over 25 years of experience in the tissue bank landscape, Bill has managed all facets of tissue bank productions with strong project management and decision-making skills. Before joining RBI, he spent many years in Recovery Operations at RTI Donor Services and Southeast Tissue Alliance while supervising large teams and increasing donation rates. Bill has also collaborated with medical examiners in the development of new and improved best practices for donation.
Bill holds his CTBS designation and is an active member of the AATB Birth Tissue Council. He also serves on the AATB Standards and Program Committees, as well as previously served on the AATB Recovery and Donor Eligibility Council.
Kimberly Monroe, CTBS
Donor Family Services Council
South Texas Blood and Tissue
Kimberly Monroe is the Business Development Manager for Tissue Services at South Texas Blood & Tissue, responsible for the strategic direction and growth of STBT’s Hospital Development program. Kimberly started her career in donation and transplantation in 2001 and has experience in donor screening, family consent and aftercare, hospital development, and community relations in the eye and tissue donation arena. She has served on the AATB Donor Family Services council since 2020.
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Florida, a Graduate Certificate in instructional design from Rollins College, and an AATB Certified Tissue Banking Specialist designation.
James Bardsley
Non-Transplant Anatomical Donation (NADO) Council
Anatomy Gifts Registry
James Bardsley is the Chief Science Officer and Director of Operations for Anatomy Gifts Registry (AGR), a non-profit NADO that was founded in 1994. James has spent his entire life in the world of non-transplant tissue banking, having started hands-on practice via working within AGR while still in high school. James obtained his BS in Molecular & Cellular Biology from Towson University in 2010 and became a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) within the same year. He went on to obtain a degree in Mortuary Science and became a licensed mortician in the State of Maryland in 2013. James also happens to be a certified crematory operator. In the last 18 years, he has worked various positions within AGR, from a volunteer putting together registration packets for donors, to a recovery technician and crematory operator, to managing technical departments, and finally to his current position as an officer of the company.
Sally Alrabaa, MD
Physicians Council
LifeLink Tissue Bank
Dr. Sally Alrabaa is the regional medical Director of LifeLink Tissue bank of Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. She’s an infectious disease specialist and an associate professor of medicine at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Alrabaa has been a clinician for the past 20 years with expertise in internal medicine and infectious diseases ranging from sepsis, Tuberculosis, other bacterial, viral, atypical, and emerging infections as well as infections in the organ and tissue transplant populations. Dr. Alrabaa’s career in tissue banking started in 2018 as an associate medical director. She became involved with various AATB committees and functions soon after. In 2020, as an active member of the physician council she aided in drafting guidance the Tissue banking community during the COVID-19 epidemic based on best available scientific knowledge at the time and her real-life experience with COVID-19 patients. She assisted with drafting recommendations regarding monkeypox screening upon emergence of yet another virus. Dr. Alrabaa has been involved with the Tuberculosis working group since its beginning in 2021 and assisted in drafting multiple bulletins in the subject and recommendation regarding donor screening. Dr. Alrabaa was the physician council track session organizer for the AATB annual meeting in 2022, and she had presented on Tuberculosis disease and risk factor as well as moderated multiple sessions during both the 2022 and 2023 AATB Annual meetings. Dr. Alrabaa’s leadership expertise includes her positions as medical director of complex medicine unit in a large tertiary center hospital, as well as Director of the transplant infectious services. Dr. Alrabaa is very familiar with what it takes to be an effective leader and how to empower and motivate others to share their opinions, expertise, and wisdom. Dr. Alrabaa served as the Physician Council secretary since 2022.
Sarah Lopez
Processing and Distribution Council
United Tissue Resources
With over eighteen years of tissue banking experience, Sarah began her career as a musculoskeletal tissue processing technician and advanced through the management of quality and distribution systems. She is now the Senior Vice President of Tissue Operations for United Tissue Resources, working with both Donor and Distribution Services divisions.
In 2020, Sarah was elected and served as the Vice-Chair of the Processing and Distribution Council, supporting and assisting the Chair in efforts that best serve the Council and advocate for membership participation. She has also participated with the AATB Standards Committee and successfully completed the first annual Emerging Leaders Program in 2016.
Christy Martinelli
Quality Council
Precision Allograft Solutions
Christy Martinelli has over twenty years of leadership experience in the tissue banking industry in a variety of roles, most recently as the Vice President of Tissue Bank Operations at Precision Allograft Solutions. Her long career extends across multiple divisions including quality, regulatory affairs, change control, supplier management, processing, validations, product development, distribution, and inventory management in small to larger corporate and international settings.
As the current Vice-Chair of the Quality Council (2022-2024) and a long-time Certified Tissue Bank Specialist, she has been an active member of the American Association of Tissue Banks since 2003. Most recently serving as a member of the Accreditation Committee (2019-2024), and in the Quality Council subgroups for the Annual Meeting Quality Track Planning (2022-2024), Supplier Quality Agreement Tool (2022-2023), and Change Control Best Practices Tool (2024).
Ryan Nelson
Recovery and Donor Eligibility Council
Donor Network of Arizona
Ryan Nelson brings over 16 years of dedicated experience in the tissue donation industry with his role as Tissue Services Supervisor and Medical Examiner Liaison at the Donor Network of Arizona. Under his leadership, the organization has seen significant growth, driven by his commitment to process improvement and efficiency enhancements. In his role as Medical Examiner Liaison for over 12 years has allowed him to forge strong, respectful relationships with county medical examiners, prioritizing the integrity of death investigations while facilitating increased tissue donation rates. In addition to his work with the Medical Examiners, Ryan has spearheaded initiatives that have directly led to enhanced operational efficiencies and marked increase in donation rates, specifically Musculoskeletal and Pediatric for Heart Valves. These contributions underscore the dedication to fostering continued best practices.
Ryan has a Bachelors of Science in Human Biology and is a Certified Tissue Bank Specialist. Ryan has served the AATB in various capacities including the Program Committee. Ryan was part of the work group that revised Appendix III of the Tissue Donor Physical Assessment Form Requirements and has spoken at numerous AATB conferences and webinars outlining his work in growing the field of Tissue Donation in Arizona.