When Ashley Vanderdonck first joined Midwest Eye-Banks, now Eversight, in 2009, she never imagined the path her career would take. At the time, she had recently lost her job in the trucking industry and was attending school for radiology. But a call from her stepmother, Kim Traczyk, who works at Eversight, changed everything.
“She called me and said, ‘You need to apply for this job. I think you’ll love it.’ I came in, applied and they hired me on the spot. The rest is history,” Ashley said.
Ashley was part of the very first group hired into Eversight’s Communication and Logistics Center, now known as the Donation Support Center (DSC). Seventeen people formed the launch team, dedicated day and night to caring for families, guiding them through the decision of donation and making sure every gift could be carried out with dignity.
“I started part-time on the night shift, but within two days I was offered full-time,” Ashley recalls. “When we started taking Illinois cases, I remember helping more than 20 families in a single night. It was busy, but I loved it.”
Rising through the ranks
Her leadership potential quickly shone through. Ashley advanced from coordinator to senior coordinator, then into supervisory roles where she helped guide staff, train colleagues and keep operations moving during times of transition.
Her pivotal moment came when she realized her greatest passion was working with Eversight’s organ procurement organization (OPO) partners.
“I loved collaborating with our OPO partners,” Ashley said. “Part of my DNA is being authentic, and I feel that engaging with our partners allows me to practice not only this skill, but also creative problem-solving, negotiation and great communication. These partnerships introduce fresh ideas and perspectives that can expand my professional network and offer a deeper sense of purpose.”
That moment inspired the very creation of her current role in Clinical Partner Relations.
Clinical Partner Relations at Eversight
Today, Ashley is Eversight’s Clinical Partner Relations Director, serving as the vital link between Eversight and its seven OPO partners, as well as hospitals across multiple states. She also oversees partnerships with donor testing labs and collaborates with DSC staff when cases need clarification. Her role is part relationship-builder, part problem-solver and part advocate.
“For me, it’s really about providing great customer service to our partners,” Ashley said. “I pull reports, troubleshoot issues, prepare agendas for monthly meetings, and I’m expected to visit all our partners every year. Beyond that, it’s about building true friendships, not just work relationships.”
Her monthly meetings with OPOs bring together staff from call centers, recovery and donor testing. Together, they review cases, solve problems and share solutions to challenges like staffing and training.
“I thrive on getting to know people beyond the work,” Ashley said. “I know about their families, their lives. We check in on each other, even outside of work. These are true friendships.”
Eversight’s mission to restore sight and prevent blindness is amplified through longstanding operational partnerships with OPOs, including Donor Network of Arizona, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, Gift of Life Michigan, Lifebanc, New England Donor Services, NJ Sharing Network and UW Organ and Tissue Donation.
Each partnership is fueled by co-developed systems, tailored staffing and shared processes that honor each OPO’s unique workflows—from referrals and screening to recovery and placement. Ashley plays a pivotal role in building and nurturing these partnerships, ensuring they’re rooted in transparency, trust and shared purpose.
Her persistence and openness also played a critical role in launching Eversight’s partnership with Donor Network of Arizona in 2023, helping shape processes and building the relationship from the ground up.
A personal connection to donation
Ashley’s commitment is rooted in her own experiences with loss. She lost her mother and two brothers at a young age, and that perspective shaped her compassion.
“I’ve looked at the good that can come out of tragic death. I’ve become stronger. People tell me I’m the most positive person they’ve ever met,” she said.
Donation stories also inspire her daily. At a recent conference, she was moved to tears by a lung recipient who honored his donor’s memory by adopting her love for college football.
“It just reminds me every day how powerful this work is,” Ashley said. “We give people a second chance at life—and I couldn’t think of a more rewarding job.”
Looking back, looking ahead
In nearly two decades at Eversight, Ashley has witnessed change and growth for the organization. In her experience, she’s seen her colleagues embrace Eversight’s core culture, ensuring the organization’s values of service, drive and trust guide her every step of the way as she collaborates with OPO partners and others to maximize the selfless gift of donation.
Her vision for the future is ambitious.
“My hope is to see Eversight continue to grow so we can help even more people, here and around the world, so that no one—no child, no family—has to wait for the gift of sight,” Ashley said.
For Ashley, Eversight isn’t just a workplace—it’s a family.
“The people I work with are my second family. I love everyone like my family. I enjoy what I do, and I really can’t see myself anywhere else,” she said.
She also credits Eversight with helping her grow personally as well as professionally.
“Eversight invests in their people,” Ashley said. “I’ve evolved so much as a person that it’s made not just my work life better, but my personal life better, too.”
