Our Team
Meet Out Team
Our partners are experienced transplant professionals dedicated to advancing transplant programs across the country. With expertise in operations, finance, regulatory compliance, and program development, we deliver practical, results-driven solutions that help transplant centers improve performance, strengthen financial sustainability, and enhance patient care.
Erica Heckenkemper-Lorenzo: MHA, CHES
Partner/Consultant
Chief Development Officer
Erica Heckenkemper-Lorenzo has been an integral part of Guidry & East since 2009, bringing a strong background in healthcare administration, transplant consulting, and strategic business development. Raised in a family deeply rooted in transplantation, Erica developed an early understanding of transplant operations, healthcare leadership, and patient advocacy through the influence of her father, Deedle Heckenkemper, a nationally respected pioneer in transplantation.
Prior to joining Guidry & East full time, she worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supporting initiatives focused on healthcare outcomes, public health policy, and operational standards for clinics and schools throughout the United States. She also gained hospital operational experience working directly under the Chief Operating Officer at an HCA healthcare facility while completing her graduate studies in healthcare administration.
At Guidry & East, Erica supports transplant centers nationwide through business development, strategic consulting, and operational support initiatives. Her consulting experience includes transplant operational and financial assessments, feasibility studies, Conditions of Participation (CoP) preparedness, and Medicare organ acquisition financial audits. She works closely with healthcare leaders and transplant administrators to help organizations strengthen program performance, navigate regulatory complexity, and support long-term operational success.
She is also a passionate advocate for organ donation awareness and community engagement. Erica actively volunteers with Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) and Legacy Donor Foundation initiatives, supporting education, outreach, and donor awareness efforts throughout the community. In addition to her transplant advocacy work, she is actively involved in local schools and community organizations, dedicating time to parent-teacher initiatives, youth programs, and community-focused events that support education and family engagement.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Community Health with an emphasis in Health Promotion from the University of Southern Mississippi and later obtained her Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) through a collaborative program between the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Bellevue University. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).