Three experienced and long-term professionals in the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division of Barnabas Health have received new appointments in the Division, recognizing their abilities and promoting the growth of this excellent nationally renowned program. Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Centers form one of the largest kidney and pancreas transplant programs among 240 in the United States.
Barry H. Ostrowsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of Barnabas Health, and Shamkant Mulgaonkar, M.D., FASN, Chief of the Division, announced the corporate restructuring and new appointments as follows. Debra L. Morgan, MSW, LCSW, a resident of Livingston, has been named Vice President; Charles E. Lascari, MA, RN, CCTC, a resident of Maplewood, has been promoted to Director of Clinical Services; and Andrea Tietjen, a resident of Verona, has been promoted to Director of Data and Finance.
In announcing the new administrative structure for the Division, Mr. Ostrowsky stated, “Advanced technology, resources and research, coupled with exceptional staff and personalized support for patients and their families, have made the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division of Barnabas Health a destination for patients in the Northeast. The well deserved promotion of these three individuals is testament to their vital role in the success of the program.”
Dr. Mulgaonkar stated, “The strategic change will enable the Renal and Pancreas Programs at both sites to continue their unprecedented growth by expanding opportunities for transplantation through living donation, the further promotion of research, and development of innovative outreach initiatives throughout the region. These three professionals continue to dedicate their exceptional talents to ensure that the Barnabas Health program remains one that is truly world-class.”
For more than 40 years, Barnabas Health facilities have remained leaders in the field and pioneered a series of medical firsts in New Jersey, among them, the first living donor kidney transplant program, pediatric nephrology and transplantation program, paired kidney exchange and program for incompatible transplantation as well as the world’s first robotic-assisted living donor kidney transplant in 2008. The Division is distinguished by technical excellence, surgical and medical innovation, clinical research and patient advocacy. In 2011, the Division performed 295 transplants, including 137 living donor transplants.
Barnabas Health offers New Jersey’s only Living Donor Institute to promote living donation as the best transplant option for patients with chronic kidney disease. Living Donation options include: living- and emotionally-related kidney transplantation, paired exchange program, altruistic living donation, and the program for incompatible transplantation.
 Debra L. Morgan, MSW, LCSW, has been the Director of the Transplant Division since 1997. She has worked diligently to expand renal and pancreas transplant services to increasing numbers of New Jersey residents by bringing new technologies, research and programs to the Transplant Division including N.J.’s only Living Donor Institute. She oversees all aspects of patient care as well as operations of the two renal and pancreas transplant programs, located at separate campuses in Livingston and Newark.
Ms. Morgan served as a Clinical Social Worker of the Transplant Program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center from 1994 to 1997, providing psychosocial services to transplant patients, living donors and families. She also developed and implemented a wide range of psychosocial programs and frequently speaks at national and local conferences on psychosocial and ethical issues in transplantation.
Ms. Morgan received a Bachelors of Science in Community Services from the University of Massachusetts and her Masters in Social Work from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. She is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Jersey.
Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Morgan’s awards and honors in her profession include: Excellence in Caring Award from Saint Barnabas Medical Center; TRIO, NJ, Triangle Award Nominee; Boston College Graduate School of Social Work Distinguished Alumni Award; and the Kountz Heritage Award for Excellence from the NJ Organ and Tissue Sharing Network.
Ms. Morgan is a member of numerous professional organizations in her field and has served as a board member of the Sharing Network, NJ’s organ procurement organization, since 2000. She has published and presented numerous abstracts, articles and research projects at professional conferences across the United States.
 Charles E. Lascari, MA, RN, CCTC, has been the Transplant Clinical Manager at Saint Barnabas Medical Center since 1999. In his position he has been responsible for the clinical oversight of the Transplant Program throughout the continuum of care, including the delivery of quality patient care in the Pre-Transplant, Post-Transplant, Transplant Research Departments and Transplant Short Stay Unit. He also oversees outreach activities to maintain the highest level of patient satisfaction.
Prior to his position at Barnabas Health, Mr. Lascari was Assistant Vice President for Outpatient and Emergency Services at Hackensack University Medical Center. Mr. Lascari served for many years as Chair of the Northern NJ Mobile Intensive Care Consortium. In his nursing role, he held various positions including Director of Nursing.
Mr. Lascari’s previous experience included thoracic and vascular surgical nursing at the Veterans Administration Hospital in East Orange. He also completed an active duty assignment within the U. S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps at the 500-bed Chippewa Indian Health Services Hospital on a reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota.
Mr. Lascari has received awards in Excellence in Caring from Saint Barnabas Medical Center; for Top Clinical Abstract and Top Overall Abstract selected for Plenary Session Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization; and Outstanding Citizen Award from the Hackensack Chamber of Commerce in recognition of dedication to the well-being of the people of the community.
He received a Bachelors of Science from The William Paterson University of New Jersey and Master’s Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. Mr. Lascari holds advanced certification as a Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator (CCTC) awarded by the American Board for Transplant Certification attesting to a higher level of competency for transplant professionals providing quality care to transplant donors and recipients) He is a member of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO) and author of numerous abstracts.
 Andrea L. Tietjen joined the transplant team in 1999 and has served as Manager of Transplant Data and Finance of Barnabas Health since 2003. She is responsible for integration and oversight of all data, quality and financial operations for both sites and manages research funding including oversight of a nearly $1 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration, among many other activities.
Ms. Tietjen’s previous positions include Controller at Felician College, Lodi, NJ; at Centenary College in Hackettstown, NJ; and at Upsala College.
She is a member of various organizations in her field and serves on committees including the National Kidney Registry Board Finance and Administrative Sub-Committee; BMS IV Access Model Advisory Board; Olson Group Advisory Panel; UNOS Financial Committee and Kidney Paired Donation Financial Subcommittee, and HKS Advisory Panel.
Among the many awards and honors received by Ms. Tietjen are Top Abstract at two separate UNOS Management Forums; two-time honor of “Best White Paper” at HKS, Omaha, NE; “Excellence in Caring” from Saint Barnabas Medical Center; and “Top Hospital Abstract” at NATCO, Washington, D.C..
Ms. Tietjen received her Bachelor of Arts with honors from Douglass College, a Bachelor of Science from Upsala College, and Master of Business Administration with highest honors from Regis University in Denver CO. Ms. Tietjen has served as an Adjunct Instructor in Accounting at Caldwell College in Caldwell, NJ since 2002 for graduate and undergraduate students. Previously, she was Adjunct Instructor/Tutor at Felician College, Lodi, NJ, and at Upsala College in East Orange. She is a State of NJ Registered Certified Public Accountant. Ms. Tietjen is the author/co-author of nearly 30 publications, presentations and papers in her field.
To learn more about the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division of Barnabas Health, please visit www.transplantkidney.org.
Date: January 4, 2012
Contact: Ellen Greene
Public Relations and Marketing
973-322-4018
egreene@barnabashealth.org
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