Leadership

Lori is the Operations Administrator at the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center.  Lori’s niece Lexi received a liver transplant at 5 months and today is a 29 year old married career woman who is appreciative of the life she has.  Lori has the utmost respect for the donor family who lost their child and were able to say yes to donation at what must have been the lowest point of their lives.  Lexi is alive today because of those parents.  Lori was introduced to Gift of Life Transplant House in 2012 when she started at the Transplant Center and realized that Gift of Life is vital to the work at Mayo Clinic.  She is honored to be a board member.

Jayne Pompeian is the wife of our founder, Edward Pompeian and supported Ed as he formed Gift of Life Transplant House.

Thomas Torkelson is a VP Commercial Banking Relationship Manager for Associated Bank covering the Rochester and Red Wing markets. Tom has nearly 20 years of banking experience in the Rochester area. Tom graduated from Concordia University, St. Paul with a B.A. degree in Organizational Management and Communications. Tom is a new board member and currently serves on the public relations committee. Tom’s experience as a banker and having served on other boards will help provide insight and direction for the Gift of Life. Tom is excited to serve and help people and believes strongly in the mission of Gift of Life.

Dr. Thomas R. Schwab is a nephrologist in Rochester, MN. at Mayo Clinic. He has over 41 years of experience in the medical field.

Ty Diwan is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester who has many years of experience in the clinical transplant of liver, kidney, and pancreas. His research focuses on obesity within transplantation and ethics within transplant.

Michael is a Financial Consultant at RBC, Royal Bank of Canada. Michael began his career in the banking and financial services industry in 2006. Prior to joining RBC, Mike worked in financial services with a focus on client relationships, investment guidance, and wealth management with 1 billion in assets under management. Michael serves as a board member of Gift of Life Transplant House. Mike enjoys serving in his local community, church, and entrepreneurial networks.

Meg dedicated her career to advancing organ donation and transplantation. After 29 years at LifeSource, she retired in 2024, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and collaboration in the field. As the Director of Transplant Center Relations, she fostered partnerships between transplant centers and organ donation services, improving patient outcomes. Previously, she held leadership roles as Director of Organ Procurement and Donation Coordinator, playing a vital role in facilitating life-saving transplants.

Her healthcare journey began in nursing at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Villanova University.

Throughout her career, Meg was committed to enhancing organ donation processes, supporting transplant professionals, and advocating for those in need of life-saving transplants. Her contributions continue to shape the field and offer hope to patients and families, even in retirement.

John leads Business Development, for the Rochester office of RSP, an architectural firm based in Minneapolis.  John has served on numerous boards throughout the Rochester community, including most recently chairing the board of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.  John and his wife Amy have three adult daughters and enjoy spoiling their grandchildren and two golden retrievers.

Katie is Operations Administrator for the Transplant Center at Mayo Clinic. In this role, she supports incredible teams serving patients and leading the field of solid organ transplant, bone marrow transplant, VCA and regenerative medicine.  She is inspired by each unique story of transplant patients and their families, the generosity and legacy of donors and donor families, and the entire transplant community working together on their behalf. Katie and her husband live in the Twin Cities with their three children.  They strive to prioritize an open home, open hearts to serve people and advocate for justice and an open road for adventures that connect people, places and cultures.

Ryan Hatton, MBA, CPP is the Senior Manager of Risk and Resilience at Solventum, overseeing its Crisis Management, Business Continuity, and Risk Intelligence programs. Ryan was drawn to the mission of Gift of Life Transplant House by his family’s experience during his uncle’s and father-in-law’s transplant journeys. Ryan and his wife Calli live in Rochester with their two children and animals, and enjoy spending time outdoors, on the lake, and with friends and family.

Adrienne Pompeian is a Nurse Practitioner in Transplant Nephrology at Mayo Clinic. She received her Masters of Science in Nursing at the Graduate School of Nursing at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and her Bachelor of Arts at St. Olaf College.

Gift of Life Transplant House has been a large part of Adrienne’s life since she was a little girl. She frequented the house to volunteer and visit with guests and staff with her father Ed Pompeian—founder of Gift of Life—and family for as long as she can remember. She joined Gift of Life’s Board of Directors to continue her father’s legacy and further Gift of Life’s mission to provide a supportive home-like environment for transplant patients and their caregivers. On a daily basis, she is reminded of the positive impact the house has on her patients when they express their gratitude for a comfortable and clean home away from home while on their transplant journey at Mayo Clinic. 

Karen Finneman Killinger is a healthcare facilities executive and registered architect with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare planning, facilities operations, capital development, and strategic transformation. Over her Mayo Clinic career, Karen has held progressive leadership roles in facilities project services, architecture, and operations, managing complex healthcare projects and multidisciplinary teams. She is known for expertise in healthcare design, life safety and regulatory compliance, strategic facilities planning, stakeholder engagement, and operational transformation, with a leadership style grounded in innovation, collaboration, and service excellence.

Karen has been a member of the Gift of Life Buildings and Grounds Committee for several years and enjoys supporting the facility staff.

Nick is a commercial real estate broker, developer and owner of Realty Growth Incorporated in Rochester, Minnesota and lifelong resident of Rochester.

After graduating from St. Olaf College, Nick returned to Rochester to help his father, Ed Pompeian, in the real estate and development business. In 2013 Nick and his partner purchased Realty Growth Incorporated from his father, who was the original founder of the company. Having grown up and been exposed to the ins and outs of the business, this was the perfect fit!

Nick is also passionate about Rochester and the community that has given him and his family so much. In order to give back to Rochester, Nick serves on the board of directors for Gift of Life Transplant House, Bolder Options, as well as serves on several other non-profit committees. Nick loves to spend time with his wife and daughter, cheering on Minnesota sports teams, traveling, spending time with his family and friends, and attending concerts and musicals.