(From top) Sandy Linauts, Maria Elena Geyer, Michael Young

Management Changes: Dr. Strong Retires, Linauts, Geyer Named EVPs

The evolution of one of the region’s most revered organizations continues at a brisk pace as Puget Sound Blood Center on Oct. 15 named two new executive vice presidents: management veterans Sandy Linauts and Maria Elena Geyer.

The latest promotions closely follow September’s announcement that D. Michael Strong, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief operating officer, would step down Oct. 31 after nearly twenty years at the Blood Center. With the new EVP title, Linauts and Geyer now team up to oversee the retired Dr. Strong’s areas of responsibility.

In May 2005, both Linauts and Geyer became vice presidents – a newly-created position at the time – and headed multi-department groups. Previously, they each served as department directors.

Blood Center President Richard B. Counts, M.D., noted that the elevation of Linauts and Geyer to the executive circle was a natural progression of their careers. “These promotions are well-deserved reflections of the outstanding achievements Sandy and Maria Elena have been responsible for – both individually and organizationally,” he said.

Sandy Linauts, MT(ASCP) SBB, oversees laboratory functions as EVP, Blood Service Laboratories. She is responsible for the Donor Testing Laboratory, Component Production Laboratory, Transfusion Service, Clinical Laboratory Services, and Transportation.

Over the past 30 years, Linauts has served in a variety of capacities at the Blood Center, Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank, and the American Red Cross. After earning a B.S. in Medical Technology from Ohio State University, she joined the Blood Center for three years, and then returned in 1993. During her last 14 years at the Blood Center, Linauts has overseen the implementation of lifesaving nucleic acid testing (NAT), bacterial screening, and new methodologies for infectious disease testing as well as for serology testing in Donor Testing and Transfusion Service laboratories.

Additionally, laboratories under her oversight conduct clinical trials, independent research, serve as the reference laboratory for area hospitals, provide testing support for transplant programs, perform donor testing services for other blood centers, are active in developing genomic testing methodology and, through the world’s largest centralized transfusion service, provide transfusion support to hospitals throughout Western Washington.

A member of AABB and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Linauts has participated in various working groups and task forces for America’s Blood Centers (ABC), is currently a member of the ABC SMT and Vendor/Supplier qualification committees, and has presented at ABC Technical Director’s and AABB meetings.

As EVP, Marketing and Community Relations, Maria Elena Geyer, E.M.B.A, is responsible for the Blood Center’s marketing strategy and brand development, as well as oversight of Blood Collection Services, Communications, Donor & Volunteer Resources and Northwest Tissue Services.

In 18 years with the Blood Center, Geyer has successfully developed and implemented key initiatives by applying proven research principles to donor recruitment and marketing strategies. Her innovative approaches have resulted in awards, including the AABB Chapman-Franzmeier Memorial Award and Lectureship, which distinguished her as an exceptional leader in donor recruitment, and this year, an honor as one of Northwest Asian Weekly’s “Women of Science.”

Geyer is actively involved in AABB and ADRP (Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals), serving as board member and speaker. Recently, she addressed the Florida Association of Blood Banks.

At the beginning of the fiscal year in July, Michael Young was appointed director of the new Communications Department formed under Geyer. Young, a former broadcast journalist, brings nearly 15 years of experience as an award-winning public relations / communications professional to the Blood Center.

Throughout his career of working for international public relations agencies, he has designed and implemented communications programs for companies such as Microsoft, Verizon and Citigroup. A graduate of the University of North Florida, he is the university’s youngest recipient of its outstanding alumnus award.