AJ Gardener (they/them) is the Culture and Employee Experience Coordinator at the Center for Organ Recovery and Education. They are an active organizer in the Pittsburgh Pagan community and served as the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Coordinator at First Unitarian Church for 4 years. They have a degree in Religious Studies from Mercyhurst University and have followed their passion for ministry for 10 years through volunteering, teaching, and mentoring, and learning within Pagan spaces.
Closing Gaps: Understanding Belief Systems Beyond Widely Practiced Religions (Part I)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 2:00pm
While many care resources aim for neutrality, neutrality alone does not guarantee that every family feels understood or supported during organ donation and end-of-life conversations. This webinar will explore how OPO professionals and hospital staff can provide more meaningful support for families whose beliefs fall outside commonly represented religious frameworks. Through the lens of unconscious bias, participants will be invited to move beyond the comfort of familiarity and toward a practice rooted in curiosity, humility, and affirming care — ensuring that every family, regardless of belief system, receives the meaning, intentional support they deserve.
