Southwest Transplant Alliance Announces Patti Niles Retirement
Niles is celebrated for the successful turnaround of STA’s performance throughout her tenure as well as the opening of its state-of-the-art donor recovery facility – The Legacy Center
Dallas – Dec. 1, 2021 – Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA) announced today that longtime industry veteran Patti Niles will retire her post as President and Chief Executive Officer. In a recent unanimous resolution, the STA board of directors named Brad Adams, STA’s Executive Vice President, as Niles’ successor. Adams will serve as President and Niles as CEO through 2022, after which Adams will become President and CEO.
Since onboarding in 2013, Niles has led STA to become one of the most successful organ recovery organizations in the country. Her dedication to the industry, paired with her innovative spirit, competitive edge and vision for the future, have allowed STA to regularly rank among the top organ procurement organizations in the nation. Niles prides her success on hiring the best and brightest in the industry to help drive outside of the box thinking, improve systems and processes and propel STA’s lifesaving mission forward.
“Patti transformed STA under her collaborative and innovative leadership. Of her many achievements, I am most excited about the STA Corporate Campus that includes its organ recovery center – the Legacy Center. This space is a crown jewel for the medical community and a consistent reminder of Patti’s legacy at STA and throughout the industry,” said Steve Love, President CEO of the DFW Hospital Council and member of the STA board of directors.
Niles has been celebrated by industry peers and her staff for her response to the unprecedented healthcare challenges in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold, Patti and STA’s executive leadership team prioritized the health and safety of all STA staff, securing PPE for all workers and establishing best practices for onsite operations. To ensure the safety of all potential transplant recipients, STA was one of the first OPOs in the country to test every potential organ donor for COVID-19. Niles and her team also worked to relieve the pressures faced by hospitals in order to continue supporting lifesaving organ transplants. Within just a few short weeks, STA developed a partnership with a local elective surgery center to begin transporting donors to their facility – removing the burden and barriers within the hospital partners. Despite one of the most challenging years in healthcare, Niles was able to lead STA through milestone achievements and continued to provide healthy, viable organs for transplant without any interruption.
“One of the key tenants of my leadership philosophy is to surround myself with the smartest people I can find. They say that iron sharpens iron and I believe that we have all been better together because of that philosophy. We have pushed each other to achieve what we never thought possible. And now, it’s time for me to pass the torch,” said Niles. “From the bedside to the boardroom, I have enjoyed every step of my career. I am leaving Southwest Transplant Alliance so much better than when I found it. And that’s because of the people. We have an amazing staff who are committed to the mission and make this work happen in the face of adversity every single day. And the work our team does has been even harder throughout the COVID pandemic. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come together.”
Southwest Transplant Alliance is a federally designated nonprofit headquartered in Dallas serving more than 10 million Texans throughout the state. While advocating for laws and policies that will transform day to day practices at the local level, STA has also been focused on leading the industry through innovative partnerships and business policies that have enabled the organization to be designated in the top tier of Medicare’s ranking of all organ procurement organizations.
“Patti has elevated STA’s position in the industry and focused on deep bench strength at every level of the organization,” said Adams. “I am proud of what Patti and I have achieved together over the years and I am ready to step into this role and continue to serve the community.”
Adams, both an attorney and certified public accountant, considers himself a fierce advocate for organ donors and their loved ones. He joined STA in 2015, and before being named as Niles’ successor, he served the organization in a number of roles, including executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel.
About Southwest Transplant Alliance
Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA) is a nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Texas, that saves lives by fulfilling the gifts of organ and tissue donation. Founded in 1974, STA has facilitated more than 35,000 organs for recovery and enhanced the lives of tens of thousands of people through tissue recovery. STA is among the largest of 57 federally designated, nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States and is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Established in 2018, the STA Foundation provides care for families, community education, and research in transplant science. STA serves communities in North Texas, Beaumont, Bryan/College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Galveston, Midland/Odessa, Temple, Tyler and Wichita Falls. For more information, go to ORGAN.ORG.