LiveOnNY President & CEO Leonard Achan Named to City & State New York's 2024 Responsible 100

A lifelong change agent for New Yorkers, Achan has demonstrated transformative leadership at LiveOnNY, increasing organ donation by 70% over three years stewarding the selfless generosity of organ donor heroes and their families.

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the New York Metro region, announces that its President and CEO, Leonard Achan, has been named to the City & State New York 2024 Responsible 100, an honor recognizing leaders who exemplify social responsibility and drive transformative change in their communities.

This recognition celebrates over 25 years of Achan's visionary leadership in the healthcare industry, and more recently for advancing LiveOnNY's lifesaving mission to increase organ donation in the NY Metro region.

Hired by the LiveOnNY Board in late 2021, Achan has led a remarkable turnaround of New York's organ donation and procurement system, transforming it from one of the nation's lowest-performing to a top-performing OPO within just 12 months of initiating a three-year strategic plan. As that plan now concludes in 2024, LiveOnNY has achieved a 70% increase in lifesaving gifts, become the leading OPO in the nation for Black organ donors, and leads in the placement of high-KDPI kidneys—difficult-to-place organs that might otherwise be discarded—thereby giving those on the transplant waitlist who may otherwise be overlooked a second chance at life.

"I am deeply honored to be included among the many leaders recognized by City & State New York's 2024 Responsible 100. This recognition reflects the incredible generosity of organ donors and their families, as well as the unwavering dedication of our staff at LiveOnNY," said LiveOnNY President and CEO Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP. "This recognition is a testament to what is possible when we New Yorkers come together to focus on a shared mission to save lives through organ donation. I remain committed to continuing this vital work and ensure that every New Yorker has the opportunity to give the gift of life."

Achan and the Board of Directors are now in the process of rolling out the next three-year plan, which will build on Achan's history of bringing attention to and addressing healthcare disparities nationwide and fostering continued engagement with New York's diverse communities. The organization's recent efforts have been recognized numerous times across the region, including 15 proclamations declaring 'LiveOnNY Days' in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Rockland, and Westchester Counties, among others.

The City & State Responsible 100 highlights outstanding individuals across various sectors who tackle New York's greatest challenges through exceptional dedication and leadership. The 2024 honorees join a distinguished group of leaders working tirelessly to improve the lives of New Yorkers and set a benchmark for excellence in social responsibility.

ABOUT LIVEONNY

LiveOnNY is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The OPO, which was established in 1978, serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland. Working closely with donor hospital and transplant centers, LiveOnNY coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the National or New York State Donate Life Registry. LiveOnNY is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. For more information, please visit LiveOnNY.org.

SOURCE LiveOnNY