Board of Directors

Trish Phillips

Executive Director/CEO

Trish Phillips became a Living Kidney Donor after witnessing her best friend’s two-year battle with kidney disease and dependency on dialysis treatment.

Since her donation on December 15, 2016, at Tampa General Hospital, Trish passionately informs and educates others that it is possible to live a healthy lifestyle with just one kidney. She encourages others to sign up as living and deceased organ donors, thereby becoming someone else’s miracle. READ MORE......

Kimberly Bennett

Board Treasurer

Kimberly Bennett, a Living Kidney Donor, Transplant Recipient. I’m married with two beautiful intelligent daughters. I’m the Business Office Manager for a large Assisted Living Facility. I serve on the board for Multicultural Miracle Donor Foundation. In my past time I love to bake, travel, and listen to jazz music.

Shirley Scott Brill

Board Secretary

Shirley Scott Brill is the Founder and President of Educating Minorities About Transplants

Inc... and leads the 501c3 nonprofit organization in visions, growth, and community

involvement.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Edward Waters College

in 1986 and her Master of Education in Elementary Education from the University of North Florida in 2004.

In 2008, she received an End Stage Lung Disease diagnosis resulting from Idiopathic

Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Her lifesaving call arrived on May 5, 2008, and on May 6, 2008

donor lungs were successfully placed in her body and ShirLey became the proud recipient of a

Bilateral Lung Transplant. She returned to work August 2008 and retired in 2014 after 30 vears

of service. While attending a Multicultural Task Force meeting in 2015, she heard alarming

statistics concerning organ donation among minorities and decided to go home and begin a

social media page to share her story and truths about the gift of life resulting in the birth of

Educating Minorities About Transplants (EMAT). The page has 1100+ members now and the

local organization consists of transplant recipients and their family members, living donors, donor families, caregivers, those waiting for a transplant, volunteers, and supporters.

ShirLey's community involvement includes serving as a Donate Life Florida volunteer, UNOS

and Life Quest ambassador, Community Health Worker, AKF Kidney Health Coach, Advisory

Board member with The Transplant Collective, and Board Secretary for Multicultural Miracle

Donor Foundation (MMDF). She often speaks at community events, churches, and health fairs

to promote EMAT'S Throw Out the Lifeline initiative that spreads awareness about chronic

kidney disease (CKD) and Your Health Matters.

Alice Siete Nevel

Board Member

Bio coming soon

Tanisha McCall

Board Member at Large

As a young girl, Tanisha watched her mother suffer from the side effects of dialysis. Dialysis left her mother weak, unable to work, and she was declared disabled. Tanisha’s mom spent many days in the hospital due to shunt complications. In 1997, Tanisha’s mom received a kidney transplant. She watched her mom go from being declared disabled to someone who is thriving and looking forward to retiring in 2023.

Because Tanisha knew first hand the effects of dialysis and the life-transforming power of organ donation. She did not hesitate when the opportunity presented itself to become a living kidney donor for her friend. Tanisha became a living kidney donor on May 18th, 2021. Tanisha hopes her experience and story will inspire others to join the community of organ donors.

True to her nature of service, Tanisha has built a life and career around service. A native of Miami, she has served South Florida’s youth and young adults for over ten years. Throughout her tenure as a non-profit youth professional, she has served as a teacher, advisor consultant, and, most importantly, mentor. Tanisha worked as instructional staff for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Broward County Public Schools, College and Career Specialist, Program Manager, and a non-profit consultant for various community-based organizations in the Liberty City Community. Tanisha’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Administration from Barry University and a certificate in Transformational Life Coaching. Currently, she works as a Career Advisor at Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

When Tanisha is not working, she enjoys good food, the arts, and all things that sparkle. For Tanisha, there is no greater joy on earth than service to others.