Creating a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Organization

As Vice President of Operations, Mike is responsible for developing long-term strategies, creating lean and efficient operational processes, improving customer relationships and monitoring the successes of each operational department.

Mike started his career in the organ, tissue and eye donation industry more than 20 years ago as a recovery technician, where his skills and attention to detail helped him routinely win the coveted Technician of the Month award. His calm demeanor, excellent interpersonal skills and industry knowledge make him an outstanding and successful leader. He later moved to Carolina Donor Services as Tissue Recovery Manager where he led the department to win the Golden Quill and Golden Scalpel Awards for minimal errors in both documentation and surgical technique. Mike came to Miracles In Sight in 2006, where he quickly was able to use his skills to forge many process and procedural improvements and lead the company to become one of the top eye banks in the world. Mike is an advocate for donation. He is active on multiple EBAA committees, leads technician education trainings, and lectures on eye banking domestically and abroad.

After graduating high school, Mike enlisted in the US Army as a laboratory technician and worked towards completing a diploma in surgical technology. He received his Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Mt. Olive College and his Master of Business Administration from Winston-Salem State University.

Chelsea Green, CEBT, is the Processing Services Manager for Iowa Lions Eye Bank. Chelsea received a BA in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies as well as a BS in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois. She came to the University of Iowa in 2011 to work in medical research and worked on multiple studies before finding her way into eye banking and earning her CEBT. She has been head of the processing department at Iowa Lions Eye Bank since 2018.

Chelsea is a member of the EBAA Technician Education Committee, the EBAA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, multiple DEI committees at the University of Iowa, and founded the DEI Committee at Iowa Lions Eye Bank.  

Shawn Sanford, CAE is an experienced membership engagement strategist who specializes in supporting associations in building and executing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.

Shawn currently serves as the Head of Membership and Community Engagement at CLOC, a small association of 8,000 members where she leads membership recruitment and retention strategy and has implemented a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging strategy for the organization. Separately, Shawn supports other associations in developing and launching a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Prior to CLOC, Shawn led membership and diversity, equity and inclusion strategic initiatives and planning at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) and has supported members in industries such as legal, IT professionals, education and healthcare.

Shawn is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a certified DEI practitioner. Shawn is the grateful recipient of the Association Forum’s 2021 Welcoming Environment Award and the 2021 Forty Under 40 Award. She is also an active volunteer at the Association Forum and the Association of Society Association Executives (ASAE).

Shawn is a proud alumna of the University of Notre Dame and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Saint Francis. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her daughter. 

Alyssa Hernandez began her career in eye banking in 2020 at Sierra Donor Services Eye Bank. As the Director of Marketing and Development, she implements and executes branding and business development growth strategies along with marketing campaigns. Alyssa currently serves as a member of the EBAA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the EBAA Donor Partner Community Relations Committee.

Alyssa resides in Sacramento, CA with her husband and 3 young boys. She dedicates her passion for eye, organ, and tissue donation to her son who is a liver transplant recipient.

Haidre Williams is a Quality Program Specialist at VisionGift in Portland, OR, and co-founded the VisionGift Women’s Affinity Group (WAG). While at Portland State University, she volunteered and did paid work with the Women’s Resource Center, supervising their annual mentorship program as well as facilitating weekly group meetings for women returning to college. She uses this experience, her background in women’s studies, and her own lived experience as a woman of color to hold space for important and relevant DEI conversations in the Women’s Affinity Group and the EBAA DEI committee