Laura Gilleran
Executive Director
Serving East Tennessee since 1964
A gift of sight,
handled with care.
We honor donors and their families through compassionate recovery, exacting tissue preparation, and personal service to corneal surgeons.
24/7Referral availability
LocalEast Tennessee service
PreciseCustom tissue preparation
Our purpose
Connecting one final act of generosity with a lifetime of possibility.
01 Compassion for families
02 Confidence for surgeons
Licenses & certifications
Licensed. Accredited. Accountable.
Review the current credentials that support our commitment to quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.
View credential detailsHow can we help?
Start with what brings you here.
Clear answers and direct support—whether you are a family, a surgeon, or a community partner.
01
Donor families
Understand the donation process and how we care for every gift with dignity.
Explore donation 02Surgeons & hospitals
Request tissue, coordinate a case, or speak directly with a certified eye bank technician.
Professional services 03Community partners
Invite ETLEB to your organization and help create a culture of donation.
Meet ETLEBThe gift of sight
One generous decision can change another person’s world.
Cornea donation can restore clarity, independence, and connection. Our team supports families with honesty and care while ensuring each donation is evaluated and prepared to exacting standards.
How donation works
- 1A referral is made
Our team is available around the clock to receive and review referrals.
- 2Family and eligibility are supported
We coordinate sensitively with families, hospitals, and donation partners.
- 3The gift is cared for
Tissue is recovered, evaluated, processed, and placed with precision.
- 4Sight is restored
A surgeon performs the transplant, carrying a donor’s generosity forward.
Donation does not delay funeral arrangements or prevent an open-casket service.
For medical professionals
Prepared to your specifications. Supported by people who know your case.
Our clinical team delivers personal communication and precision processing for corneal surgeons and hospital partners across the region.
01
Custom processing
Corneal tissue prepared to the surgeon’s requested specifications.
02
Direct coordination
Personal case communication with our experienced clinical team.
03
Responsive distribution
Practical support for tissue requests, scheduling, and delivery questions.
Our story
Rooted in East Tennessee. Focused on what comes next.
East Tennessee Lions Eye Bank began in the Knoxville office of Dr. Harvey G. Coker. Local Lions Clubs recognized the need, rallied behind the mission, and helped build an organization devoted to donation, education, and restored sight.
Six decades later, that community spirit still guides our work—from hospital education and family support to precise tissue preparation and surgeon partnership.
Meet the people behind the missionOur team
Expertise with a human touch.
Someone from ETLEB is available 24/7. Meet the people who care for families, partners, and every donated gift.
Charese Graves
Office Manager
Veronica White, CEBT
QA Director
Josh Griffin, CEBT
Director of Operations
Ashley Young, CEBT
Lab Operations Supervisor
Savannah Young
Lab Coordinator
Sarah Rainwater, CEBT
Clinical Operations Specialist & Family Care Coordinator
Shanna Butler
Recovery Operations Supervisor & Laboratory Coordinator
Candice Ferguson
Laboratory Coordinator & Ocular Recovery Technician
HLPhoto coming soon
Heather Lyons
ETLEB Team Member
AFPhoto coming soon
Angela Faulkner
ETLEB Team Member
ACPhoto coming soon
A. Carter
ETLEB Team Member
Clear answers
Questions about cornea donation?
We are here to make an unfamiliar process easier to understand.
Ask us a questionAlmost anyone. Age, poor eyesight, and cataracts do not automatically prevent donation. Medical suitability is evaluated carefully at the time of donation.
No. Recovery is performed with great care and does not prevent an open-casket service or delay customary funeral arrangements.
No. Donor families are not charged for costs associated with donation, and federal law prohibits buying or selling human tissue.
Surgical partners may use the DonorTrac surgeon portal or call our distribution team at (865) 393-8532, option 1, for personal assistance.
We’re here
Reach the right person, right away.
Questions from families, community partners, hospitals, and surgeons are always welcome.