Every day, our team members go above and beyond to facilitate donations of the ultimate gift on behalf of heroic donors who selflessly give. This hard work brings hope to potential recipients who desperately wait for a second chance at life and also supports courageous donor families during their journey through grief. Earlier this year, at the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation’s (AMAT) 2025 Annual Conference, our Manager of Clinical Resources, Amy Sanchez, was recognized with a Daisy Award. This award honors nurses by showing profound gratitude for all that they do.
Amy embodies the core values of compassionate care, leadership and resilience in the field of organ donation and transplantation. A standout moment that illustrates her impact was her leadership in creating and implementing the ‘Triage Coordinator’ role at Nevada Donor Network. This role has transformed the way referral management is handled, ensuring more timely and thorough evaluations of potential heroic donors. Amy did not just fill a gap… She envisioned a better system!
Amy authored a comprehensive referral guide, developed onboarding processes and standardized suitability reviews that now serve as key tools for referral and triage teams. Her innovations helped streamline communication between electronic medical records (EMRs) and frontline staff. This resulted in increased efficiency and stronger safety nets for heroic donors’ cases.
In one specific instance, Amy led a rapid-response collaboration between clinical leadership and referral responders. This was a complex heroic donor’s case that required immediate triage and organ inventory adjustments. Amy’s calm leadership, clinical acumen and ability to mobilize the right people at the right time helped preserve multiple organs for transplantation, which led directly to saving several lives. Her commitment goes beyond the clinical side of Nevada Donor Network’s mission. Amy is known for checking in on her team members’ well-being, mentoring new coordinators and volunteering on multiple internal committees along with national forums. Her passion for donor advocacy and public health shines through everything she does. Whether Amy is leading quality audits or presenting at the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations’ (AOPO) Annual Meeting, Amy radiates compassion, precision and purpose. This is truly what makes Amy a role model for our field, and we are proud to call her a member of the Nevada Donor Network family!
Inspired by the work Amy does for Nevada Donor Network’s mission? Apply to join our team here!