Valinda has a Master’s degree in Nursing Administration from Indiana University. She has more than 45 years of health care experience including roles as an assistant hospital administrator, chief nursing officer, director of a school of nursing, dialysis facility administrator, home dialysis group administrator and consultant for transplant staff orientation and onboarding, transplant patient education materials, transplant peer mentor and support groups.
As a 15-year living donor kidney transplant recipient, Valinda is a nationally recognized patient advocate and has served on the OPTN-UNOS Board of Directors. She has just completed her term as the board VP for Patient and Donor Affairs. She has served as a visiting board member to the following OPTN Committees: Policy Oversight, Transplant Administrators, Transplant Coordinators, Patient Affairs, Minority Affairs and she has been a member of the Kidney Transplant Committee. She continues to serve as member of the OPTN Expeditious Task Force Leadership Workgroup. Valinda has also served as an Ambassador with One Legacy and Gift of Life Michigan.
Valinda has received the following honors and awards: inclusion in Who’s Who in America; inducted into International Nursing Association Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare as a Top Nursing Leader and Transplant Quality Coordinator in Detroit, Michigan; recipient of the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Lung Association – Tuberculosis Education Award, selected as an Outstanding Young Women of America, recipient of the Women’s Health Services Director of the Year Award for Davidson County and the Everett-Clayton High Risk Obstetrics Leadership and Support of Perinatal Nursing Award.
She has served as a consultant to the Alliance on the OnboardingU, Transplant Resource Guide, Community Hospital Resource Guide and Transplant Community Resource Toolbox, Organ Donation Textbook, and Terminology List. Additionally she has served on their Webinar Faculty, and DEIB workgroups and has been an Alliance mentor for transplant administrators, transplant quality professionals, transplant coordinators and living donor program leaders.
