A Conversation with AHIMA Fellows

Sandra, an alum of Coppin State University holding a degree in Health Information Management, brings a wealth of expertise to her field. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator, showcasing proficiency in health system management, project management, and electronic health record applications. In her current role as a Healthcare Management Consultant, Sandra plays a pivotal part in the Veterans Health Administration Change Management program, emphasizing risk mitigation and program effectiveness. Previously, Sandra served as the Director of Health Information Management at Woodbine Rehabilitation Center and Corizon Health. Her leadership significantly contributed to enhancements in clinical documentation, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. Beyond her professional roles, Sandra actively participates in community service and contributes to organizations such as MDAHIMA and the Coppin HIM Advisory Board. Sandra's journey from Director to Consultant reflects her dedication to continuous growth and impactful contributions to healthcare operations.

Teresa works as Senior Director, System HIM, Clinical Research and Privacy Officer for Mercyhealth, a 7,500-employee integrated delivery system operating several hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois. She first studied Health Information Administration at UW Milwaukee, earning a BS. Teresa then earned an MA in HIM with a graduate certificate in Health Informatics from The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN. Teresa earned an MJ in Health Jurisprudence from Loyola University, Chicago, School of Law. She is a Registered Record Administrator (RHIA) and has certification in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) from AHIMA. Teresa is a Fellow of AHIMA and was selected as WHIMA Distinguished Member in 2022. She has served as a speaker for WHIMA (Wisconsin), MNHIMA (Minnesota), HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin, Epic Systems, Inc., and the Wisconsin Society for Healthcare Risk Management. Teresa currently serves as a Director for the WHIMA Board and has participated in many WHIMA, ILHIMA, HIPAA COW, and AHIMA workgroups across her 38-year career in the HIM field.

With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare delivery and management for large federal, state and local government contexts, Pawan is currently leading the quality line of business for ACEP. As a recognized leader and subject matter expert on process re-engineering for healthcare and electronic health records interoperability, Pawan often serves as an author, panelist and public speaker in areas such as quality, patient safety, informatics, patient medical records, and effective EHR institutionalization and utilization. An active member and contributor to the healthcare industry standards community, Pawan co-chairs the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Project Management Special Interest Group and serves on Davies Enterprise Steering Committee for Quality, Outcomes, and Value Realization. He also serves on the Board of Examiners for Texas Quality Forum, American Council of Technology – Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) and The Society of Medical Consultants to the Armed Forces (SMCAF). He has made extensive contributions to the healthcare community, serving as a subject matter expert on the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) Interoperability Work Group and a liaison to the CCHIT Functionality Work Group. Pawan also serves on the International Standards Organization Technical Committee 215 for healthcare standards, Healthcare Leadership Alliance, eHealth Initiative’s Practice Transformation Task Force and American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) e-HIM Task Force. Pawan is a Fellow with HIMSS, AHIMA, and the US National Library of Medicine. He holds a master’s of healthcare administration degree with a post-graduate certificate in health policy from Ohio University and is a certified project management professional. 

Cindy is the Executive Director of Health Information Management at Community Health Network, where she leads health information management activities network-wide across seven hospitals and over 250 outpatient/office locations in an integrated delivery network. She oversees regulatory compliance for health information management functions and provides leadership and vision for the planning, implementation, management, and integration of electronic records. Cindy is a member, past-president, and past board member of the Indiana Health Information Management Association (IHIMA).  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Administration and Master of Information Science from Indiana University. 

Jasmine joined AHIMA in July 2024 as the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professional Credentials. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of health informatics and information management. A distinguished educator and advocate for health equity, Jasmine is known for her groundbreaking work in addressing inequities in healthcare Information Technology. Her research focuses on advancing healthcare, academic equity, and stakeholder involvement in curriculum development. She has a proven record of accomplishments promoting competency-based healthcare education and workforce development at both local and national levels. Jasmine holds a Doctor of Health Professions Education degree from Logan University, along with multiple industry-related credentials and certifications. She is a graduate of prestigious institutions such as the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Agnew's passion for educating the HIT/HIM/HI community about emerging technologies and their impact on patient care sets her apart as a visionary leader in the field. 

Jennifer is the Senior Vice President of Health Information Career Advancement at AHIMA. In this role, she leads initiatives to assess and meet the professional and training needs of the health information (HI) workforce. Jennifer is actively involved in professional organizations at both national and state levels. Nationally, she is a member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), holding Fellow certifications from both. In Wisconsin, she is a two-time Past-President of the Wisconsin Health Information Management Association (WHIMA), a participant in the Wisconsin Chapter of the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the HIPAA Collaborative of WI (HIPAACOW), and previously served as Treasurer on the board of the Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network (WISHIN). Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.