Identifying Pathways to Raise Awareness about Cornea Donation

Includes a Live Web Event on 02/26/2025 at 1:00 PM (EST)

Eye banks continue to work to find new ways to spread the message about cornea donation and eye banking throughout their local communities. This session will focus on unique opportunities to further the reach of the message about cornea donation. Patty Stockdale from Lions Gift of Sight will discuss the ways they work to encourage cornea donation during a body donation, as well as their efforts to work with Lions and their local universities. Alyssa Hernandez from Sierra Donor Services Eye Bank will explain the efforts their eye bank does to educate local ophthalmic technicians about eye banking as a potential career pathway. Nicole Nidea from SODA: Student Organ Donation Advocates will explain what SODA is and how eye banks can engage with SODA’s local chapters to engage with students about eye, organ, and tissue donation.

Learn more about what these different groups are doing to raise awareness about cornea donation among a variety of communities.

Patty Stockdale

Partner & Community Relations Manager

Lions Gift of Sight

Patty Stockdale currently serves as Partner & Community Relations Manager at Lions Gift of Sight, and on the EBAA Donor, Partner & Community Relations Committee. She has been a friend of the eye bank since 2007, volunteering in a variety of roles prior to joining the staff in 2015. Patty holds a degree in Business Management and has a diverse background in business.

Nicole Nidea

Program Director

Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)

Nicole was first introduced to SODA in 2015, and she has been devoted to educating others about organ, eye, and tissue donation ever since.

She helped lead the original SODA chapter at Washington University in St. Louis until she graduated in 2019 with a BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Nicole joined the SODA National Team in 2020 as the volunteer Director of Development to lead SODA's fundraising efforts.

In April 2021, Nicole became SODA’s first full-time employee. As Program Director, Nicole ensures student advocates have the resources needed to save and heal lives by leading our organization, overseeing the SODA National team, building national partnerships, marketing our programs, managing technology and automations, and more.

Alyssa Hernandez

Director of Marketing and Development

Sierra Donor Services Eye Bank

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.