Jacqueline earned her Associate’s Degree in Business Management from Manchester Community College. She attended the Sawyer Butler Business School where she graduated as a member of the Alpha Beta Kappa honor Society and received her certification as a Medical Assistant. She is the Vice President of the local chapter of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Prior to joining LifeChoice, Jacqueline worked at the CT Children’s Medical Center as a front office manager for their Pediatric Dental Clinic, at CT Multi-Specialty Group as the Scheduling Coordinator and most recently as a Medical Assisting Instructor at Porter and Chester Technical Institute.

Caitlyn Bernabucci, BA
Public Education/Community Relations Specialist

Caitlyn graduated magna cum laude from Emory University in Atlanta, GA with a BA in English and Art History. Prior to starting at LifeChoice, she served as an English Instructor, House Director, Field Hockey and Crew Coach for Miss Porter's School, a boarding and day school for girls located in Farmington, CT. Caitlyn joined LifeChoice as the Public Education/Community Relations and Hospital Development Specialist in 2006 as part of the Public Education Expansion Program.

Ann Marie Blanco
Tissue Coordinator

Ann Marie graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a M.S. in Occupational Therapy and worked for over 20 years at Hartford Hospital, specializing in Hand Therapy. In 2000, she began a 7 year career as a Reiki Practitioner and Reflexologist before returning to OT as a Home Care therapist. She joined LifeChoice in 2009 as a Tissue Coordinator.

Keith Bukowski, MLT, CTBS
Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist

Keith earned his BA in Biology from the University of Rhode Island in 1992 and graduated from Hartford Hospital’s School of Allied Health Medical Laboratory Technician program in 1993. He worked for the Hartford Hospital Hematology Lab from 1994 to 1997. Later that year, he joined LifeChoice as an Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist. Keith is currently the primary Safety Officer for LifeChoice.

William Buss, Jr
Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist

Bill earned his Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Asnuntuck Community Technical College in 1999. In 2003, he graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Bill joined LifeChoice in 2005 as a Per Diem Tissue Recovery Technician and became a full-time Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist later in the year.

Tony Cannata, MT, CTBS
Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist

Tony earned his BA in Medical Technology from American International College in 1986. He is a former Hartford Hospital employee, where he worked for 12 years as a Medical Technologist. He was a Medical Assistant Instructor for many years, and has been a full-time Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist with LifeChoice since 1998. Presently, Tony serves as the LifeChoice Liaison for Funeral Directors, Medical Examiners, and EMS Professionals.

Donna Crombez
Tissue Coordinator

In 1991, Donna received her paramedic licensure and an Associates Degree in EMS Management. She earned her BS in Business Administration and Health Care Administration from Davenport College in 1994 and 1996, respectively. Before moving back to Connecticut in 1998, she worked as a paramedic and a college instructor in Michigan.  Prior to joining LifeChoice as a Donor Evaluation Coordinator in 2006, Donna worked as an instructor at Goodwin College in East Hartford and an Evening Supervisor for Aetna Ambulance Service in Hartford, CT.

Daniel Durkin, MT, CTBS
Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist

Dan earned his BA degree in Education for Biology from Central Connecticut State University in 1990. He graduated from the Medical Technology program at Hartford Hospital’s School of Allied Health in 1992 and worked for the Laboratory until 1997. Later that year he joined the OPO as an Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist. Dan is currently responsible for Computer Systems Maintenance for LifeChoice.

Chad Ezzell, CTBS
Clinical Manager

Chad earned his BS degree from the University of Connecticut in Biological Science in 1999 and began with LifeChoice as a per diem Tissue Recovery Technician shortly thereafter. He worked as an Assistant Scientist for Pfizer Inc. and in the capacity of Laboratory Assistant for Yale University before joining LifeChoice as an Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist in 2002. Chad is currently pursuing his PhD in Biochemistry.

David Finitsis
Procurement Coordinator

David received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from Bowdoin College in 1995. He completed an Americorps*VISTA national service assignment in 1996, and continued in the field of social work for 4 years thereafter. He has served as a Paramedic since 2002, and continues to work as a paramedic on an occasional basis. David has been with LIfeChoice since December of 2008.

Shelly Fox
Hospital Development Specialist

Shelly earned her BA in Marketing from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. She was previously employed for the OPO in North Carolina as a Hospital Development Specialist from 1998-2001. Shelly is currently a Hospital Development Specialist for LifeChoice Donor Services.

Beth Gerhard, MT, CTBS
Data Coordinator

Beth is a 1997 graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Technology. From 1997 to 2002 she worked at Hartford Hospital in the Hematology and Microbiology laboratories. In 2002, Beth joined LifeChoice as an Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist, and she is now the Hospital Development Data Coordinator.

Linda Gilbert
Business Associate

Linda is a former student of West Virginia University as well as Tunxis and Asnuntuck Community Colleges in Connecticut. She has bookkeeping experience at Begin Preschool and Kent Memorial Library, both in Connecticut, and was a Financial Representative for Retail Brand Alliance. Linda joined LifeChoice as a Business Associate in the spring of 2005.

Karen Gossett
Donor Family Services/Quality Systems Associate

Karen was a 28-year employee of Hartford Hospital before joining LifeChoice as an Administrative Associate. She trained as a Unit Secretary at Hartford Hospital in 1973, and worked in the Transplant Unit at the hospital for 20 years. Karen is currently the Donor Family Services/QA Administrative Associate, and is also responsible for directing the LifeChoice volunteers and many public education activities.

Tania Houle, CPTC
Procurement Coordinator

Tania earned her Paramedic Certificate from the University of Alabama in 1992. She has worked as a Paramedic for several years, most recently for American Medical Response in Hartford, CT. Tania joined LifeChoice in 2004 as a Donation Coordinator, and has recently earned her BBA in Healthcare Management from American Intercontinental University.

Laine Krisiunas, MLT
Assistant Director

Laine began her career as a Medical Technologist, earning her BS degree from St. Joseph College and Hartford Hospital School of Allied Health in 1982. She worked as a Tissue Typing Technologist in the Tissue Typing & Surgical Research Lab at Hartford Hospital. Laine joined the OPO in 1989 as Data Coordinator. She was later promoted to Quality Manager and is currently the LifeChoice Assistant Director. In 2003, Laine earned her MBA from the University of Hartford. Laine oversees quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and daily operations of the organization.

Chas MacKenzie, CTBS
Education Manager

A former U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman, Chas earned his BA in Biology from the University of Connecticut, and also his MS in Organizational Management from Eastern Connecticut State University. He was an Organ and Tissue Recovery Specialist in full and part-time status from 1992 until 2004, and was a biology instructor for The Rectory School in Pomfret, CT from 1994 until 2006. Chas is currently employed in the position of Education Manager for LifeChoice.

Pamela McGee, CPTC
Donor Family Services/Quality Systems Coordinator

Pam earned her Associate’s Degree in Science and worked as a Medical Laboratory Technician for Hartford Hospital for 27 years. In 1999, she joined LifeChoice Donor Services as a Procurement Coordinator. Presently, Pam is the Coordinator of Donor Family Services.

Nancie Moran
Procurement Coordinator

Nancie earned her Bachelors in Science from the University of Stonybrook, Stonybrook, NY in 1993. She served as a EMT-P, Firefighter for the City of Miami, FL from 1993-2000. She earned her nursing degree at Broward County Community College. She was an Emergency Room nurse and Operating Room Nurse For 9 years. She is now an Organ Procurement Coordinator at LifeChoice.

Denise Murphy
Donor Evaluation Coordinator

Sheila Murphy
Tissue Coordinator

Sheila worked for Hartford Hospital from 1973 to 1981 as a Secretary in the Departments of Dietetics and Pediatrics and earned her Associate's Degree from Bay Path College in 2008. She later became a Unit Secretary on the Transplant floor before joining the OPO in 1994 as an Administrative Associate. She was a Unit Secretary for Hartford Hospital once again from 1997 until 2000 before rejoining LifeChoice as an Administrative Associate.

Sandy O'Strander
Procurement Coordinator

Sandy earned her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing from Elms College in 2004. She became a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, started her career as a Pediatric Intensive Care R.N. and later became a travel R.N. Sandy joined Life Choice in December 2008 as an Organ Procurement Coordinator.

Tony Paquette
Clinical Educator

Tony earned his Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Connecticut in 2005 and is currently a member of the MPH program's advisory committee. He has served as a paramedic since 1991, and continues to work as a paramedic for Middlesex Hospital and the CT-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Tony is the program coordinator and lead educator for the Hartford Hospital Paramedic Program. Tony worked for LifeChoice from 1999-2000 as a Donation Coordinator, and returned in 2007 as a Clinical Educator.

Robert Sandler
Business Manager

Bob has been involved in business management for over 35 years. He has worked for an international consulting firm and the Connecticut Hospital Association, and formed his own healthcare management consulting organization, “The Sandler Group”, in 1996. He has earned BS and MBA degrees, both from the University of Connecticut. Since joining LifeChoice in 2001, Bob has been responsible for the major business functions of the organization.

Deborah Savaria, RN, CPTC
Executive Director

Debbie began her career as a Registered Nurse, working for the SICU/Trauma Department at Hartford Hospital. She earned her CPTC in 1989, and has also been a Certified Nephrology Nurse since 1989. Debbie has worked for the OPO since 1987. She began as a Donation Coordinator and was later promoted to the position of Clinical Manager. In 1994 she earned her MSN from the University of Hartford. From 2001 until the present she has been the LifeChoice Executive Director, overseeing all aspects and operations of the organization.

Marianne Sullo
Administrative Associate

Marianne is a 30 year veteran of Hartford Hospital, where she worked as a Nursing Unit Secretary for the maternity, medical, and oncology departments. She then spent 7 years as an Office Manager for Phoenix Community Cancer Center in Connecticut. Marianne joined LifeChoice as an Administrative Associate in 2005.

Jami Tyska, RT
Hospital Development Specialist

Jami is a Registered Respiratory Therapist, having earned her Associate’s Degree from Manchester Community College in 1979. She worked as a Respiratory Therapist for Hartford Hospital from 1979 to 1981, and for Hartford Lung Physicians from 1981 to 1985. She was also employed as a Sales Representative for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and a Marketing Representative for Johnson Memorial Hospital. Jami joined LifeChoice in 2003 as a full-time Hospital Development Specialist.