Tessa Runer

I currently work as an organ utilization coordinator at Life Center Northwest, a nonprofit organ transplantation organization in Bellevue, Washington. In this role, I facilitate the matching of donor organs to recipients through UNOS, the national organ transplantation list. I primarily work with abdominal organs including liver, kidneys, intestine, and pancreas, and if there's no suitable recipient, I help match organs for research so nothing goes to waste - our whole goal is to save lives. I've been in healthcare for over a decade, starting as a CNA when I was young and working my way through various positions. I'm originally from Kansas, where I worked at the University of Kansas Hospital on multiple units including telemetry, trauma, and burn ICU. After moving to Washington, I spent about 7 years at Overlake Hospital and also worked at Swedish Medical Center as an emergency room tech, where I performed splinting, drew blood, performed EKGs, assisted doctors with procedures, and provided CPR. I look at my career as helping save lives at different stages - first in the emergency room at the beginning of an incident, and now at the other end where we can help save the recipient's life through organ donation. I hold a Bachelor's in Business Administration from WGU, an Associate's degree as a surgical tech, and an Associate's degree in Marketing. A friend who worked at Life Center Northwest encouraged me to apply, and I'm thrilled to finally be working for a nonprofit doing work that truly feels wonderful.