Our leadership

Kevin A. Myer

MSHA, President and Chief Executive Officer kmyer@lifegift.org

Kevin Myer has served as President and Chief Executive Officer at LifeGift since 2013. Prior to his tenure at LifeGift, Myer worked at the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), where he served as the business director for the Center for Transplant System Excellence. In this role, Myer led efforts to improve the organ transplantation system through multiple funded research projects using non-traditional approaches and collaborative research teams. He has more than 25 years of experience in the organ and tissue donation and transplantation community and proven expertise in clinical research, patient safety and healthcare systems leadership. Myer is a graduate of Cornell University and the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University where he obtained his Master of Science in Health Administration.

Patricia Rubin

CPA, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer prubin@lifegift.org

Patricia Rubin serves as the senior executive vice president at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 1997 where she leads the accounting, facilities and information technology teams. Rubin’s background includes more than 25 years in leadership roles in healthcare organizations and three years in public accounting. She is a highly motivated professional who values excellence and is results oriented. Rubin received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Rider College in Lawrenceville, NJ. She is also a certified public accountant in the state of Texas.

R. Patrick Wood

MD, FACS, CTBS, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer rpwood@lifegift.org

Patrick Wood, MD, serves as the executive vice president and chief medical officer at LifeGift. He began his career at LifeGift in 1991 as an associate medical director. Dr. Wood’s involvement at LifeGift increased over the years and in in 2015 he moved to the chief medical officer role. Prior to joining LifeGift, he worked with the private practice group, Transplantation and General Surgery Associates, performing complex hepatobiliary surgery as well as routine general surgery. Dr. Wood attended medical school at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, NY. He completed a five-year surgical residency at New York University in New York City, and a fellowship in transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh.

Kristine Browning

RN, Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs kbrowning@lifegift.org

Kristine Browning serves as the vice president of quality and regulatory compliance at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 2020 as the director of quality systems and moved to the vice president role in 2021. Browning leads LifeGift’s quality assurance and improvement processes, compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and policies for organ and tissue recovery services. She is responsible for developing and administering quality systems processes and supporting performance improvement initiatives. Browning has more than 28 years of experience in health care. Throughout her tenure in healthcare and the donation and transplantation community, Browning has served in a variety of leadership roles. Prior to joining LifeGift, she previously served as transplant quality coordinator at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. Browning attended the Foothills Hospital, School of Nursing in Calgary, AB.

Kaitlyn Fitzgerald

BSN, RN, CPTC, Senior Director of Organ Operations

Kaitlyn Fitzgerald serves as the senior director of organ operations at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 2018 and leads the planning, development, execution, evaluation and strategic direction of clinical organ operations. Fitzgerald is responsible for the implementation of nationally recognized best practices and designs and deploys creative approaches to develop an effective and efficient organ recovery program, quality process management, personnel management, fiscal responsibility and increased organ donation and transplantation. Prior to joining LifeGift, she served as the manager of organ recovery at LifeShare Transplant Donor Services in Oklahoma, OK. Fitzgerald obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, OK.

Michelle Gilbert

MBA, CTBS, Vice President of Donation Communication Services

Michelle Gilbert serves as the vice president of donation communication services at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 2018 as the director of communications center for donation and moved to the vice president role in 2022. Gilbert leads the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of donation communication services while optimizing operations and establishing strong partnerships internally and externally across the organization. She is responsible for administering and coordinating exceptional customer care in donation communication to maximize donation opportunities across LifeGift. Gilbert has more than 28 years of experience in health care and throughout her tenure in the donation and transplantation community, she has served in a variety of leadership roles. Prior to joining LifeGift, Gilbert previously served as software product manager at MTF Biologics and manager of tissue recovery and communications center at Midwest Transplant Network in Kansas City, Mo. She has a Bachelor of Science in cellular and molecular biology from Missouri State University and a Master Business Administration from the University of Illinois.

Joseph Kreeb

CTBS, Vice President of Tissue Services jkreeb@lifegift.org

Joseph Kreeb serves as the vice president of tissue services at LifeGift. He began his career at LifeGift in 2018 as the director of tissue services and moved to the vice president role in 2019. Kreeb leads the planning, development, execution, evaluation and strategic direction of clinical tissue operations across LifeGift’s service areas. He is responsible for the implementation of nationally recognized best practices and designs and deploys innovative approaches to develop an effective and efficient tissue recovery program, quality process management, personnel management, fiscal responsibility and increased tissue donation and transplantation. Kreeb has more than 26 years of experience in healthcare and has served in a variety of leadership roles within the donation and transplantation community. Prior to joining LifeGift, Kreeb previously served as director of tissue services at Tennessee Donor Services in Nashville, TN. He attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Lauren Quinn

MA, Vice President, External Relations lquinn@lifegift.org

Lauren Quinn serves as the vice president of external relations at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 2017 as the director of donation systems and moved to the vice president role in 2018, leading the new external relations service line. Quinn leads the donation systems, communications and family aftercare teams, and is responsible for all matters related to the establishment of effective donation programs at all donor hospitals, the branding of LifeGift and its mission in the community, and a superior aftercare experience for donor families. Quinn has spent almost 20 years working in the donation community, serving in several roles at the Center for Donation and Transplant in Albany, NY before relocating to Houston. She has a master’s degree in organizational communication from the University at Albany.

David Staley

SPHR, SCP, Vice President, Human Resources and Organizational Development dstaley@lifegift.org

David Staley serves as the vice president of human resources and organizational development at LifeGift. He began his career at LifeGift in 2015 after serving as director of human resources at LifeNet Health, based in Virginia Beach, VA. Previously, Staley served as a human resources executive for Fortune 50 companies, privately held organizations and non-profit organizations. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Staley has a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and is a Senior Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resources Management.

Schawnte’ Williams-Taylor

MBA, MS, RN, CCRN-K, CPTC, Vice President, Family Engagement and Donation Services

Schawnte’ Williams-Taylor serves as the vice president of family engagement and donation services at LifeGift. She began her career at LifeGift in 1999 as a donation clinical specialist and then later became an in-house coordinator at Ben Taub and Memorial Hermann Hospital. Williams-Taylor leads the family care teams and is responsible for administering and coordinating exceptional customer care for professional partners and families to maximize donation opportunities. She has spent over 22 years working in the donation community and began her career in the healthcare industry in 1990 as a critical care nurse and transitioned to nursing leadership. She has served in many leadership roles within LifeGift including senior director family care, managing director of LifeGift’s West and Southeast Regions where she was responsible for clinical operations in West Texas and Houston. Williams-Taylor is a graduate of Western Governors University where she obtained a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science Management and Leadership. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in nursing from The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston School of Nursing and holds certificates as a critical care nurse and certified procurement transplant coordinator.