Kaileen Puppo, MPH, MBA, is the Program Director for Organ Donation at Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare system. With nearly a decade of progressive experience in community engagement, hospital services, and health system operations, Puppo has consistently delivered impact at scale, improving education, quality, and donation performance across one of the nation’s most diverse healthcare landscapes.
Puppo began her career at LiveOnNY, where she launched donation education programs for high school and college audiences and built a volunteer network of more than 250 individuals. As she advanced to Hospital Services Manager, she oversaw quality improvement initiatives for a network of nearly 100 hospitals, using data analytics to identify barriers, streamline workflows, and enhance collaboration with clinical teams.
In 2022, she was honored with the Stony Brook University Program in Public Health Alumni Achievement Award, recognizing her professional contributions to health system change. She holds dual master’s degrees in Public Health and Business Administration, with a concentration in healthcare and policy management.
At Northwell Health, Puppo now directs organ donation initiatives across 17 hospitals — including trauma and transplant centers — serving as a 24/7 resource for clinical teams managing potential donor cases. Her leadership includes developing staff education programs, facilitating authorization best practices, and driving interdepartmental process improvements that align hospital performance with national donation goals.
Kaileen Puppo is a systems thinker and strategic operator whose work continues to elevate donation readiness, hospital engagement, and mission-driven collaboration. Her commitment to transparency, education, and clinical excellence positions her as a respected voice and changemaker in the donation and transplantation community.
