Meet the board of Directors
The Michigan Donor Family Council (MDFC) is a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization that supports donor families, organ and tissue recipients and the transplant community while encouraging others to sign up as an organ, eye and tissue donors.
The MDFC is comprised of donor family members, organ and tissue transplant recipients and advocates of organ, eye and tissue donation. The MDFC was established in 2004 and is governed by a Board of Directors. Membership consists of general and affiliate members and partners.
Patricia Jo Herndon, CEO
Donor Sister
Patty Jo is the CEO and founding member of the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also serves as the Chair of the Eversight Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for Team Michigan, and the MTF Biologics Donation Board. She also serves as a founding member of Gift of Life Michigan's Donor Family Advisory Council and is the Past President of the Gift of Life Foundation Board. Patty Jo became involved in the organ donation community following the passing of her sister, Ellen, in 1997. After saying goodbye to Ellen, Patty Jo remembers walking out of the hospital room, and the emergency room doctor held her hands and told her what an incredible gift her family was giving at such a difficult time. Donating Ellen's organs has positively affected her family, as Ellen lives on in others. In 2015, her sister, Maureen, passed away, and her corneas were donated, which will help provide scientists with the resources they need to find new cures and treatments for blinding eye conditions. Patty Jo retired in 2012 after 30 years in the insurance industry. She and her husband reside in Plymouth, Michigan, and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.
Mary Beth Bloom, President
Donor Mom
Mary Beth is the President of the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also serves as an Eversight Michigan Board Advisory Member and volunteers for Gift of Life Michigan and the Northville Lions Club. Mary Beth became involved in the donation community in 2015 when her son, Benjamin, became an organ and cornea donor. Ben saved and healed five lives, his corneas were donated to research to help eradicate blinding diseases of the eye and his prostate was donated to cancer research. Mary Beth was looking for ways to give back to the donation community that offered comfort and hope to her family at a very tragic time. She was told about the MDFC and, after attending the first meeting, knew this was just what she was looking for to honor Ben's legacy 'to change one person's life for the better'. Mary Beth was an educator for over 30 years. Now, along with being an advocate in the donation community, she enjoys as much family and friend time as possible.
Marge Del Greco, Vice-President
Liver Recipient
Marge is the Vice President of the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also served as the President of the Board of Directors for Team Michigan Transplant Games and was a Trustee on the Gift of Life Foundation Board. Marge started volunteering with the Gift of Life Michigan after her first liver transplant in October 2004 and received her second liver transplant in July 2009. Marge felt she needed to express her appreciation for the chance to live her life in another family's darkest hour. Marge became involved in the transplant community to help educate the community about the importance of organ, tissue, and cornea donation. Marge retired from the mortgage credit reporting industry. Marge enjoys spending time with her family in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Walter O. Herndon, Chief Financial Officer
Donor Brother-in-law
Walter O. Herndon Jr is the Chief Financial Officer of the Michigan Donor Family Council. He also is the founder and COO of Herndon and Herndon Investigations, DBA Herndon and Associates. Walter established Herndon and Associates in 1979, assisting Law Enforcement, Prosecutors, the Fire Service, and the Insurance industry. Walter was a self-taught expert that expanded the business and became the foremost authority in the operation of an Investigative firm. The operation of the firm, required budgets, financial planning and the hiring of professionals to perform very specific tasks.
Walter joined the United States Army in 1968 and served a tour in the Republic of Vietnam. Currently, Walter is a board member for the Herndon Solution Group, LLC. Walter is a donor brother-in-law. Walter lives in Plymouth with his wife and enjoys spending time with his Grandchildren.
Barbara Gerber, Financial Officer
Donor Mother
Barb is the Financial Officer for the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also serves as a founding member of Gift of Life Michigan's Donor Family Advisory Council and a founding member of the Michigan Donor Family Council. In 1998 through a tragic accident, Barb lost her only child Jenni at the age of 27. Jenni's legacy began that day and six individuals and their families now had a future, as Jenni was a donor. She was able to donate her heart, both kidneys, liver and her corneas. Her Corneas were placed with two individuals in Venice, Italy. In 2014 Barb lost her husband Dave, who was the Vice President of the Michigan Donor Family Council and he was a cornea donor. Barb resides in South Rockwood, Michigan and is a strong advocate for the Gift of Life Michigan, Eversight and the organ donation community.
Kim Zasa, Recording Secretary
Kim Zasa has been with Gift of Life Michigan for over 18 years. She has held several job positions including tissue screener and organ placement specialist. Kim now works in the Corporate Communications Department as the volunteer coordinator and Secretary of State liaison. She manages over 500 volunteers, primarily donor family members and transplant recipients, who work tirelessly to encourage others to become an organ, tissue and eye donors. She also educates the Secretary of State staff to ask customers to consider joining the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. Kim joined the Michigan Donor Family Council in 2008 as an advocate for donor families. Kim enjoys many activities such as kayaking, gardening, cooking, swimming, yoga and cycling. She looks forward to many more years at Gift of Life Michigan.
Artelia Griggs, Community Relations Director
Artelia is the Community Relations Director of the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also serves as a board member for the Detroit MOTTEP Foundation and as a volunteer for Gift of Life Michigan. Artelia became involved in the transplant community after the passing of her daughter, Angela Yvonne, in November 2010. After attending a Gift of Life Donor Family memorial, Artelia realized the enormous impact of Angela’s life-enhancing gifts. Artelia continues to honor Angela’s life by enthusiastically supporting and promoting organ, eye, and tissue donation.
Artelia is a retired Clinical Laboratory manager and resides in Northwest Detroit.
Donna Vandenberg, Director
Donor Mother
Donna is the Director of the Michigan Donor Family Council. She also serves as a founding member of Gift of Life Michigan's Donor Family Advisory Council. Donna and her husband Mark had three sons, Gerrit, Drake and Luke. In November 1998, Donna and her sons were involved in a serious car accident. Her eldest son, Gerrit, 7, did not survive. At the hospital, when asked if she and her husband would like to donate Gerrit's organs, Donna quickly said yes. Gerrit saved three lives by donating his kidneys, heart and liver. He was and is their hero. Since then, Donna has become a key donor family advocate for Gift of Life, Michigan and later, a founding member of the Michigan Donor Family Council. Donna and her family reside in Britton, Michigan and enjoys working with the Boy Scouts of America.
Tim Davidson, Chief Information Officer
Liver Recipient
Tim is the Chief Information Officer of the Michigan Donor Family Council. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Team Michigan Transplant Games and was on the Gift of Life Foundation Board of Trustees. Tim felt the need to give back after receiving a liver transplant in November of 2008. Since then, he has volunteered with Gift of Life Michigan and the Transplant Living Community (TLC) at Henry Ford Hospital. Tim retired in 2015 after 30 years in the architecture/engineering industry. He enjoys traveling with his wife and visiting his out-of-state family.
In addition to the Board of Directors, MDFC is comprised of general members (individuals who actively participate and have voting rights), affiliate members (individuals unable to attend the required amount of meetings and have no voting rights), and new members (once a new member has attended the required amount of meetings at the end of their first year of membership they become a General Member with voting rights).
Click here to review our bylaws.
For more information, contact Patty Jo Herndon, the CEO, or Marge Del Greco the Vice-President, to learn more about how to become a member.