Pittsburgh, PA — June 30, 2025 — The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is proud to announce that Colleen Sullivan, CORE’s Director of Public Affairs and Donor Family Services, has been named one of The Alliance’s inaugural “40 Under 40” honorees for 2025. This prestigious recognition honors emerging leaders in the field of organ, tissue and cornea donation and transplantation who are making a meaningful impact through leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

With more than 14 years of dedicated service at CORE, Sullivan has helped transform how the organization communicates its mission, supports donor families, and engages with the community. She leads a unified strategy for communications, marketing, legislative affairs, and donor family support—bringing compassion, clarity, and purpose to everything she does.

“Colleen has redefined how CORE communicates with the public we serve—donor families, healthcare partners, media, and policymakers alike,” said Susan Stuart, President & CEO of CORE. “Her leadership and innovation helped us achieve the 2019 Baldrige Award and continue to position CORE as one of the highest-performing OPOs in the country.”

Since joining CORE in 2010 as a Community Outreach Coordinator, Sullivan has advanced into a leadership role known for strategy and service. Her work was instrumental in helping CORE earn the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2019. A nationally recognized performance leader, she was selected as a Baldrige Examiner in 2018 and later completed the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program in 2020—one of the most prestigious leadership development programs in the country.

Sullivan’s accomplishments include aligning public affairs and donor family services into one mission-driven framework, driving community engagement through data-informed messaging, and leading CORE’s advocacy efforts on a regional and national level. She also serves on the board of Team Alleghenies Transplant, expanding her impact beyond the organization.

“What makes my career in donation and transplantation so special is the opportunity to be part of something that truly saves and heals lives,” Sullivan shared. “Every day, I’m honored to help build a culture of donation—through education, support for families, and outreach that inspires others to say ‘yes.’”

Her recognition as one of The Alliance’s 40 Under 40 honorees reflects CORE’s commitment to excellence and the power of mission-driven leadership.

Read more about Colleen’s recognition here: https://www.organdonationalliance.org/profile/colleen-sullivan/

About CORE

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of the more than 50 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States, serving more than five million people in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. CORE coordinates the recovery and matching of organs, tissues and corneas for transplant within our service region, and works tirelessly to create a culture of donation within the hospitals and communities we serve. CORE’s mission is to Save and Heal lives through donation, ultimately ending the deaths of those on the transplant waiting list, while maintaining integrity for the donation process, dignity for the donors, and compassion for their families. For more information, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.

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