After nearly three decades serving as CEO of Iowa Donor Network, Suzanne Conrad plans to retire this year.
“At this point in my life, I have put so much of myself into my work, and it has been a great joy to see what has come from it. Now, I am ready for the next chapter,” Ms. Conrad said in a release. “I am excited to see what the next years will bring and to spend more time with my loved ones.”
Ms. Conrad began her career in 1981 as a cardiothoracic surgery nurse at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn. There, she began her work in organ donation and transplantation as a coordinator. In 1985, she moved into leadership roles at Southwest Organ Bank – now Southwest Transplant Alliance – in Dallas, Texas.
After 12 years in Texas, Ms. Conrad stepped into her role as CEO at Iowa Donor Network in 1997. Iowa Donor Network is a statewide organ and tissue donor program.
Under Ms. Conrad’s leadership, the organization grew significantly, quadrupling its staff size and expanding its scope to include services like tissue recovery to better serve donor families and partners.
Ms. Conrad leaves the organization after a record year of generosity in 2024. In 2005, she also became a living kidney donor. According to Iowa Donor Network’s Chief Clinical Officer, Sarah Fewell, this is a testament to Ms. Conrad’s commitment to the cause.
Ms. Fewell said Conrad is a compassionate leader, who cares deeply about what she does, and encourages the same for her team.
“Suzanne’s empathy and genuine love for what she does and the people she works with shines through every corner of (the) Iowa Donor Network,” Ms. Fewell said. “Her selflessness and dedication are inspiring to work alongside.”
Along with her work in Iowa, Ms. Conrad has been active in multiple national organ donation organizations, including serving as the president of both the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization.
She also served on the board of directors for the United Network for Organ Sharing and led initiatives for the American Council on Transplantation, National Kidney Foundation, and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, among others.
She is currently on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and its Research Foundation and chairs the Board of Directors for AlloSource, a human tissue processing and distribution organization.
The Iowa Donor Network will share details soon on its next steps to replace Ms. Conrad.
