What makes your career in organ donation and transplantation special? The people, purpose, and constant opportunity to improve make a career in transplant special. I have the privilege of working alongside members of an incredible multidisciplinary team who bring unique expertise and a shared commitment to saving lives. It’s a gift to come to work every day as part of a team where collaboration is essential and every person has a role in optimizing outcomes for patients and donors.
At the heart of this work are the patients and families we serve. We care for some of the sickest individuals, often at the most vulnerable times in their lives. Being able to play even a small role in helping someone receive a life-saving transplant or supporting a living donor through their generous decision is deeply meaningful. I am also inspired by the transplant volunteers I work with, individuals who give back after their own journeys, offering hope to those still waiting and reminding all of us why we strive to do our best every day.
What keeps this career especially fulfilling is that it is never static; there is always a new problem to tackle. The field is constantly evolving, and there is always an opportunity to do better. I am driven by the challenge of identifying gaps in care or processes, using data to understand them, and working with teams to implement meaningful, lasting change.
The transplant and donation community itself is equally inspiring. My peers not only excel in their demanding roles, but also dedicate time to advancing the field, shaping national policy, improving patient safety, and generously sharing knowledge. The willingness of colleagues across the country to support one another and share best practices, particularly through forums like the Alliance National Collaboration Forum, strengthens all of us.
My fellow administrators at the University of Rochester have become family, supporting me through the hard days and making me smile every day. Transplantation and donation work their way into your heart, and it has been my great pleasure to dedicate my early career to this field.
Katherine (Katie) Dokus, MPH, is the Director of Operations at the University of Rochester Medical Center Transplant Institute, where she leads clinical operations, quality improvement, and research initiatives that expand access to life-saving organ transplantation and improve outcomes for patients and donors. Over the past fourteen years, she has advanced transplant program performance through data-driven innovation and strong multidisciplinary partnerships.
Katie has led initiatives to improve organ utilization, streamline workflows, and strengthen regulatory preparedness while keeping care patient- and family-centered. Her work bridges clinical practice and research, contributing to more than 75 presentations and peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgery, Hepatology, and the American Journal of Transplantation. She serves on the OPTN Transplant Administrators Committee and the New York State Transplant Council NASEM Committee and is Vice Chair of the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network Advisory Board. She earned her Master of Public Health from Dartmouth Medical School and her undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire.
She was nominated for The Alliance 40 Under 40 by Nancy Metzler, Executive Director of Transplant Services at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “Katie is a phenomenal transplant professional,” Metzler wrote, noting that Katie has earned the trust and respect of the entire team—from surgeons and physicians to support staff—and describing her as a thoughtful connector who keeps a complex operation running smoothly.
