To sign up for the Best Practices Summits this year visit https://bestpractices.researchplan.com/

View the full BPS playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmig1ZWcorKxJuK7-gqUl5xYMSYXzPMl&si=9EE0GMv1hT60J2l_

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OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

View the full playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmig1ZWcorKxJuK7-gqUl5xYMSYXzPMl&si=9EE0GMv1hT60J2l_

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

Contact Cecil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilpuvathingal/

About Cecil:

I genuinely believe that a world of opportunity awaits us all every day. It’s about anticipation, perspective, and the joy of discovery.

As a seven-year-old moving from India to the States, that perspective started with discovering the English language. Every day opened up a new possibility. I received a book chronicling every baseball World Series and a Batman comic book that first Christmas, and that joy of discovery created in me a lifelong passion for learning and embracing new opportunities.

Many years later, my mindset has not changed. This same feeling emerges each time I advocate for personal and professional growth. And the gift doesn’t have to be for me – I get just as much satisfaction from helping those around me tap into this joy of discovery and become the best version of themselves.

In all things, I anticipate the good, take a positive perspective, and tap into the energy that comes from the joy of discovery.

WITH MY WORK
My passion lies in empowering individuals to boost their self-confidence, contribute effectively to their teams, and nurture a positive team culture, ultimately driving revenue for the organization. As a leader, nothing is more gratifying than witnessing people discover their inherent talents and harness them to impact the world positively.

WITH MY EDUCATION
With a background in engineering, I have a natural inclination for problem-solving, but my true calling lies in unlocking potential and collaborating with people to achieve tangible results.

WITH MY CAREER
Across various industries through various SaaS platforms, including healthcare, the gig economy, recruitment, professional services, the performing arts, and now market research, I still see the value in anticipating the next great opportunity. My leadership style creates environments that consistently surpass targets in every business unit I've had the privilege to lead.

WITH MY COLLEAGUES
I've consistently worked with incredible people throughout my career, mentoring them and broadening their horizons all while learning more about myself. I’ve fostered vibrant organizational cultures, optimized operational efficiency, and leveraged key performance metrics to deliver exceptional results and drive revenue.

WHAT’S NEXT
Those Batman comics would eventually contribute to meeting my own Wonder Woman – marrying a nurse who is a true superhero working the behavioral health unit.

I think there will be an actual puppy under this year’s Christmas tree.

Just you wait and see.

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

About Erin:

Erin Wilson is the Manager of Hospital Services at Indiana Donor Network, where she has served in multiple roles over her eight years with the organization. Her experience

includes four years as a Family Advocate, two years as an Aftercare Coordinator, and the past two years leading the Hospital Services team—giving her a uniquely well-

rounded perspective on the entire donation journey.

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Erin’s professional roots are deeply grounded in healthcare. She previously worked in the Emergency Department at Indiana’s largest

Level I Trauma Center and at Riley Children’s Hospital, and she also provided mental health therapy through the Veteran Affairs for two years.

Erin’s work with donor families before and after donation has shaped her leadership philosophy and fuels her commitment to supporting both families and hospital partners.

That lived experience allows her to help hospitals understand both the bedside experience and the ongoing care and support Indiana Donor Network provides to donor

families after donation.

Contact Erin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-wilson-9155b066/

 To find out more about our Best Practices Summit, visit our website!

https://bestpractices.researchplan.com/

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

About Faith:

Faith Hilterbrand serves as the Director of External Partner Relations at Lifeline of Ohio, where she leads the Hospital Development, Family Services, and Funeral Home/Coroner teams with a strong focus on strategic alignment and clear internal and external communication. With more than twenty years dedicated to education, science, and donor‑family advocacy, her career spans veterinary medicine, life science education, and progressive leadership within the donation community. Faith was elected to the 2026 NATCO Board of Directors, has contributed to the NATCO Pre‑Conference Planning Committee for five years, joined the AOPO Leadership Development Committee in 2025, and served as faculty on the Alliance Advancement Series and Hospital Executive Insights workgroups. She remains deeply committed to strengthening partnerships, enhancing professional collaboration, and supporting best practices across the donation and transplantation field.

Contact Faith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faith-hilterbrand?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

About Nekeela:

Nekeela is a seasoned leader, educator, and clinician with more than 20 years of experience in counseling, education, and behavioral health. She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Education and Forensic Psychology, as well as a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Her professional background spans leadership, psychotherapy, behavioral and bereavement counseling, public and inspirational speaking, and higher education. With 18 years of dedicated experience in organ donation and transplantation, Nekeela began her journey in 2008 at LiveOnNY, where she served in a hybrid role as both a Hospital Development Coordinator and Family Services Coordinator (FSC). In this capacity, she supported two Level I Trauma Centers while also providing frontline family services in the field. Over the past decade, Nekeela has worked nationally as a traveling Family Services Coordinator for numerous OPOs, in addition to serving as a professor of psychology and sociology and a professional trainer. She is widely recognized as the first traveling Family Services Coordinator in the United States and brings proven expertise in designing and coordinating OPO-wide family services trainings aligned with annual education and performance goals. In August 2023, Nekeela founded OPO Medical Specialists, Inc., a staffing and training agency dedicated to supporting Organ Procurement Organizations across the United States with temporary staffing solutions and specialized training education. In 2025, she was elected Vice Chair of Family Services for the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplant (AMAT), further solidifying her leadership and advocacy within the field. 

Contact Nekeela: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nekeela-de-haarte-m-s-a424072aa/

https://www.opomedicalspecialists.com/

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!

About Michelle:

Michelle Reef, MA, is a mission-driven healthcare leader with more than 20 years of experience across nonprofit and commercial healthcare, including organ and tissue donation, pharmaceutical sales, leadership development, and national professional organizations. She is the founder of Unlock Leadership Consulting, where she partners with healthcare and professional organizations to strengthen leadership, improve processes, and translate mission into measurable outcomes.

Previously, Michelle served in senior and executive-level leadership roles with the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, working closely with hospital systems, transplant centers, and forensic partners to advance referral practices and support life-saving legacies. At the national level, she served as Leadership Development Facilitator for NATCO’s Emerging Leaders Program and as a consultant and faculty member for The Alliance, and currently consults with OPOs, DeGarmo, and DonorIQ on leadership, family care, and AI-enabled workflow innovation. She holds a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership and is a graduate of the Art and Science of Leadership program through Gift of Life Institute, Wharton and the Fox School of Business.

You can contact Michelle Reef by connecting with her on LinkedIn or emailing her at servethemission100@gmail.com.

OPO Insights is a podcast where we talk to OPO professionals each week. Everyone has different ways they do things, so the goal is to learn something from others!

If you, or someone you know, would like to be on the show, please reach out to our host, Sean Jordan!