Leadership

Jill Grandas

CEO, DCI Donor Services

Jill Grandas is an organ procurement and tissue banking industry veteran with over 30 years of experience. In her role overseeing DCI Donor Services, Jill leads a team of selfless, hardworking employees who are committed to saving and improving lives.

In 1985, she began her nursing career in a Neurological Intensive Care Unit and became involved in several experiences where patients became organ and tissue donors. As a result of those experiences, she joined Tennessee Donor Services in 1987 as an Organ Recovery Coordinator and has expanded her role over the years. She served in several positions within DCI Donor Services including Director of Hospital Services, Associate Director, and Chief Executive Officer for the Tennessee location. Since 2005, Jill has also been the Chief Executive Officer for DCIDS.

Jill is a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator (CPTC) and a Registered Nurse (RN). An active member of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, Jill currently serves on the Standards and Accreditation Committee and Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee. She has also served on both the UNOS Membership and Professional Standards Committee and has served on the Kidney/Pancreas Committee in past years. Most recently, Jill has participated in the newly formed Tissue Policy Group (TPG).

Sean Van Slyck

CEO, Sierra Donor Services, and Interim CEO, New Mexico Donor Services

Sean Van Slyck joined Sierra Donor Services late 2019, bringing with him extensive experience serving the organ and tissue donation community for more than 20 years. He leads an incredible team of passionate individuals focused on saving and improving more lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Sean has served the broader donation community with numerous appointments on national committees and initiatives including the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO), and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). He is especially proud of his contributions at UNOS where he served as the OPO Committee Chair and on the OPTN/UNOS Ad Hoc Systems Performance Committee. Sean currently serves at the Co-Chair of the SRTR Review Committee and is an active member of the OPTN Membership and Professional Standards Committee.

Sean obtained his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and attended the Art and Science of Leadership: Driving Results for Donation and Transplantation Professionals program, hosted by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Gift of Life Institute. Sean has served on the Board of Directors of Donate Life California since 2018.

Beau Kelly, MD

Surgical Director, Sierra Donor Services

Beau Kelly is a dedicated surgeon-researcher-teacher-leader in the field of pediatric and adult liver/intestine transplantation, and the Surgical Director for Sierra Donor Services in Northern California.

He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), his MD degree from Howard University College of Medicine, an MBA from Vanderbilt University, Doctorate of Science studies in bioengineering and cellular and molecular pathophysiology from the University of Cincinnati, graduate certificates in Digital Innovation/Business Analytics from Harvard University, Quality Improvement and Lean Process from Purdue University and Masters in Public Health studies from Boston University.

He is the humble recipient of the Gold Foundation Award for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching. He has over 150 scientific/surgical publications and presentations and has innovated 2 medical device patents. His research interests have ranged from the development of the first reproducible animal model of venous neointimal hyperplasia to building healthcare access equity machine learning and AI algorithms that increase the quality/quantity of life for transplant recipients.

He is most challenged by elevating the patient voice, the representation of underrepresented minorities in academic medicine, and deconstructing the practices and policies that narrow the funnel of brilliant minds entering passionate surgical careers. He has served as the first Black President of the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation, the American Society of Transplantation Board of Directors, and a founding member of the AST DEI Committee.

He is an avid sports and music enthusiast, and the most-proud father of 5 amazing and talented children.

Donna Smith

Chief Clinical Officer, DCI Donor Services

Donna joined Sierra Donor Services in 2020 as the Senior Director of Clinical Services. She has worked in the field of organ donation since 2000, with experience in three Organ Procurement Organizations before SDS, where she led successful programs to increase donation and transplantation and build teams committed to the mission of saving and improving lives.

In her current role she is a member of the senior leadership team and oversees a team of dedicated individuals tasked with developing strategies and initiatives to increase organ donation in Northern California, and to increase the utilization of organs from SDS donors. Donna is a member of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) Impact Committee and COO council, Co-Chair of the ETCLC Quality Team, The Alliance Donation and Leadership Committee and the OPTN OPO Committee. Donna also served on the UNOS Membership and Professional Standards Committee in 2017 and 2018, and she was a member of the ODRC from 2013 to 2015 serving a one-year term as Treasurer on the Executive Committee.

Donna earned her Bachelor’s in Nursing and Master’s in Nursing and Organizational Leadership at Walden University.

Joel Smith

Chief Tissue Officer, DCI Donor Services

Joel continues to lead the organization to record-breaking tissue recovery milestones. He is most proud of the innovations and progress his team has made in streamlining procedures that reduce redundancy and increase efficiency while improving benchmarks for recovery metrics.

He began his career at Mississippi Organ Recovery Organization, then served at Donor Network West and LifeShare of Oklahoma.

As past Chair of the AOPO Tissue Council, Joel made it his mission to increase collaboration among tissue recovery organizations.

Joel is a graduate of the Art and Science of Leadership program at Wharton’s School of Business and earned a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology from Mississippi State University. Joel is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Tina Kirsch

Chief Administrative Officer, DCI Donor Services

Tina Kirsch joined DCI Donor Services in June 2025 as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).  Tina has direct oversight of the Performance Excellence (Quality, Business Intelligence, and Process Improvement) and Information Technology departments as well as partnering to ensure strategic planning and execution, developing best practices, and operational excellence.  Tina brings more than 26 years of progressive leadership experience in the organ and tissue donation community.  She has served on many national committees and councils. 

She retired from Midwest Transplant Network in 2022.  During her retirement, Tina spent time offering consulting services within the organ and tissue donation community with a special focus on strategic planning aligned with Stratex Solutions.  Her continued passion for the donation/transplantation industry brought her out of retirement – and brought her back to work full time with DCI Donor Services.

Tina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business Administration from Emporia State University, her Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Keller Graduate School and has 33 hours (ABD) toward her Doctorate in Business (with a focus in leadership) through North Central University. 

Emily Bryan

Director of Finance, DCI Donor Services

Emily joined DCI Donor Services as a Staff Accountant in 2007 and was first promoted into a leadership role in 2014 as the Accounting Supervisor. In her current role as Director of Finance, she is responsible for all financial functions of the organization, including financial planning and analysis, fiscal and regulatory reporting, budgeting, and audits. She also oversees the Purchasing Department for the organization.

Emily is a licensed CPA in the state of Tennessee and earned a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Joe Garavaglia

Director of Human Resources, DCI Donor Services

As the Director of Human Resources, Joe is responsible for leading all people strategies. Joe oversees initiatives such as recruitment, employee relations, benefits, and payroll. He is most proud to support and represent the frontline employees who make organ and tissue donation become a reality each day!

Joe started his career in the manufacturing sector. He joined DCI Donor Services in 2015 and found a deep passion for healthcare and improving the lives of others. Joe holds certifications from HRCI (PHR) and SHRM (SHRM-CP).

Amy Bonser

Performance Excellence Director, DCI Donor Services

Amy Bonser began her career over 20 years ago as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Pediatric ICU. After her best friend received the gift of a life-saving double lung transplant in 2003, Amy refocused her career to work in organ procurement. She has held both clinical and leadership roles in the OPO industry and is professionally and personally committed to saving lives through organ and tissue donation.

Amy joined DCI Donor Services in February 2020 to develop and oversee the Business Intelligence, Performance Improvement and Death Record Review departments. These teams are committed to increasing donation and saving more lives by utilizing data to drive decision making and process improvement initiatives at DCIDS’s three Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) in Tennessee, New Mexico, and California as well as DCI’s Donor Services Tissue Bank and Sierra Donor Service’s Eye Bank.

Gretchen Budde

Bridge2Life Director

Gretchen joined DCI Donor Services in 2018 to lead the communication center with a focus on donor referrals and the authorization process.  She leads with the belief that by aligning personal values and a passion for donation, hope can be given in some of life’s darkest moments through the gift of donation.  With over 18 years of progressive experience in the field of donation, Gretchen continues to foster development through team collaboration and the pursuit of incremental and continuous improvement.

Gretchen is a graduate of the Art and Science Leadership program at Wharton’s School of Business, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in both Public Administration and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and a master’s degree in Counseling from Lakeland University.  She is also a Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) and holds her Certification in Thanatology (CT).

Michael Clay

Director of Family Services, DCI Donor Services

Michael Clay is the Director of Family Services at DCI Donor Services. With over a decade of experience at several high-performing OPOs across the country, he provides direct support to a committed team of compassionate family support leaders at Tennessee Donor Services, New Mexico Donor Services and Sierra Donor Services.

Prior to being named the Director at DCI Donor Services, Michael served as the Director of Family Care at Southwest Transplant Alliance, Manager of Family Support Services at Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, Manager of Family Services at Nevada Donor Network, and Family and Hospital Services Coordinator with New Mexico Donor Services.

Michael has been a frequent speaker and content contributor for several national conferences and webinars. Michael has served twice as the Chair of the Donor Family Services Council for AOPO. He is also credited as founding one of AOPO’s most popular national events, “The Authorization Summit.” Michael is a member of The Alliance faculty and has presented on several of their live, national webinars. In addition, Michael is an active member of the Association of Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) and American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Michael received his bachelor’s degree in health and human performance from New Mexico Highlands University, where he was also an all-conference athlete on the men’s basketball team. Michael is the founder of BYC Elite Basketball, a nonprofit youth basketball program designed to serve “at promise” youth in New Mexico, Texas, and Southern Colorado.

Michael Coleman

External Affairs Director, Sierra Donor Services

Michael Coleman is Sierra Donor Services’ Director of External Affairs, having joined the organization in early 2024. He is a serial extrovert who brings over 30 years of experience in communications, content creation (on broadcast, print, and digital platforms), fund development, public relations, and project management to SDS. Michael leads the team that is laser focused on increasing the number of registered organ, tissue, and eye donors in SDS’ service area, and ultimately eliminating the organ transplant list, via community engagement. Michael also serves on Donate Life California’s Board of Directors.

Michael has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with High Honors and Distinction from the University of Michigan. He consults with and supports the work of non-profits in northern California and across the country. He is also an OG: an Original Girl Dad, the proud father of two beautiful, brilliant daughters.

Brad Mitchell

IT Director

Heather Pratt

Hospital Development Director, Sierra Donor Services

Heather and her team of Hospital Development Coordinators support 44 hospitals, 22 county Coroners and over 130 Funeral homes in the Greater Sacramento Area in their efforts to serve families, organ and tissue donors and those recipients waiting.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Sonoma State University in California. Heather was inspired by her work in critical care, caring for pre and post heart transplant patients to join the organ donation and transplantation community. Heather has worked in the organ procurement field since 2004 as a transplant coordinator, resource triage coordinator and as a clinical operations manager. In 2020, Heather joined the Sierra Donor Services team as the Hospital Development Director where she focuses on supporting local hospitals in developing successful processes that maximize the gift of organ donation.

Heather was a member of the 2022 class of “The Art and Science of Leadership; Driving Results for Donation and Transplantation Professionals” offered through the Gift of Life Institute. She currently co-chairs committee for the ESRD Treatment Choices Learning Collaborative sponsored by CMS and HRSA and serves on the Board of Directors for Easter Seals Superior California. Heather looks forward to saving more lives and serving more donor families through her work at Sierra Donor Services and DCIDS.

Zuki Becirevic

Tissue Recovery Manager, Sierra Donor Services

Zuki is thrilled to lead and be part of the fantastic SDS Tissue Recovery team of 20-plus employees who work hard daily to support their communities with tissue donations. He joined SDS in 2004 as a Tissue Recovery Technician. During his tenure at SDS, Zuki worked in various different roles involving the surgical recovery of donated tissue.

Zuki earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California Davis and is dually certified by AATB and EBAA. As the Tissue Recovery Manager, Zuki gained knowledge and appreciation for the tissue donation process that continues to motivate him to work hard to ensure that in his community tissue donation is the option for any suitable donor.

Brian Ha

Manager of Preservation Services, Sierra Donor Services

Brian oversees a dedicated and hard-working team of Preservation Coordinators responsible for the surgical, perfusion and preservation aspects of organ donation. In recent years, kidney perfusion has taken a greater importance for the organ donation community at large and Brian has been in the middle of the creation and growth of the SDS kidney pumping program. He graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior. Brian initially joined SDS on the tissue recovery side of things as an Ocular & Tissue Recovery Coordinator before eventually transitioning to his current role. Brian looks forward to leading his team through the ever growing and ever evolving world of organ donation.

Darren King

Tissue Services Supervisor, Sierra Donor Services

Darren King came to Sierra Donor services as a certified surgical technologist in 2010. He is currently the Tissue Recovery Supervisor of our Sacramento office where he is responsible for the day to day operations for tissue donation for the Sacramento Metropolitan area and Nevada. He is responsible for the training and development of the tissue recovery team. Darren and his team focus on saving and improving lives through tissue and ocular donations.

Maria Nauman

Assistant Clinical Director, Sierra Donor Services

Maria Nauman leads a team of Referral Responders and Organ Recovery Coordinators as the Assistant Clinical Director at Sierra Donor Services. She joined Sierra Donor Services in 2006 as an Organ Recovery Coordinator after being inspired during a case as a Respiratory Therapist at UC Davis Medical Center. She has served in a variety of roles in organ donation including Resource Triage, Clinical Operations Management and served as a leader of an internal Research Council. Maria earned a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy from Boise State University.

Michele Rosdahl

Donor Family Aftercare Manager, DCI Donor Services

Michele Rosdahl and her team of Aftercare Coordinators are committed to supporting donor families in the months and years after their loved ones’ donation.

For the past two decades, Michele’s career has focused on helping and supporting families through life transitions, first in the behavioral health and social welfare sectors, and now in organ procurement. Michele earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Rogers State University and a Master of Education in Counseling from Northeastern State University.