Executive Committee
The volunteer Executive Committee of the National Donor Family Council (NDFC) is dedicated to providing ongoing support to all organ and tissue donor families. We meet in various cities throughout the year, in conjunction with National Kidney Foundation meetings, to discuss legislation, project and resource development, current donor family issues, local support, special events and more. Meetings are open to the public.
The Committee has changed throughout the last ten years, but has always included several donor families and grief and donation experts, as well as educators, clergy, authors, transplant recipients, scientists, researchers, ethicists and physicians.
Please take a moment to get to know us!
Jean Janohosky, Donor Mother
Chair, NDFC Executive Committee
When he was 16 and studying to get his driver’s license, Allen Janohosky wanted to discuss organ donation with his startled mother Jean. “I was so proud of him,” recalls Jean of her only son, who told her that when he died he wanted his organs to be used to save others. “But I didn’t want to talk to him about it because he was my baby and he wasn’t going to die, it just wasn’t going to happen in my house.” But Allen, a gentle young man who would awaken in the middle of the night if a friend needed him, who loved driving his red truck and tinkering with computers, died less than a year later, the result of a brain hemorrhage sustained in a car accident. Unlike many heartbroken families, Allen’s parents and two older sisters didn’t hesitate when gently asked if they would donate the 17-year-old’s organs. After all, Allen had already made his wishes known. His heart, liver, cornea, pancreas, kidneys and intestines have saved the sight of one woman and the lives of five other adults.
Rose D'Acquisto, Donor Wife
Past Chair, NDFC Executive Committee
Rose became a donor wife in 1996, when her first husband Tony died suddenly of an undetected brain tumor. To honor his memory, she began volunteering and speaking publicly for our local OPO, LifeSource, hoping her story would encourage other young couples and families to talk about organ donation. In 2002, she began volunteering as the Assistant Editor for the NDFC newsletter, For Those Who Give and Grieve (FTWGG), at which time she also joined the Executive Committee. In 2003, Rose became the Editor of FTWGG. Rose is a professional advertising/marketing writer in the Twin Cities where she currently works for the Pulitzer prize-winning Pioneer Press newspaper. A recent newlywed, Rose and her husband Paul and live in St. Paul and enjoy photography and traveling.
Suzy Truax Ball, RN, MHS, CPTC, Donor Wife
Regional Director Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation
Suzanne (Suzy) Ball is a Regional Director, Donor Services Division, for the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF). Accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and ISO Certified, MTF is the largest tissue bank in the United States. In her role, Suzy acts as a resource person to the organ procurement organizations, eye banks and tissue banks that are Members of the Foundation. In these programs, she works with the staff, management and boards to facilitate tissue education, referral, consent, and recovery. She currently serves on the Ethics Committee of the Donation Board of Trustees.
Suzy has been active in the donation and transplant profession since 1992. Suzy is a Registered Nurse with a wide range of nursing experience. While working in ICU, she was able to participate in caring for organ donors and their families. She has had extensive experience at two organ procurement organizations in Chicago and Seattle. She began as an organ recovery coordinator, which gave her the privilege of working with organ and tissue donor families. As her career developed, Suzy was a Clinical Team Manager, Projects Administrator, Clinical Director, and Director of Quality.
By education, Suzy holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of the State of New York and a Masters Degree from Governors State University. She is also a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator.
With her strong interest in Quality Improvement, Suzy proposed and initiated the first Quality Improvement position at the OPO. She founded the AOPO Quality Improvement Council in 1997, subsequently chaired the committee, and co-presented one of the first Quality sessions at the AOPO Annual Meeting in 1998. Suzy has also served on the Examination Board of the American Board of Transplant Coordinators. She has presented at the Annual NATCO Meeting, as part of the Management Track.
In 2005, Suzy came full circle in donation and transplant when her husband, Tony, died. She became a member of the donor family community when she consented to donate Tony’s corneas. The ability to possibly help someone through the gift of donation is a profound and humbling experience. Suzy will use this perspective to serve on behalf of all donor families.
Charles Corr, PhD
Chuck has spent much of the last 30 years teaching college courses in the field of dying, death, and bereavement, as well as doing research, writing, and giving presentations in this field. Following early retirement from the university in 1999, he has continued to be active in writing and committee work.
In 1992 he was invited to join the new Executive Committee of the NDFC. For him, that was an unexpected, but nevertheless extremely important learning experience. In 2002, he was transplanted to the Executive Committee of the NKF transAction Council, and now he has been asked to return to the NDFC.
Chuck is a professional educator and writer. For the NKF, he has enjoyed working with many members of the Councils and their advisory committees, as well as the NKF staffers who support these activities. He has helped to write documents such as the original Bill of Rights for Organ Donor Families (1994), the two editions of the National Communication Guidelines (1997; 2004), and the booklet, From Illness to Wellness: Life after Transplantation (2004).
He and his colleagues have a textbook for college courses entitled, Death and Dying, Life and Living (5 th ed.; Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2006). It contains an accurate and up-to-date section on organ and tissue donation and transplantation of any comparable books in our field.
Rev. Phil Pinckard, Donor Father
Director of Chaplaincy Services
Medical Center of South Arkansas
Medical Center of South Arkansas
Since January 1997, Rev. Phil Pinckard has served as Chaplaincy Director for SHARE Foundation. Phil is ordained as a minister in the Church of The Nazarene. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University, Kankakee, IL and earned his Master of Divinity degree from the Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO. Before becoming a healthcare chaplain, Phil served Nazarene congregations as pastor and/or associate pastor in five states from 1980 to 1996. He received clinical training at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Kansas City and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences [UAMS] Medical Center in Little Rock. He is endorsed by his denomination as a healthcare chaplain. His professional memberships include the Association of Professional Chaplains [APC], the Center for Bio-ethics and Human Dignity [CBHD] and the American Association of Christian Counselors [AAPC]. He is working toward clinical recognition as a Board Certified Chaplain [BCC].
Phil is actively involved in our community. He has served on the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, has been president of the Ministerial Alliance and held numerous offices in the El Dorado Civitan Club. He writes a monthly article titled “Spiritual Progress Notes” for the MCSA Communique’ [employee newsletter] and coordinates “Voices” an inspirational column published each Saturday in the El DoradoNews-Times.
Phil has been married for nearly 27 years to Jodie, who teaches mathematics at El Dorado High School. They have two children, Heather, who teaches Title I eighth grade mathematics at Barton Junior High School. Heather is married to Katari, who works at the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club. Son Mark, [1984-2002] died one week following his graduation from El Dorado High School. Were he alive today, he’d be completing his degree in mechanical engineering from Grove City College, Grove City, PA. An honorary member of Thespian Troupe #42, Phil can be seen on stage or backstage at the EHS Little Theater and the South Arkansas Arts Center.
Renee Harris Pinkney, Donor Sister
Renee is a donor sister after consenting to donate two of her brother’s organs at the time of their death. She is frequently involved with the New York Organ Donor Network serving on their Donor Family Advisory Council, speaking on their behalf for many occasions. She resides in Queens, NY with her family.
Jean Reyes de Gonzalez, Donor Wife
On May 31, 2000 John Anthony Amato, Jean’s husband of two and a half years, died of Cardiac Tamponade due to Thoracic Aortic Dissection. In short, an artery ruptured filling his pericardium (the sack around his heart) with blood. This stopped his heart and he died. Jean knew he would want to be a donor. They had spoken about it. His organs were not viable for transplantation but corneas, long bones, and his Achilles tendons were harvested. Although she had authorized skin, the organ bank was unable to get a team together before his autopsy so they had to pass.
At the end of June Jean started having severe pain in my left arm and neck. After 6 weeks of testing it was determined that she had a herniated disk in her neck which had caused her deltoid to atrophy. The recommendation was surgery as soon as possible. Jean knew she would need to have a piece of bone transplanted as part of the surgery. She started wondering if any of John's bone was available. But she thought it was too late, three months had passed. Jean contacted the organ bank and asked them. They contacted MTF to see if his bone was available. They told her that the bone had not completed the required processing. When MTF was contacted John's bone was at the point were it had to be determined how the bone would be use to determine the final processing. In October 2000 Jean had an anterior cervical dickectomy with fusion. She received a portion of John's bone. Her recovery was quick and she was totally discharged from care 6 months post op with full recovery of the use of her left arm.
Jean has worked for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for thirteen years. She has spoken to countless organ bank representatives to facilitate the recovery of tissue of cases that have passed through our office. Jean has also spoken to countless family members explaining the function of ME office and the time frame for them to recover their loved one.
Alista “Cozzie” Watkins, RN, BS, CPTC
LifeShare Of The Carolinas
Cozzie is a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator with LifeShare of the Carolinas. She has also served on the North American Transplant Organization (NATCO), Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation (SOPF), United Network of Organ Sharing/OPTN, and North Carolina Coalition of Donation.
