Melissa McQueen

Melissa McQueen co-founded Transplant Families in August of 2017. After her youngest son received a heart transplant in 2009, Melissa found herself searching for a support that was devoted solely to pediatric transplant families and that was accessible to all who needed it. When she didn’t find the resources she was seeking, she brought together fellow caregivers to build the community they wanted to have. Melissa is very involved in the pediatric transplantation field and is on the Board of Directors for the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)/ Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)  and formerly served on the Data Advisory Committee, Pediatric Committee, and on the subcommittee of the Patient Affairs Committee which authored “What Every Parent Needs to Know.” Melissa is the Parent Co-Lead for the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) which is a quality improvement collaborative for pediatric heart failure and transplant. She is also a Parent Advisor for the Starzl Network for Excellence in Pediatric Transplantation which is a quality improvement collaborative for pediatric liver failure and transplant. Melissa is on the Donate Life steering committee that initiated National Pediatric Transplant Week and she is the Charter Chair of the Heart Center Advisory Council and Alumni Council with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Melissa believes that caregivers can help positively influence policy and outcomes through their participation and being a part of the extended family-centered care model. Melissa continues to support and empower families living with their child’s new gift of life. She works with transplant teams to continue to improve outcomes for children, and to ultimately end the transplant waiting list for children.