Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE, honored with prestigious leadership award

As we celebrate the final days of Women’s History Month, join us in recognizing Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. In addition to her ongoing and tireless commitment to advocating for organ donation in Pennsylvania, she was also recently recognized by the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as a recipient for the 2022 Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence.

Susan is one of only 11 people to receive this distinguished honor, which is awarded to leaders who embody Baldrige leadership and management values and principles. The Baldrige Program is a presidential level initiative dedicated to improving the quality of health care and performance of nonprofits nationwide.

“I was so honored to receive the 2022 Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence. This award is especially meaningful because I believe so strongly in the power of the Baldrige framework to affect positive change,” Susan said. “I credit CORE’s Baldrige journey for empowering us with the ability to save and heal more lives than ever before – the most significant indicator of performance excellence.”

Throughout her career, Susan has worn many hats, but she’s approached each role with a commitment to integrity and compassion. Susan was first exposed to the comfort that donation offers donor families and the second chance at life that it offers recipients while working as a registered nurse in the trauma ICU at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. This experience inspired Susan to take a job as an organ and tissue procurement coordinator with CORE, where she quickly rose the ranks to executive director. In 1999, Susan shifted her career path and joined the UPMC team as the director of clinical operations but returned to CORE only a few years later, when she was named president and CEO.

Susan accepted the Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence at the Foundation Awards Luncheon in Washington, D.C. last spring.

“This is not only a proud moment for me, but also for the dedicated staff, board members, hospital partners, volunteers, donors and families who help CORE accomplish our life-saving mission,” Susan said upon accepting the award.

Susan has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Duquesne University and a master’s degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2016, Susan also completed the year-long, nationally recognized Baldrige Executive Fellows Program, one of the nation’s top leadership development programs.

Under her tenure as CORE’s president and CEO, Susan has led the organization to increased donor registrations and transplantations, saving and healing countless lives. In 2022, CORE saw its fourth consecutive record-breaking year for organ donors and organs transplanted.

Susan’s commitment to giving back reaches those in her local community as well. She volunteers with the Salvation Army, is a member of the Fox Chapel Rotary, serves as an honorary member of the Team Alleghenies Transplant team for the Transplant Games of America, raises awareness for autism and participates in the United Way Day of Caring.