Brian Shepard Named UNOS Chief Executive Officer

Brian M. Shepard has been selected as Chief Executive Officer of UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing). UNOS matches donated organs with transplant candidates nationwide and manages the national transplant database through contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

As Chief Executive Officer, Shepard directs the efforts of more than 300 UNOS staff to ensure that the nation's transplant network efficiently and fairly serves the needs of transplant candidates and recipients, living donors and donor family members, and transplant professionals. He reports to the UNOS President and interacts routinely with the UNOS Board of Directors and staff of federal oversight agencies to plan and accomplish strategic goals and objectives.

Shepard joined UNOS in 2010 as the Director of Policy and has served as Chief Operating Officer and interim Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining UNOS, Shepard served 15 years in various high-level positions in Virginia state government, capped by a term as Director of Policy in Governor Timothy M. Kaine's administration. In that position, Shepard worked directly with the governor to help identify and implement the policy priorities of the Commonwealth.

Shepard is the third chief executive officer in UNOS' nearly 30-year history. UNOS' founding executive director, Gene A. Pierce, retired in 1995; his successor, Walter K. Graham, retired in December 2012.

Read the full announcement here.

About UNOS
UNOS advances organ availability and transplantation by uniting and supporting its communities for the benefit of patients. UNOS, based in Richmond, Va., is a non-profit organization working together with 387 members to save lives. Key UNOS operations include organ placement; policy development; data collection and research; quality and compliance monitoring; and education/communications for medical professionals, transplant candidates and recipients, living donors and donor family members, and the public.