Rexanah Wyse Morrissette named interim OPTN executive director

Published on: Thursday, December 5, 2024

The Board of Directors (BOD) of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) selects Rexanah Wyse Morrissette, Esq., as the OPTN’s Interim Executive Director. She will support OPTN operation, administration, and transition as part of the OPTN Modernization Initiative. This mainly includes supporting the work of the BOD and OPTN committees and collaborating with organizations supporting the OPTN. She will also help recruit a permanent OPTN Executive Director.

The BOD selected her after a national search. “We were very impressed both with Rexanah’s experience, working with the board of directors of a national association and with various government agencies, as well as her passion for working toward equity and opportunity for people in need,” said Richard Formica, M.D., president of the OPTN Board. “We look forward to working with her to advance the mission and the activities of the OPTN at a crucial time for the future development of the network.”

Wyse Morrisette earned a juris doctorate degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. She has a record of progressive leadership responsibility in non-profit organizations as well as in state and local government. She comes to the OPTN from the Children’s Defense Fund, where she directed its executive office and strategic initiatives. Her experience also includes roles as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and as an assistant state’s attorney for Montgomery County, MD.