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Board of Directors

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Michele Pfab

President

Michele is the mother of our founder, Kayla Pfab.  She was at Kayla’s side every step of her journey as Kayla’s mom, advocate, caregiver, sounding board, sous-chef, and all-around cheerleader. She met many other incredible souls along the way suffering from chronic illness and receiving transplant. Michele wants to be able to give others the support she and Kayla felt from so many and access to knowledge that was not always easy to find.

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Cheryl Pytel

Treasurer

Cheryl works in Data Management for a major health care distribution company. She has watched a close family member go through an intestinal transplant, knows how difficult it can be and understands how valuable it can be to access accurate information. It is important to Cheryl that others feel supported and have a network they can rely on. In her spare time Cheryl enjoys traveling and being outside. 

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Wendy Ryan

Secretary

Wendy is originally from Northern California and slowly moved east before living in five different countries.  She currently lives in Washington with her husband and their Rhodesian Ridgeback Salka.  Wendy began having bowel trouble after a surgical procedure and ultimately underwent an isolated small bowel transplant in February 2022.  She is currently off all TPN and tube feeds and is taking every day as it comes and celebrating every small victory.  Wendy hopes to share any knowledge that she gained through years on TPN and tube feeds as well as the challenges of transplant with the Intestinal Rehab & Transplant Unwrapped community.

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Bethany Johnson

Board Member

Bethany is an Architect, Project Manager and a Board Member for Intestinal Rehab & Transplant Unwrapped. She has adapted and thrived despite struggles with GI issues her entire life. In 2018, she became an intestinal transplant patient, where she underwent life-saving surgery to remove her intestines. During recovery she decided to postpone transplant and continue to live dependent on I.V. nutrition which has allowed her to enjoy all aspects of life. Bethany is grateful for every day, good and bad, and seeks to share hope and passion with others living with chronic illness.  

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Hannah Cawoski

Board Member

Hannah is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University. She completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency and a PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency in Pain Management and Palliative Care. She currently works as the Addiction Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Allegheny Health Network, Center for Inclusion Health. Her clinical areas of interest include acute pain, chronic pain, substance abuse, and addiction medicine.

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Kelly Baker

 Board Member

Kelly is a nursing student and transplant recipient who has experienced the intestinal failure journey from adolescence into young adulthood. After years of dependence on TPN and enteral nutrition, Kelly received a multivisceral transplant in August of 2025.  She continues to use enteral nutrition and supplemental IV fluids as part of her post-transplant care. She is now completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is passionate about patient advocacy, education, and supporting young adults navigating intestinal failure and transplantation.  Kelly hopes to combine her lived experience as a patient with her future career in nursing to help others feel informed, supported, and empowered throughout their own healthcare journeys. 

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Kayla Pfab

Founder

Kayla was the President and Founder of Transplant Unwrapped. Kayla achieved a Bachelor of Health Sciences from Duquesne University and was pursuing her Master of Physician Assistant Studies when she became too ill and required transplantation. She received two transplants, including an isolated intestinal transplant in November 2015 and a modified multivisceral transplant (stomach, pancreas, duodenum, and small intestine) in February 2019.

 

Kayla lived her life to the fullest, full of hope until she gained her wings in February, 2022. We are eternally grateful for her vision and passion for helping others and her belief that the education of both patients and clinicians can lead to better relationships and outcomes.

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