Colleen Sullivan serves as the Director of Public Affairs and Donor Family Services at the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), where she has spent more than 14 years transforming how the organization communicates its mission, supports donor families, and engages the communities it serves. With a deep background in strategic communications and performance excellence, Sullivan has unified public affairs, outreach, and family services under one cohesive, mission-driven strategy.
She was nominated for The Alliance 40 Under 40 by Susan Stuart, President and CEO of CORE. “Colleen has redefined how CORE communicates with the public we serve —donor families, healthcare partners, media, and policymakers alike,” Stuart wrote. “Her leadership and innovation helped us achieve the 2019 Baldrige Award and continue to position CORE as one of the highest-performing OPOs in the country.”
Sullivan joined CORE in 2010 as a Community Outreach Coordinator and steadily advanced to lead the organization’s communications, marketing, legislative affairs, and donor family support efforts. A nationally recognized leader in organizational excellence, she was selected as a Baldrige Examiner in 2018 and completed the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program in 2020, one of the most prestigious performance leadership programs in the nation.
Her accomplishments include helping CORE secure the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2019, aligning public affairs and donor family services into a strategic whole, and using data-informed messaging to drive donor registration and community engagement. Sullivan has also played a pivotal role in legislative advocacy and currently serves on the board of Team Alleghenies Transplant, further amplifying her impact beyond her day-to-day responsibilities.
Colleen Sullivan is a national voice in donation and transplantation, known for her strategic clarity, community dedication, and unwavering commitment to honoring donor families. Her work continues to shape public perception, build trust, and elevate the field with compassion and credibility.
