Organ Donation Advisory Committee

Organ/Tissue Donation and Registry

A ten-member Advisory Committee, appointed by the Governor, assists the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with the development and implementation of the Organ Donor Program. The Organ Donation Advisory Committee recommends priorities of expenditures from the Organ Donor Fund to meet the program mandates.

GODAC Resource Handbook

Current Advisory Board Members:

Representing Procurement Agencies in Missouri
Dr. Ronald Walkenbach, Committee Chair (Letter from the Chair)
Tammy McLane
Jan Finn

Representing Donor or Recipient Families
Dr. Lisa Britt, DVM, Committee Vice-Chair & Heart Recipient
Lori Hodges, Donor Mother
Peter J. Nicastro, Kidney and Double Lung Recipient
Lisa Atkins, Living Kidney Donor

Representing Hospitals in Missouri
Dr. Michael Perry, Kidney Recipient

Departmental Liaison to the Committee
Virginia Beatty, Program Manager

Ad Hoc Members
Gina Ahlers, Department of Revenue
Ray Gabel, Heart Recipient

Statutory Mandates for the Organ Donor Program

• Maintain a statewide, confidential registry of potential donors.
• Develop and implement statewide donation awareness programs for education of the general public.
• Implement donation awareness programs within secondary schools.

Funding for the Organ Donor Program and Statewide Registry

• The Organ Donor Program is supported by voluntary contributions at the driver's license offices in the state and through direct contributions.
• Contributions to the Organ Donor Fund are preserved by statute and cannot be used as general revenue. Likewise, the Organ Donor Program is prohibited from receiving any general revenue funds (RSMo 194.297).