Chief Executive Officer
American Society of Transplantation

The Organization

About American Society of Transplantation
The American Society of Transplantation (AST) is a 501(c)(3) mission-driven professional society that serves its membership of more than 5,000 professionals in the fields of organ donation and transplantation as well as the larger transplant community of organ transplant candidates, recipients, living donors, deceased donor families, and caregivers across over fifty countries. Headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, this nonprofit organization is dedicated to advancing its core pillars of advocacy, education, research, organ donation, and service to the patient community. As the largest transplant organization in North America, it is widely recognized as the premier society for transplantation. Its members are sought after as experts and advocates, providing guidance and resources to other transplant organizations, policymakers, regulatory agencies, payors, academic institutions, and the general public. The Society offers both online and in-person educational opportunities, facilitates research funding to advance the field and maximize the gift of organ donation, and advocates at legislative and regulatory levels to benefit transplant candidates, recipients, and living donors.

To accomplish this, the AST employs a talented team of 19 staff members to meet member and community needs. The organization has maintained a growth trajectory, significantly increasing the size of staff and its offerings in the last decade. Financially healthy, the operating budget sits at $6.3 million with a strong endowment of $20.3 million with $2.1 million raised annually.

To keep pace with anticipated growth and expanding programs, the AST seeks a range of talented professionals to conceive, develop and implement new and emerging programs, identify and secure additional, diverse sources of funding and recruit, retain and promote top-tier professionals to manage and shape strategy for the organization.

The AST receives its primary funding from member dues and donations, income from educational meetings and offerings, and through sponsorship and giving from a growing list of industry partners and philanthropic donors. The Society is the largest transplant organization in North America and is recognized as the premier society for transplantation. AST members are sought out nationally and internationally as transplant experts and advocates. Other transplant organizations, policy makers, regulatory agencies, payors, academic institutions, and the general public look to the AST for guidance, research, and resources related to transplantation.

The AST offers online training and webinars as well as key onsite educational meetings:

• International Transplant Science Meeting
• Fellows Symposium of Transplantation
• Cutting Edge of Transplantation (CEoT)
• American Transplant Congress

Organizational Principles

Mission Statement: The American Society of Transplantation is a diverse organization dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient care by promoting research, education, advocacy, organ donation, and service to the community through a lens of equity and inclusion.

Core Purpose: Improving human life by advancing the field of transplantation.

Core Values: The principles that guide the AST’s internal conduct and its relationship with the external world.

• Patient-Centered
• Inclusive and Responsive
• Transformative
• Global Perspective
• Absolute Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing

History
The history of the AST began in 1981, when its charter members met and decided a separate society should be organized for transplant physicians. The American Society of Transplant Physicians (ASTP) was founded on May 10, 1982, and open to all physicians and health professionals interested in transplant medicine and biology. In 1998, the ASTP name was changed to the American Society of Transplantation (AST). Today, AST is a growing and diverse organization of more than 5,000 members representing all areas of the field of organ transplantation and donation. In 2018, the Society grew, incorporating patient voice into its efforts through the evolution of its public facing Power2Save campaign. As AST looks to its future, although its five pillars remain the same, the vision is bold and aspirational.

Strategic Aims

Continuous Innovation – We will advance and promote continuous support for innovation in treatment of patients with advanced organ dysfunction/end-stage organ failure and care of living donors.

Engaging Members – We will maximize engagement from the majority of our members to ensure they are actively participating in, contributing to, and finding value in AST programs and initiatives.

Serving our Patients and the Broader Society – We will ensure that the AST is regarded as a leading voice on organ transplantation-related topics for the benefit of patients worldwide.

Developing the Workforce – We will enable the development of an increasing number of diverse, qualified transplant professionals and scientists that are advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient outcomes as demand increases.

A Future-enabled AST – We will ensure a robust infrastructure for the AST so that we have the resources to appropriately support and enable our future efforts and programs.

The Opportunity

Position: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Hybrid (Organizational Headquarters is currently in Mount Laurel, NJ)
Reporting Relationship: Board of Directors
Website: https://www.myast.org/

Purpose of the Position
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AST is responsible for reporting to and partnering with a 14-member Board of Directors to set the mission and vision of the AST and define its strategic direction. The CEO will ensure that resources are in place to accomplish important mission goals, recruit and retain staff, and build the kind of culture which supports the Society’s mission. The AST collaborates with other transplant focused organizations, industry, universities, colleges, regulatory agencies, and other health related agencies, nationally and internationally.

The CEO is the key management leader of the American Society of Transplantation and will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for the AST’s staff, programs, and execution of its mission. This organizational leader will develop a deep knowledge of field, core programs, operations, and business plans to ensure success across internal operating responsibilities including: developing short- and long-range plans; implementing plans directly and through four direct reports and nineteen total AST staff; preparing and monitoring budgets; implementing policies and procedures; and providing continuity in the organization. 

Key Responsibilities
The AST seeks a visionary executive with the ambition, skills, and drive to successfully lead the organization through its next phase of growth and innovative programming. The CEO will be an inclusive, thoughtful, dynamic leader who values and promotes the history, mission, and future opportunities of transplant medicine and who can leverage their experience, and strategic vision for the benefit of AST’s future growth. This strategic leader will be attentive to issues of equity and inclusion, illustrate AST’s value to its membership, and further AST staff’s motivation to exceed expectations and further cement the organization as a leading association focused on transplant medicine.

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

• Lead the mission and vision of the organization, in partnership with the Board of Directors, ensuring members receive high-quality services.
• Participate in the formulation and oversee the implementation of the organization’s mission and strategic plans.
• Implement strategic plans based on data-driven analytics, projections, and financials.
• Keep the organization current and at the forefront of national and international developments in the field.
• Maintain knowledge of trends in the industry, association management, and emerging opportunities.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in programs, services, and member engagement.

Governance and Board Engagement

• Develop and collaborate with the Board of Directors, ensuring committees and initiatives are well-organized and funded.
• Inform the Board regularly on internal matters, including staffing, funding, program success, and priorities.
• Provide continuity to the Board given the one-year presidency term and diverse leadership representation.
• Support Board development and succession planning to strengthen governance.

Operational Management

• Build a high-performing senior leadership team and actively attract, retain, and develop best-in-class staff.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and professional development.
• Develop and institute metrics for monitoring and evaluating program and staff performance that adapt to the changing needs of the medical sector.

Financial Management

• Oversee the management of the organization’s budget to ensure financial sustainability and resource alignment with strategic priorities.
• Ensure compliance with standard accounting procedures and relevant state and federal laws.
• Identify and implement cost-effective ways to deliver state-of-the-art programs to members.
• Develop multi-year financial strategies to support growth and stability in partnership with the Board of Directors and the Comptroller.

External Relations and Advocacy

• Serve as an ambassador for the organization, representing its vision and services through public presentations and attendance at relevant events and conferences.
• Participate in identifying and cultivating corporate and individual sponsors.
• Build strategic partnerships with peer organizations, industry leaders, and stakeholders to advance the mission.

The Candidate

Experience and Professional Qualifications
The CEO will make it a priority to define AST's priorities and direction. The role is both a strategic and tactical one, and the position will require the incumbent to assess and evaluate strategies, further AST’s brand recognition to differentiate itself from other like-minded organizations and prove successful in fundraising efforts, and lead existing/hire new talent to ensure the industry finds AST to be their professional home with ample opportunities for advancement and professional growth. The CEO will invest heavily in training, mentoring, and capacity building at AST and actively promote AST to build its financial reserves and goodwill. The CEO will secure resources, budget, and allocate resources appropriately, and hold themselves accountable for the overall health of the organization. Other desired qualifications and leadership characteristics include:

Candidates should have the following qualifications and characteristics:

• Minimum of five years’ experience managing programs in senior, preferably nonprofit, management positions.
• Strong understanding of the challenges facing the transplant field and a willingness to learn.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and execution.
• Results-driven with sound business and financial acumen, proven leadership skills, and a track record of success leading a scientific, medical, or similar organization.
• Prior experience working with or reporting to a Board of Directors.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with experience effectively conveying an organizational mission to professional members and other key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success in securing philanthropic support, sponsorships and diversifying revenue streams.
• Experience navigating multi-stakeholder ecosystems and balancing competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to mediate conflict and build consensus across diverse perspectives.
• Ability to develop and sustain relationships with existing partners and cultivate new partnerships across the field of transplant medicine.
• Capacity to envision and articulate the organization’s strategic future to staff, board, volunteers, and sponsors.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with proven experience fostering an organizational environment reflective of those values.
• Unquestionable ethics, integrity, and accountability.
• Proven success in establishing relationships with individuals and organizations of influence, including funding partners, transplant organizations, and volunteers.
• Experience in transplant medicine, biomedical, or another medical specialty strongly preferred.

Board of Directors
The Board of Directors for the AST defines and governs the activities of the organization. Its fourteen members share in a joint and collective authority to further the organization’s mission to advance the field of transplantation and improve patient care by promoting research, education, advocacy, organ donation, and service to the community through a lens of equity and inclusion.

Representatives to the Board of Directors are appointed for a term of three years. Officer positions on the board are a term of two years outside of President appointees who serve as President-Elect, President, and Past President for twelve months each once elected.

A link to the current members of the AST Board of Directors is found here.

Key Relationships

AST Executive Leadership Team and Staff

• Associate Executive Director
• Chief Development Officer
• Senior Director of Operations and Membership Engagement
• Director of Meetings
• Comptroller
• Administrative Assistant

Education

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required.
• A master’s degree or doctorate degree in a related field or Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation is preferred.

Compensation

• The estimated base compensation will be $270,000 - $300,000. AST offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Application

• Interested and qualified candidates are welcome to submit an application to ASTCEO@KornFerry.com

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The AST is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The AST's management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment.

Any employees with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the CEO. The AST will not allow any form of retaliation against employees who raise issues of equal employment opportunity. If employees feel they have been subjected to any such retaliation, they should contact the CEO. To ensure the workplace is free of artificial barriers, violation of this policy including any improper retaliatory conduct will lead to discipline, up to and including discharge. All employees must cooperate with all investigations conducted pursuant to this policy.