Calling All New AHIMA Members!

Just starting out with AHIMA? Looking for a little guidance? New member mentors provide an incredibly convenient way for new members to explore the benefits of AHIMA membership.

Don't be shy! The following people are available to speak with you about how you can best use Association resources to move along in your career.

Click the mentor's name to send them an e-mail.

New Member Resources

New members, complete the program Opening the Right Doors: Getting the Most of Your Membership. You can do this on your own or with the assistance of a New Member Mentor.

• Opening the Right Doors: Getting the Most of Your Membership (PDF file)

We also encourage you to use the presentations listed below (the following links are Microsoft® PowerPoint files).

• Communities of Practice (3MB)
• FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge (2MB)
• AHIMA Member Benefits (1.9MB)
• Volunteerism (866KB)
• Code of Ethics (303KB).

If you have questions about your member benefits, e-mail info@ahima.org.

Membership Mentors

Amanda Witzke, RHIA
La Crosse, WI

Amanda graduated with honors from the college of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN, in 2004 with a major in HIM and a minor in computer information systems. During her senior year, she was honored with the Sister Loretta Leadership award. She began her HIM career while she was in school as a file clerk and as a chart auditor at local clinics. She was promoted two years ago to clinical systems analyst from HIM specialist. Recently, she has been also volunteering with the state association on conference planning committees, the quarterly e-mail team and the logo team.

Anissa McBreen, RHIT
Cincinnati, OH

Anissa has an associate degree in HIM and RHIT certification from AHIMA. She worked in long term care hospitals, acute care hospitals and mental health hospitals in her HIM career. She is currently working as a consultant.

Barbara A. Rubin, MEd, RHIA
Oklahoma City, OK

Barbara has teaching experience in higher academia for eight years. She has been an HIM program director for RHIT programs and associate programs. She also holds an advanced degree in education. She has an extensive background in different aspects of the HIM profession.

Bridget Doman, RHIA
New York, NY

Bridget has served over two years as educational/program director for Health Information Management Association of New York City and during this term she was instrumental in coordinating educational sessions for the members which will shape the next 10 years in healthcare’s journey to integrate technology as a way of doing business.

She has over 25 years of diversified experience in HIM profession. Her main responsibility in the current job involves him to manage the transitional process of paper to electronic health record.

Bryon Pickard, MBA, RHIA
Nashville, TN

Bryon Pickard earned both his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in health information management (HIM) from the University of Central Florida and has spent over 20 years in the healthcare industry. He is currently the director of operations at Vanderbilt University.

He is an active member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), and has served on several state and national committees and boards, including the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) where he currently serves as President Elect, and the Foundation of Research and Education of AHIMA (FORE). He speaks frequently about healthcare reimbursement, revenue cycle operations and other HIM-related topics. Throughout his experience as a professional, Pickard has served past as a mentor to HIM students, new graduates and new AHIMA members.

Catherine Egan, CCS
Holmdel, NJ

Catherine is currently working in an acute care hospital. Her responsibilities include managing coding and nursing staff. She was an ICD-9-CM coding instructor at a community college. Recently, she has decided to pursue her RHIT. She has expertise in managing, and educating. She wants to provide support and guidance for new members to choose the right path.

Catherine Gates, RHIA, CPC
Seattle, WA

Catherine has performed various roles in her HIM career. She has knowledge in auditing, compliance monitoring, regulating policies and procedures of the organization, review-abstract-code the procedures, E & M for physicians, evaluation of any question in regards to compliance.

She says that she is well aware of what it takes to effectively gain education and experience to assist with professional advancement. She considers mentoring as a support system, information resource and much more.

Cheryl Bowling, CCS, CHC
Cheryl currently works as a Compliance Manager for an HIM division in a large consulting company. She also has 20 years of hands-on experience as a director of a small medical records department and as a coding manager in two acute care hospitals with teaching programs. Return

Diann Brown, MS, RHIA, CHP
Fort Worth, TX

Diann has a master's in Human Relations and Business and a bachelor's degree in medical records administration. She has performed various roles in her career as an HIT advisory committee member, clinical site director for several colleges and universities, president of a component state association, convention and meeting board director, CAHIIM board director, and much more. She also serves as a speaker and an author for HIM topics. She received the Leadership Excellence Award in 2002.

She says “I encourage and empower others; assess the strengths and development needs of others; and give timely, specific feedback and helpful coaching.”

Elaine Barnett, RHIA, CHP
Grand Junction, CO

Elaine Barnett has worked in variety of different healthcare settings. She began her career in Health Information profession as a coding technician. With her ability and knowledge, she had an opportunity to work as a director of medical records, database analyst/manager, and privacy officer. Currently she is working as a CareQuest health information manager in Colorado.

Her professional experience consists of tumor registry management, medical transcription services management, and physician liaison to HIM services, Dialogue Facilitator and educator, and most extensively in EHR planning initiative for eight different hospitals.

Elisa R. Gorton, RHIA
Westport, CT

Elisa Gorton graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Records Administration. In 2004, Gorton earned her Master of Arts in Health Systems Management from Sacred Heart University. She served as the manager of health information services and privacy officer as well as the assistant of direct of health information management at Greenwich Hospital from 1989 to 1991. Since then, Gorton has worked as a medical record consultant for a long-term care center and dialysis centers.

Gorton is looking forward to investing time in new members, and feels that she can help them gain confidence in their skills and better their ability to market their unique abilities. She has particular interest in patient rights and confidentiality psychiatric and substance abuse care.

Felisa M. Tennant, MIS, RHIA, CCS
Indianapolis, IN

Felisa is currently working as an assistant professor in the health information management program at IUPUI. She has worked as a coder, supervisor, privacy administrator and data warehouse analyst. She says “I hold a special place in my heart for students and members entering the HIM profession, and helping them is my number one goal”.

James R. Lantis, Jr. MA, MHA, RHIA
Stockbridge, GA

James’ first career was as a medical services corps officer in the US Army. He was responsible for admissions, aero medical evacuation, impatient and outpatient medical records, and so on. After his retirement from the Army, he served as an HIM director in three acute care hospitals and as a president/owner of his own HIM consulting firm providing interim HIM management.

He has also sponsored numerous students in the departments he has managed, aiding them in the completion of practical experiences toward the completion of their HIM program. He has the desire to be a great mentor to new members entering this profession.

Janice Balmer, RHIA
Monroe, IA

Janice is working as a Director of HIM/Compliance Officer. She started her HIM career as a Transcription Supervisor and was then promoted to Assistant Director of HIM.

Janie Miller, RHIT, CCS

Janie is currently the assistant director of health information management at the Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna, AK. Her responsibilities include: coding manager, coding compliance coordinator, and revenue cycle team chair. Return

Judy C. Philo, RHIT
Tampa, FL

Judy has experience in General Hospital, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Community Mental Hospital for Clinical Records, Utilization Review and Quality Assurance. She has also worked as a consultant for 10 years in long-term care facility.

Keeley Bowman, RHIA
Rowlett, TX

Keeley started her career as a coder. She has expertise in acute care, long term care, and rehabilitation coding. As a part of her HIM career, she worked as a file clerk, coder, director, and a privacy officer. She can provide great advice on HIPAA compliance, Joint Commission guidelines, and PPR implementation.

She says “I love every change into technology that we are striving for in the HIM field”.

Linda Lafon, LPN, RHIT
Bristol, TN

Linda has over 30 years of working experience. She has worked for Peer Review Organization for state of Virginia and serving as a manager in HIS for 16 years. She also teaches evening classes at a local community college for HIT program. She monitors internships for college students in the HIT program.

Michelle Kirby, RHIA, CHP
Redding, CA

Michelle has an extensive background in patient privacy and release of information. She obtained her RHIT in 1994 and obtained RHIA status in 2003. She also has certification in healthcare privacy and currently she is enrolled in the Executive Juries Doctor Program at Concord Law School. She is also a mentor at California Health Information Association.

She would like to help new members by providing resources, reference tools, as well as to provide some direction that will enhance their career plans.

Millie Waggoner, RHIT
Puyallup, WA

Millie’s background is diverse and has touched on major aspects of HIM profession. She has an associate degree and worked as a director of medical records, System administrator for department software program and also in QA/UR.

Patience Hoag, RHIT, CHCA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC
Phoenix, AZ

Patience Hoag graduated valedictorian from a health information technology program in 1995. She has worked in various healthcare settings, including long-term care, acute care, ambulatory care, physician group practice, and third party payer. She currently works at the quality improvement organization in Arizona, where she works on a variety of projects involving data quality. She has also taught current procedural terminology at the HIT program where she graduated.

She received the Outstanding Mentor award from the Arizona Health Information Management Association (AzHIMA). “This career is my passion, and I want to do all I can to impact students and new grads in a positive way.” – Patience Hoag, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, CPC

Patty Banton, RHIA
High Point, NC

Patty graduated with a BS in Medical Records Administration and a minor in interpersonal communication. She began her career as director of medical records at a hospital. After working there for nine months, she moved to High Point and accepted the position as an assistant director and then promoted to director. She has good knowledge of outsourcing, and implementation of different computer systems.

She has sent all of her coders home to work, and has been through a total reorganization of the department.

Shannon Houser, PhD, MPH, RHIA
Birmingham, AL

Shannon Houser, PhD, MPH, RHIA, is an assistant professor in the HIM program at the Department of the Health Services Administration, School of Health Related Profession of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She received both her doctoral degree in Health Behaviors and her Master’s degree in epidemiology from the School of Public Health of UAB. She is an active member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Houser’s work experience in health-related research and her educational background in health information management, epidemiology, and health behavior enable her to mentor HIM students who are interested in pursuing careers in research rather than traditional careers in health information management. She has also been actively involved in UAB’s mentoring program for the past four years.

Stacie L. Buck, RHIA, CCS-P, LHRM, RCC
Stuart, FL

Stacie Buck began her career in the HIM profession as a file clerk, and worked her way up to medical records coordinator, which inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management. Since the completion of her degree, she has worked as a coder, revenue analyst, internal auditor, compliance officer, application specialist and consultant. She is currently an adjunct instructor for the HIM program at Indian River Community College and has presented numerous audio seminars for multiple organizations, including AHIMA. In addition she is a frequent speaker and author on coding and reimbursement topics.

Buck has been actively involved with the Florida Health Information Management Association (FHIMA), serving as Committee Chair for the FIRE committee, which takes on the responsibility of finding, inspiring, recruiting, and educating new HIM professionals as well as the Legislative Committee Chair. From her many roles, including her positions and involvement with FHIMA, Buck has gained a complex understanding of HIM, allowing her to offer insight into many of the different career paths of the profession.

Sunday Aigboboh, RHIA
Bakersfield, CA

Sunday has a bachelor’s degree in HIM and a master’s in business administration. He has over 18 years of experience as an HIM director. He has expertise and knowledge of federal regulations, principles and guidelines, policies pertaining to documentation, coding, billing, and reimbursement systems.

Susan N. Postal, MBA, RHIA
Nashville, TN

Susan joined HCA in 1992. Her responsibilities include quality monitoring of HIM indicators for success, development of action plans, training, education, and benchmarking with other organizations. In her HIM career she served as an assistant director, consultant, and a director.

Susan graduated from the University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago, IL, with a bachelor's degree in Medical Records Administration degree. She also has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She is interested in sharing her work experiences with new members who are new to this profession and assistng them in assessing the career options and making right decisions.

Susan Tabickman, RHIA
Brooklyn, NY

Susan was one of the students from the first graduating class in medical records program at Kean College/University in Union, NJ. She was hired as an assistant director right after her graduation. Currently, she is working as a director at a community hospital. She can provide great advice to new members interested in working in traditional HIM setting.

Wanda L. Tunstall, CCS-P, CPC
Philadelphia, PA

Wanda was an adjunct professor at a community college. Currently Wanda is working as compliance auditor educator at Jefferson University. She performs chart audits to ensure that the physicians are compliant with third party regulations and rules. She also provides compliance education to physicians and other staff members. She thinks that education is a key to success and would like to share with beginners in the HIM profession.

Portable Document Format

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