Iowa Donor Network serves as Iowa's federally designated organ procurement organization and the state's tissue recovery agency, helping facilitate organ, tissue, and eye donation while supporting donor families across the state. As the organization looked for ways to strengthen both family support and donation outcomes, leaders recognized an opportunity to rethink a role that had long been central to the donation process. Inspired by research conducted with 38 OPOs, Iowa Donor Network embarked on a transformation designed to align responsibilities with employee strengths better while enhancing the experience for donor families. 

Like many OPOs, Iowa Donor Network relied on a single role responsible for both family support and donation advocacy. Research conducted by DeGarmo found that the behavioral characteristics associated with successful authorization conversations differed from the traits most critical for providing compassionate family support. The findings suggested that separating these responsibilities could improve both authorization outcomes and the support families receive during difficult circumstances. 

According to Robin Coarts, Manager of Inspire the Gift, team members in the former Donation and Family Advocate role often had to balance competing priorities. The research helped Iowa Donor Network transform an idea they had been considering into a practical, actionable model. Leadership saw an opportunity to create more focused roles while preserving the organization's commitment to exceptional family care. 

Following the research, Iowa Donor Network redesigned its structure and created two specialized positions: Onsite Donation Advocates (ODAs) and Family Advocates (FAs). The organization updated recruitment practices, revised training programs, and worked closely with employees to determine which role best matched their strengths and interests. Team members participated in the process, and through discussions, assessments, and interviews, each individual was placed in the role they felt suited them best. 

Leaders were intentional about maintaining clear boundaries between the new positions, allowing employees to focus fully on their specialized responsibilities. The transition was supported by DeGarmo's assessments, training, and talent tools, which provided language and frameworks to help define expectations and support long-term success in each role. 

The results were noticeable almost immediately. After the role changes took effect in November, Iowa Donor Network began seeing increased authorization rates by December. Team feedback indicated that employees could be more present and engaged in the specific work they were assigned to do, leading to improved focus and stronger work-life balance. 

The operational impact was equally meaningful. Before the transition, Donation and Family Advocates were supporting more than three families simultaneously 15% of the time. Following the redesign, Onsite Donation Advocates no longer supported more than three families at once, and instances of supporting two families concurrently dropped significantly. The organization also reported that ODAs were spending less time onsite, averaging 4.1 hours per family, while donor families typically interacted with a single Iowa Donor Network team member throughout the donation process instead of multiple staff members. These changes created a more streamlined experience for both families and employees. 

Iowa Donor Network continues to refine its specialized role structure as new team members join the organization. By embracing research, aligning responsibilities with individual strengths, and creating clearer pathways for both family support and donation advocacy, the organization has built a model that benefits employees and donor families alike. Iowa Donor Network's experience demonstrates how thoughtful talent strategies can improve authorization outcomes while preserving the compassionate, family-centered approach that remains at the heart of organ donation.