Richard Pietroski, CEO
      Richard Pietroski, Gift of Life’s CEO since 2008, manages every aspect of Michigan’s only organ recovery organization and its 200-plus employees. Rich, who is passionate about organ and tissue donation, works with transplant centers, hospital administrators, elected officials and community leaders to inspire more organ donors and bolster the number of transplants – and lives saved - in Michigan.
      Rich also talks with state legislators about the importance of organ donation and fights to pass laws that improve the process.
      In 2004, Rich became a tissue recipient when doctors repaired his right shoulder with tendons from a 21-year-old police officer who died in the line of duty.

Burton J. Mattice, CPTC, MBA, Chief Operating Officer
      Chief Operating Officer Burton J. Mattice manages clinical services, professional education, tissue recovery, perfusion services and hospital development departments.
      His office works as a liaison for donor hospital administration, transplant programs and all of Michigan's medical examiners and funeral homes. Burt – who has more than 30 years of experience in donation and recovery – also oversees several committees and is active in donation at the national level.
     He believes the work of organ and tissue donation must be carried out with sensitivity, respect and compassion and that helping fulfill the family’s wishes is paramount.

Anne Kowalczyk, Chief Administrative Officer
      As Chief Administrative Officer, Anne Kowalczyk oversees finance, human resources, corporate communications and information services.
     Anne also acts as the controller and staff liaison for finance and audit committees. In addition to her many responsibilities with Gift of Life, she serves as treasurer for the Donate Life Coalition of Michigan and the grant-issuing Gift of Life Foundation.
     Anne is thrilled to be able to help make organ donation happen by fulfilling her crucial role at Gift of Life.

Dr. Michael Hagan, Director of Quality Improvement and Regulatory Compliance   
      Dr. Hagan, a former emergency room physician and a liver transplant recipient, oversees all quality improvement initiatives dealing with organ and tissue donation. He also makes sure the organization conforms to state, federal and partner regulations.
     Dr. Hagan contracted hepatitis B while working in the emergency room and his illness caused total liver failure. In 1999, he got a new liver and a new life.
     He began volunteering with Gift of Life after his transplant and was hired in 2004.

Sheila Alston, Clinical Director    
      Sheila Alston, an RN for 27 years and a former ER director, oversees nearly 40 donation coordinators who travel statewide to work with hospitals when there’s a potential donor.
     Coordinators talk with families about donation and get permission when the donor isn’t on Michigan’s Organ Donor Registry. They also help in all phases of donation right through the surgical removal of organs.
     For Sheila, organ donation is personal: The 17-year-old son of a good friend was able to save five lives after he died of an aneurism in 2007. “This is not a job, it’s a mission.”

Tim Makinen, Corporate Communications Director    
      A former newspaper journalist, Tim Makinen oversees a seven-person team charged with producing newsletters, managing more than 500 active volunteers, building community relationships and pushing media opportunities.
     Tim and his team also work to grow Michigan’s Organ Donor Registry, the statewide database of residents wishing to someday donate their organs, eyes and tissue.
     Tim is inspired every day by the stories of lives saved and forever changed through organ and tissue donation.

Randal Markiewicz, Organ and Tissue Services Director 
      Randal Markiewicz manages a staff up to 35 tissue recovery specialists who work in all 83 counties. In 2008, this team performed nearly 900 tissue recoveries, providing thousands of bone, skin and other grafts to help seriously injured or sick recipients live better lives.
     Half of Randy’s team helps organ recovery surgeons in operating rooms. These specialists care for organs after they’ve been recovered and prepare them for transport.
     Randy takes his job of caring for organs very seriously and believes accuracy in the operating room is crucial.

Loretta White, Manager of Clinical Service Center/Donor Records    
      Loretta White is in charge of employees who manage organ and tissue donations by phone, start to finish. Loretta’s staff takes calls from hospitals reporting potential donors and collect information about donors. They also help determine neurological status of patients, solve problems in the field and coordinate organ recovery and placement with patients on the waiting list. She also oversees donor records.
     Loretta likes that she and her staff get to help people who have lost a loved one understand what an important gift they’re giving to someone waiting for another chance at life.

David Gee, Director of Information Services
     Dave Gee supports organ and tissue donation by making sure the electronic tools Gift of Life depends upon are always working and available.
     Internet, phones, computers, audio visual and much more fall under the care of his readily available six-person team. If it’s broken, they fix it. If it’s old, they upgrade and replace.
     Dave loves the fact that he gets to work with computers and still has a hand in saving lives.

Debra Lytle, Director of Human Resources
      Human Resources helps Gift of Life’s more than 200 employees with personnel issues and benefits information. Debra Lytle also ensures that new hires fulfill their orientations and settle nicely into their new positions, and she makes sure the organization follows all labor laws and employment regulations.
     Deb is in awe of the dedication it takes from the entire Gift of Life team to make organ and tissue donation happen every single day.

Cindy Jacobs, Professional Development Director
      Cindy Jacobs oversees a continuing education program for Gift of Life’s staff and its partners in the medical profession. In addition to encouraging best practices in organ and tissue donation, Cindy’s team provides donor family follow-up and bereavement support.
     Cindy says her life changed when she began working with Gift of Life nearly 20 years ago, and she’s grateful to work for an organization so committed to helping others live longer and better lives.

Dr. A. Bradley Eisenbrey, MD, PhD, Laboratory Director  
      As the lab’s co-director, Dr. Eisenbrey is part of the dedicated team that conducts around-the-clock testing to match organ donors with recipients. He also oversees the process of screening donors for infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.
     Dr. Eisenbrey contributes 36 years of lab experience and expertise to his work at Gift of Life. He’s absolutely committed to providing safe organs and tissues for every patient needing a transplant.

Kathleen Smith, Hospital Development Director
     Kathleen Smith oversees 20 hospital development associates, who work with hospital staffs to improve the organ and tissue donation process. Kathy’s team also helps hospitals remain compliant with regulatory standards, provides customer service and visits intensive care units to increase organ donation potential.
     Kathy feels privileged to work with incredibly dedicated administrators, doctors and nurses who help make organ, tissue and eye donation happen.

Dorothy Levis, Laboratory Administrative Director
     Dorothy Levis is in charge of all technical aspects of Gift of Life’s lab, where testing is done to match each potential donor to the roughly 3,000 blood samples on file. The samples stored here were taken from every patient in Michigan waiting for a new organ to save their lives.
     Dorothy became a tissue recipient in 2006 when bone from a donor was used to replace two badly degenerated discs in her spine. Dorothy’s son also is a recipient: Bone grafts were used to repair his arm, which was crushed in 1997 when he was run over by a car.

Dr. J.C. Rosenberg, Laboratory Director
     Dr. Rosenberg was one of five organ transplant surgeons in Michigan to found Gift of Life Michigan as the organ recovery organization for this state. He’s dedicated his life to saving others and Dr. Rosenberg’s work continues today as he oversees the laboratory.
     As co-director, he helps manage cross matching between Michigan’s donors and the people on Michigan’s organ donor waiting list. The lab also tests the blood of potential donors for infectious diseases to ensure the complete safety of the process.