In July 2023, Eversight expanded to serve Arizona through a partnership with Donor Network of Arizona (DNA), the state’s federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) to help maximize the gifts of life, sight and mobility in Arizona and beyond.
Eversight team members traveled to DNA recently to visit our Arizona partners. Eversight Clinical Partner Relations Director Ashley Vanderdonck spearheaded this trip to continue fostering the authentic relationship built between Eversight and DNA.
In the four-day trip during Donate Life Month, the Eversight team attended a flag raising ceremony where they heard the story of a kidney recipient, attended meetings, and gave a presentation and demonstration of a recovery for DNA staff.
Ashley and Dana Owens, Eversight tissue recovery director, educated DNA recovery technicians on Eversight clinical operations, our international program and global tissue placements.
“We had multiple different meetings, one in which we put together the proposal we plan to submit this month to the American Association of Tissue Banks on a joint panel discussion about how our partnership has been a success,” Ashley said.
They even got to share the homemade sugar cookies created by Eversight Donation Support Center Supervisor Leann Rizor.
Ashley gave a presentation to DNA’s quality department and answered any questions they had about Eversight processes and service areas.
“I also asked for any feedback or frustrations they might have when working with our team that I can possibly assist with,” Ashley said. “This was a great meeting.”
The next meeting included a demo of Eversight’s access to DNA’s iTransplant system, followed by the flag raising ceremony.
“We went to the flag raising ceremony at one of their trauma hospitals, where we heard Tim, DNA’s CEO speak, a recipient tell his story and a nurse champion share her experience,” she said.
Eversight Clinical Operations Manager Dawn Shipp shadowed the DNA call center and met with her peer Jacob Chrzanowski, the department manager. She was invited back to present remotely at their staff meeting next month and tell her story about her mom, who donated her eye tissue, and how she came to work at Eversight.
“Overall, the trip was a big success, and we are so glad to have these opportunities to meet with our partners and collaborate,” Ashley said.
