FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Jenny Daigle | jdaigle@aopo.org
AOPO Honors Visionary Leader Tom Mone with Lifetime Achievement Award
McLean, VA (June 29, 2026) – At its Annual Meeting, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) proudly awarded Tom Mone, the former President and Chief Executive Officer of OneLegacy, with the prestigious 2026 AOPO Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given to individuals who have made significant, enduring contributions to the organ procurement community and have actively championed and supported AOPO’s mission to save and heal lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation.
Pictured: Steve Miller, CEO (AOPO), Tom Mone, Former President & CEO (OneLegacy), Ali Erickson, AOPO President Elect (NEDS),
Jeff Trageser, AOPO President (Lifesharing)
As former Chief External Affairs Officer and VP at the OneLegacy Foundation and former President and CEO of OneLegacy, Mone dedicated more than 25 years to transforming the field of donation and transplantation. leaving a lasting impact through his visionary leadership, groundbreaking initiatives, and steadfast advocacy.
Guided by his leadership, OneLegacy pioneered numerous groundbreaking initiatives that advanced donor care, improved transplant safety, and expanded access to lifesaving transplantation. Mone’s accomplishments include developing the first electronic donor record and web-based organ placement system, implementing real-time nucleic acid testing for all donors, establishing the Donate Life California DMV-linked registry, helping create the world’s largest tissue recovery program and transforming OneLegacy into a national leader in donation and transplantation.
Tom Mone
Former President & CEO
OneLegacy
As former Chief External Affairs Officer and VP at the OneLegacy Foundation and former President and CEO of OneLegacy, Mone dedicated more than 25 years to transforming the field of donation and transplantation. leaving a lasting impact through his visionary leadership, groundbreaking initiatives, and steadfast advocacy.
Guided by his leadership, OneLegacy pioneered numerous groundbreaking initiatives that advanced donor care, improved transplant safety, and expanded access to lifesaving transplantation. Mone’s accomplishments include developing the first electronic donor record and web-based organ placement system, implementing real-time nucleic acid testing for all donors, establishing the Donate Life California DMV-linked registry, helping create the world’s largest tissue recovery program and transforming OneLegacy into a national leader in donation and transplantation.
Mone served on AOPO’s Board from 2007-2010 and served as AOPO’s President from 2008-2009. He played a critical role in spearheading the OPO community through complex legislative and regulatory issues while elevating the visibility of OPO’s in Washington, D.C. In 2022, Mone served on the inaugural Board of the AOPO Foundation, helping establish research funding criteria and processes focused on improving organ donation outcomes. He is also the past president of the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance and Donate Life California.
Mone is a passionate educator and thought leader in donation and transplantation. Throughout his distinguished career, he presented his expertise at hundreds of local, national, and global leadership summits. His contributions have been recognized with more than 25 awards and over 75 proclamations honoring his leadership and impact. Mone has authored or co-authored more than 47 articles featured in professional journals and industry leading publications focused on education and innovation. A driving force behind advocacy, Mone has served on 14 boards, helping shape transplantation policy and governance.
“Tom Mone’s extraordinary career reflects a lifetime devoted to advancing organ, eye and tissue donation through innovation, advocacy, and a commitment to making a lasting difference in the world. His visionary leadership has profoundly shaped the field of donation and transplantation, leaving a lasting legacy for donor families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals, and the entire donation community. This honor recognizes a career devoted to saving lives,” emphasized AOPO CEO Steve Miller.
The AOPO Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the highest honors attained within the OPO community, recognizing individuals who have made remarkable and lasting contributions to organ, eye, and tissue donation. This award highlights Tom Mone’s exceptional leadership and his relentless pursuit of excellence in the field of organ donation and transplantation.
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About the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)
The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) is the non-profit leading the nation’s organ donation community to save and improve lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation. Founded in 1984, AOPO advances organ donation and transplantation by driving continual improvement of the donation process, collaborating with stakeholders, and sharing successful practices with its 47 member OPOs. AOPO envisions a future where every opportunity for donation results in lives saved. For more information, please visit www.aopo.org.