Curpri Sanders, MPH, CTBS, is the Manager of Donor Operations at Gift of Life Michigan, where she combines lived experience, public health training, and nearly a decade of professional leadership to advance the mission of organ and tissue donation. A breast cancer survivor and tissue recipient herself, Sanders brings profound personal purpose to her work — alongside a strategic and systems-driven approach to operational innovation.
She was nominated for The Alliance 40 Under 40 by Bruce Nicely, Vice President of Donation Optimization at Gift of Life Michigan. “Curpri is a passionate and visionary leader,” Nicely wrote. “She has led transformative initiatives that have expanded donor access and created new operational models that benefit the entire field.”
Among her most significant achievements is co-leading the development of a groundbreaking partnership with the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office. Through the automation of non-hospital death referrals, this initiative resulted in more than 25,000 referrals and 397 tissue donors over four years — dramatically increasing access to donation opportunities. Sanders also launched Gift of Life Michigan’s Referral Optimization Team, a department designed to streamline referral intake processes and ensure timely, efficient donor evaluation.
In addition to her operational leadership, Sanders is a contributor to the sixth edition of “Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice,” providing high-resolution photography and technical expertise for a newly added chapter on the preparation of organ, eye, and tissue donors. Her contributions have helped educate a new generation of professionals on respectful and precise recovery methods.
With a background in biology, a Master’s in Public Health, and certification in tissue banking, Curpri Sanders continues to drive process improvement, organizational alignment, and mission impact. Her work reflects a deep commitment to innovation, education, and expanding access—qualities that make her a transformational leader in the donation and transplantation community.
