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Donor Network West

Organ procurement and tissue recovery nonprofit

VP of Donation Development and Family Services

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$223k - $278.8k/yr
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
San Ramon, CA, USA
In Person
Business & StrategyBusiness Operations

About the job

Requirements
  • A Bachelor of Arts or Science degree is required.
  • A valid driver's license and a registered vehicle with insurance meeting California minimum requirements are required.
  • Highly developed interpersonal skills and respectful communication with hospital staff, the public, families, and colleagues are required.
  • Ability to communicate and model successful behavior to staff is required.
  • Ability to manage a diverse team of experts overseeing several projects simultaneously on time and within budget is required.
  • Ability to leverage internal resources across organizational boundaries to meet departmental goals and needs is required.
  • Strong strategic thinking and project management skills are required.
  • Ability to analyze data, metrics, and statistical reports and present data is required.
  • Extensive experience in business administration, budgeting, and strategic planning is required.
  • Ability to present to large and small groups is required.
  • Ability to develop and maintain detailed knowledge of applicable regulations and standards, including those established by the Food and Drug Administration, United Network for Organ Sharing, American Association of Tissue Banks, and the State of California, is required.
  • Ability to leverage information technology to develop, manage, maintain, and grow donation development is required.
  • Ability to read and interpret procedures, standards, regulations, protocols, validations, and guidance is required.
Responsibilities
  • Manage, oversee, and provide fiscal management, strategic planning, staffing, and regulatory compliance for the Donation Development and Family Services departments, including partner and hospital relationship management and development, donor approach and authorization, and donor family aftercare services.
  • Engage leadership, front-line staff, and others around a strategy to increase donation development efforts and improve authorization and conversion rates.
  • In collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer and clinical leadership, create and sustain hospital and partner relations strategies, improve Family Services team operations, and oversee Donor Aftercare operations through continuous process improvement and accountability.
  • Develop short- and long-term strategies and programs to improve the organization’s competitive position with external stakeholders; participate in organizational strategic planning and budgeting as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
  • Build positive hospital and partner donation environments, and develop and implement tailored strategies that support process improvement and accountability for results.
  • Work with executive and senior leadership, directors, and staff to develop a growth strategy to increase authorization and conversion rates.
  • Focus hospital services on established best practices, measure adherence, and incorporate measurement metrics into hospital dashboards.
  • Establish, implement, and monitor departmental key performance indicators, metrics, and monthly and annual goals; initiate corrective actions when results fail to meet targets.
  • Develop the operational response to referrals and oversee implementation of an effective, service-driven response.
  • Review authorization, conversion, and referral data for hospitals and partners and recommend system improvements; analyze hospital metrics and report to the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Analyze regional hospital performance with leadership and direct recommended improvement strategies.
  • Engage hospital leaders and physicians to support and improve donation processes and metrics.
  • Evaluate hospitals’ need for in-house staff resources and work with leadership to position staff in hospitals.
  • Track leadership face-to-face meetings with leaders at key donor-potential hospitals.
  • Collaborate with leadership to ensure community events achieve positive outcomes.
  • Deliver educational programs that sustain collaborative relationships with hospital champions, physicians, and nurses.
  • Develop, implement, and improve systems to track and report hospital development activities, outcomes, and customer satisfaction related to hospital demographics, professional education services, and organ, eye, and tissue donor potential.
  • Collaborate with Organ and Tissue Operations to improve donation outcomes and update policies and procedures related to authorization and donation processes.
  • Provide leadership, resources, and strategic direction for practices that ensure quality family care before, during, and after donation discussions.
  • Ensure quality aftercare for organ and tissue donor families, monitor and evaluate services, and apply best practices on an ongoing basis.
  • Monitor Family Services and Aftercare program effectiveness, maintain service standards, meet authorization targets, review authorization data, recommend system improvements, and report analyses to the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Collaborate with leadership to ensure consistent donation messaging to donor families and donor hospitals.
  • Review authorization statistics and donor and referral activity to ensure practice quality and service levels meet organizational goals.
  • Review authorization data and practices with Tissue Operations leadership and recommend process improvements to meet targets and ensure consistency.
  • Use donor-family feedback to improve processes and systems and share findings with the Chief Operating Officer and clinical and tissue leadership.
  • Collaborate across departments to optimize services to donor families and improve authorization and conversion outcomes.
  • Create staffing models and department leadership structures that ensure adequate staffing and effective performance; mentor and coach leadership staff toward program and staff goals.
  • Oversee recruiting and hiring practices and train leaders to staff their organizations effectively.
  • Manage assigned staff, including recruitment and selection, scheduling and job assignments, training and development, counseling and coaching, disciplinary action, appraisal and recognition, and recommendations for salary and promotion actions.
  • Lead multifuctional teams to plan and execute Donation Development, Family Services, and Aftercare projects within goals, budgets, and timelines.
  • Work with Clinical Skills and Practices, Learning and Development, and Quality Systems to identify occurrence trends and performance-improvement opportunities within assigned functions.
  • Maintain professional relationships with management, medical, nursing, and ancillary staff inside and outside the organization.
  • Participate in an operational call schedule when directed by the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Attend required board and staff meetings, academies, training programs, and in-services as directed by the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Develop external stakeholder relationships and engagement, support the organization’s brand, ensure responsive service, and strengthen its reputation as a trusted partner.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements and United Network for Organ Sharing standards.
  • Meet standards of accrediting organizations, including the American Association of Tissue Banks and Eye Bank Association of America, and comply with organizational policies and procedures.
  • Communicate job expectations, plan and monitor work, appraise results, and provide timely feedback and recognition.
  • Anticipate challenges and use sound judgment and best practices in problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Adapt to change, support new initiatives, and promote innovation.
  • Retain team members and recognize and develop staff.
  • Partner with employees to create professional and personal growth opportunities.
  • Ensure a safe, secure, legal, and professional work environment and administer corrective measures or performance improvement plans when appropriate.
  • Adhere to organizational policies and code of conduct and lead by example.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Health, or Hospital Administration is preferred.
  • A valid registered nursing license is preferred.
  • A minimum of 10 years of progressive program and staff management experience is preferred.
  • A minimum of 3 to 5 years of executive management experience within an organ procurement organization is preferred.

About the company

Donor Network West coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for Northern California and Northern Nevada. As a federally designated nonprofit, it partners with 175 hospitals, doctors, nurses, funeral homes, coroners, and medical examiners to recover and allocate organs and tissues for transplantation and research. Donor consent and family support initiate the process, followed by recovery, preservation, and allocation through systems like UNOS and AATB. Its Donate Life affiliation and broad regional partnerships, plus nonprofit status, help it save and heal lives by increasing donations and supporting related research.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

San Ramon, California

Founded

N/A

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • April 30, 2026 report showed 465 organ donations and 1,269 transplants.
  • May 27, 2026 UCSF collaboration drove 14 publications and $28.6 million funding.
  • August 4, 2026 promoted Corina B. Clark to COO before major operational consolidation.

What critics are saying

  • CMS certification governs everything; decertification would cripple service territory and revenues.
  • San Ramon’s 105,000-square-foot consolidation risks delays, downtime, and clinical disruption in 2026.
  • A donor or hospital trust scandal would collapse consent rates and referral volumes.

What makes Donor Network West unique

  • Federally designated OPO for 45 counties across Northern California and northern Nevada.
  • Runs UCSF VITAL Core, scaling research laboratories from eight to 42.
  • Operates organ recovery, tissue donation, and birth tissue programs across hospitals.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Remote Work Options
  • Wellness Program
  • Mental Health Support
  • Conference Attendance Budget
  • Professional Development Budget

Company News

PR Newswire
Aug 4th, 2026
Donor Network West names Corina B. Clark as VP and chief operating officer

Donor Network West has appointed Corina B. Clark as vice president and chief operating officer. Clark joins the organisation with 10 years of healthcare and executive leadership experience spanning hospital, ambulatory, and community health settings. Clark initially joined Donor Network West six months ago as fractional COO before being appointed to the permanent role. In her position, she will oversee clinical operations, strategic initiatives, and organisational performance supporting the organisation's organ and tissue donation mission. Before joining Donor Network West, Clark held executive leadership roles with UCLA Health, Salinas Valley Health, and the San Francisco Health Network. She is a registered respiratory therapist and holds a master's degree in public administration with a concentration in healthcare leadership.

PR Newswire
Jul 1st, 2026
Donor Network West and Team CalNev secure Team Champion Award at Transplant Games of America.

Donor Network West and Team CalNev secure Team Champion Award at Transplant Games of America. Jul 01, 2026, 17:00 ET 60 athletes secured 126 medals and top honors at celebratory event for donors and recipients SAN RAMON, Calif., July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Representing "Team CalNev," Donor Network West and 60 athletes recently attended and competed at the Transplant Games of America in Denver earlier this month. Recipients and living donor athletes secured 126 medals (56 gold, 47 silver and 23 bronze) for Team CalNev as well as the Team Champion Award for the second year in a row. The event was attended by organ, eye and tissue donors and recipients, supporters and caregivers from the northern California and northern Nevada area. "The Transplant Games of America provide an incredible opportunity to honor donors who gave the ultimate gift of life while bringing recipients, supporters and donor families together in a celebratory way," said Janice Whaley, Ph.D., president and CEO of Donor Network West. "We are blessed to have athletes return year-over-year for this event, securing 126 medals and the coveted Team Champion Award in this year's competition." As the organ procurement organization for Northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West partnered with a team of 60 athletes in the Transplant Games, including organ transplant recipients, living organ donors and organ donation advocates and supporters. Donor Network West's Team CalNev competed against 42 teams across 20 athletic and recreational competitions to win an impressive 126 medals - 56 gold, 47 silver and 23 bronze - ultimately winning the Team Champion Award, which is awarded to the team that earned the most medals per participant. "Donating organs doesn't just save lives - it restores futures for recipients," said Team CalNev captain Matt De Fina. "Team CalNev members demonstrate at every Transplant Games of America the positive impact of organ donation, showing how recipients who once faced dire situations can go on to run, swim, bike, exercise and compete at high levels." Leading the charge for the regional squad was standout swimmer Miya French. French put on a masterclass in the pool, racking up an astonishing haul of nearly 20 medals. "Competing at a high level shows me that there are no boundaries to what you can do with a transplant," said Miya French, 2026 Team CalNev athlete. "Growing up, my family and close friends never treated me any differently because of my transplant; I was a 'normal' kid who was able to do anything I set my mind to." Donor Network West helps organize and fund Team CalNev as part of its efforts to bridge the gap between hope and healing while helping heal and save lives through organ donation and transplantation. Photos For Use: Photos of the 2026 Team CalNev team can be found here. Photo Credit: Donor Network West About Donor Network West Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. Established in 1987, Donor Network West is designated and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks and serves 45 counties in Northern California and Northern Nevada. The organization partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and state-authorized donor registries to increase donor registration and awareness. SOURCE Donor Network West

PR Newswire
May 27th, 2026
Donor Network West and UCSF establish scalable model to expand real-time access to viable human organs and tissue for research.

Donor Network West and UCSF establish scalable model to expand real-time access to viable human organs and tissue for research. May 27, 2026, 16:17 ET The VITAL Core program at UCSF connects donated organs and tissues not used for transplant to researchers to advance the field of medical research SAN FRANCISCO, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Donor Network West and UCSF announced the result of a five-year collaboration developing a scalable model that secures access to viable, donated organs and tissues not used for transplant for research, helping address a long-standing challenge in the study of human biology. As the federally-designated organ procurement organization serving Northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West connects nontransplantable and consented organs and tissues to researchers across the country, including UCSF, in support of scientific and medical discovery. Established in the UCSF Department of Surgery by Dr. James Gardner, the Viable Tissue Acquisition Laboratory program-VITAL Core-enables the rapid recovery and delivery of organs and tissue samples to researchers through a close working relationship with Donor Network West. Each year, thousands of organs and tissues recovered for donation are not suitable for transplant but can still play a critical role in advancing science. The program also honors the wishes of donor families who choose to contribute to research, helping turn their gifts into meaningful scientific progress. The Donor Network West-UCSF partnership has helped close the gap on the shortage of human tissue samples available to researchers. Unlike traditional biobanks, the VITAL Core applies the same rigorous clinical standards used for transplant-approved organs and tissues to samples delivered for scientific research - a quality distinction that matters - ensuring the highest-quality and most timely tissue samples. The program is also designed to be replicated, offering a model that other institutions and organ procurement organizations can adopt nationwide. "The renewed emphasis by the National Institutes of Health on the use of human tissue samples in biological studies presents an opportunity for organ procurement organizations to play a critical role in supplying high-quality specimens for advancing medical research," said Ahmad Salehi MD, Ph.D, senior director of research at Donor Network West. A peer-reviewed article published in the journal Transplantation, co-authored by Dr. Salehi and UCSF's Dr. Gardner, documents the academic and economic impact of VITAL Core and establishes a "road map" for other institutions interested in building similar collaborative programs. The paper details how the program addresses long-standing barriers in human biology research through a real-time, coordinated approach to tissue recovery and delivery. It also charts the program's remarkable growth between 2021 and 2024: participating laboratories grew from eight to 42, tissue types expanded from 15 to 43, and annual sample volume increased sevenfold. Discoveries made possible by these samples have resulted in at least 14 peer-reviewed publications from UCSF researchers, including the high-impact journals Cell and Science. On the economic side, researchers who received samples secured more than $28.6 million in funding during the study period, generating an estimated $70 million in total economic activity. "Our recent peer-reviewed joint publication in the journal Transplantation outlines the development of the VITAL Core and its underlying principles as a paradigm for other academic medical centers and organ procurement organizations," said Dr. Gardner. "None of this would be possible without the leadership and research staff at Donor Network West, and their commitment to ethical stewardship." The VITAL Core is just one part of Donor Network West's broader research mission. The program represents less than 10% of what the organization shares with researchers across the country each year. "Donor Network West's collaboration with UCSF is a perfect example of how organ procurement organizations can rethink the role of organ, eye, and tissue donation to advance science and ultimately benefit patients," said Janice Whaley, Ph.D., president and CEO of Donor Network West. "We are proud to connect organs and tissue to the scientific research community, advancing research and its impact while also honoring the generosity of donors and their families." When Donor Network West shares donated research organ and tissue samples with other institutions, it opens doors for work that might not otherwise be possible. Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Broad Institute of MIT, and Stanford University are among those that have benefited from access to these samples. "The availability of spleens and other tissues from Donor Network West has been transformative for our research at Stanford, and it has already begun to revolutionize our ability to understand human immunology," said Professor Mark Davis, director of Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Burt and Marion Avery Family Professor of Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, whose program benefitted from access to Donor Network West organ and tissue samples. "For too long, we have been dependent on animal models, which are only occasionally predictive of human immune responses. Now we can go into great depth to understand these complex interactions in an entirely human system." Researchers interested in learning more about the VITAL Core or requesting inclusion as an investigator or collaborator can visit the VITAL Core webpage to learn more and complete the online form. About Donor Network West Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. Established in 1987, Donor Network West is designated and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), is a member of the Organ Donation Alliance and is an official Donate Life organization. Donor Network West is federally designated to serve 45 counties in northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries to help increase donor registration. For information, visit www.DonorNetworkWest.org and follow us on social media: @mydnwest. About UCSF The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is exclusively focused on the health sciences and is dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. UCSF Health, which serves as UCSF's primary academic medical center, includes top-ranked specialty hospitals and other clinical programs, and has affiliations throughout the Bay Area. UCSF School of Medicine also has a regional campus in Fresno. Learn more at ucsf.eduucsf.edu or see our Fact Sheet. SOURCE Donor Network West

San Francisco Biotechnology Network
May 27th, 2026
Donor Network West and UCSF establish scalable model to expand real-time access to viable human organs and tissue for research.

Donor Network West and UCSF establish scalable model to expand real-time access to viable human organs and tissue for research. May 27, 2026 san francisco biotechnology Network news news, syndication comments off on Donor Network West and UCSF establish scalable model to expand real-time access to viable human organs and tissue for research. The VITAL Core program at UCSF connects donated organs and tissues not used for transplant to researchers to advance the field of medical research SAN FRANCISCO, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Donor Network West and UCSF announced the result of a five-year collaboration developing a...

WV News
Sep 19th, 2025
Honoring organ donors and inspiring hope for those waiting for transplants, the Fresno Stride for Hope Run/Walk returns Saturday, Sept. 20

FRESNO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Returning to Fresno, California for its second year, Donor Network West Foundation's Annual Stride for Hope Run/Walk invites participants to raise funds to support the organ donation community.