LifeGift Announcement from our President & Chief Executive Officer Kevin Myer, MSHA:

LifeGift continues to evolve and grow to serve the needs of our community, including donors and their families, hospitals, those in need of transplantation and the larger healthcare/medical landscape. In evolving more than 36 years, we are beginning to see more long-term team members approach and transition into retirement. I’m happy that team members who have dedicated many years of service are able to move forward in this next phase of their lives.

Our latest transition involves our Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Patrick Wood, MD, FACS, CTBS. Pat has decided to retire at the end of 2023; he will remain as a consultant Medical Director for clinical training and medical simulation with the LifeGift Institute for the Future of Transplantation (LIFT) in 2024, in addition to other ex-officio roles. In the interim, he will be assisting with a very important transition and orientation of our next Chief Medical Officer who will move into the official role on October 1, 2023.

I am extremely pleased to announce that Yolanda T. Becker, MD, FACS, FAST, will join LifeGift as a Vice President on August 14, 2023, and will be our next Chief Medical Officer effective October 1, 2023. She will be working closely with Dr. Wood, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, BSN, RN, CPTC, Vice President of Organ Operations, and me to ensure a smooth and effective transition. Dr. Becker brings extensive experience in organ donation and transplantation including transplantation surgery, policy development, government relations, clinical research, medical education and executive leadership.

We are so grateful to Pat for his years of service to LifeGift and our team, donors, donor families and transplant recipients. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wood on this transition and welcoming Dr. Becker to LifeGift.