Members of this group reflect the diversity of backgrounds and educational paths of thousands of students in health information management (HIM) programs. The Student Advisory Committee (SAC) collaborates with AHIMA’s leadership, members, and staff to create new resources and opportunities for students as they transition from students into HIM professionals in a complex health information workforce. SAC members: plan and present at the Student Academy at convention; advocate for the profession during Hill Day; support their fellow students in the Future HIM Leaders community in Engage; and assist AHIMA in creating the member resources to help students build the careers they want.

Please contact the SAC at students@ahima.org.  Applications for the 2019 Committee will open in the spring.

Join the Student Advisory Committee from AHIMA on Vimeo.

Gabriela Arroyo, University of Illinois at Chicago
Ms. Arroyo is a senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management. She is the president of the HIM class of 2019 and is currently employed as a Medical Record Technician Aide within the HIM department at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. She will pursue her RHIA certification prior to graduation. She is passionate about HIM and is looking forward to advocating for the profession. As a SAC member, she is enthusiastic to collaborate with AHIMA’s leaders, members, and staff to encourage current and prospective HIM student involvement in AHIMA.

Zoe Delozier, University of Pittsburgh
Ms. Delozier is a senior in the bachelor’s program in health information management at the University of Pittsburgh and is set to graduate in April of 2019.  She is the 2018 Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association (PHIMA) Student Scholarship recipient, a scholarship based on academic merit. Zoe spent the summer of 2018 with UPMC (the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) working on a credentialing project with Physician Services under the HIM department. She was inspired to pursue a career in HIM by a family friend who is a HIM consultant. Zoe is looking forward to beginning a career in HIM and is excited to become a mentor to other students.

Tennea Taylor-Jenkins, Ohio State University
Tennea is a senior studying health information management and systems (HIMS) at The Ohio State University. She currently serves as vice president of Minority and Ally Students in Healthcare (MARS). In this organization, she dedicates her time to helping other students pursuing careers in healthcare to develop professionally. Through this organization, she also advocates for the HIM profession in hopes of encouraging others to pursue the field. Tennea hopes that in her work in the SAC she will bring more awareness to the opportunities students have in getting more involved with AHIMA.

Eryn Stevens, Baker College of Clinton Township
Mrs. Stevens is a sophomore at Baker College in Clinton Twp., MI, majoring in Health Information Technology (HIT). She serves as president for the HIT class of 2019 and plans to sit for the RHIT exam after graduation. Eryn is currently employed full-time with Team Rehabilitation as a Legal Biller within a newly developed division of their Revenue Cycle Management department. As a member of the SAC, she hopes to encourage and inspire other students in the same way her mentors have in pursuit of success and innovation within the industry.

Brittany Hernandez, Hutchinson Community College
Mrs. Hernandez is pursuing her Associate of Applied Science degree in health information management through Hutchinson Community College online. She obtained an Associate degree in General Studies with a focus in American Sign Language in 2016. She also serves her community by facilitating after-school programs that help develop interpersonal skills and encourage friendships. Brittany is currently employed as a Health Information Management Associate in a person-first long-term care facility in Manhattan, Kansas. She is honored to serve on the Student Advisory Committee and excited to collaborate with other student professionals in Health Information Management.

Shefali Majithia, RHIT, CPC-A, Illinois State University
Shefali is currently enrolled in the health information management program at Illinois State University and is expected to graduate at the end of 2019. She earned her CPC-A while obtaining an associate at Waubonsee Community College from which she gained her RHIT certification. She really worked hard to truly understand the HIM field, especially when taking coding classes. She interned at a multi-specialty group practice for three months within their HIM department.  She currently works for a healthcare consulting and billing company that has almost 40 clients.  Shefali is very committed to learning and keeping up with new trends within the HIM field by reading AAPC/AHIMA articles and networking. Shefali can’t wait to share her experiences as a student and hopefully become helpful to students that are studying in the same field.

Elaine O’Bleness, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CHP, CRCR, Chair
Elaine is a current member of the Council of Excellence Committee and chair of the Student Advisory Committee.  She works as a Revenue Cycle Executive at Cerner Corporation, serving as a Subject Matter Expert in the HIM and Medical Coding areas.  Prior to joining Cerner, Elaine served as Banner Health’s Western Region Director of Health Information Services, managing the HIM operations of 11 facilities across 6 states.  Additionally, she managed her own HIM consulting practice.  Elaine has served as the President of the Colorado Health Information Association and has been sought after for multiple speaking engagements.  She also teaches ICD-10 Coding and Healthcare Reimbursement at Regis University in Denver Colorado. 

This group of recently graduated health information professionals collaborates with AHIMA leadership, members, and staff to create new resources and opportunities for students and new graduates. Committee members represent different career paths and journeys in health information management (HIM), and share their experiences to help others navigate the current landscape: transitioning from students into HIM professionals in a complex health information workforce, taking advantage of the career-planning resources, leadership opportunities, and professional development that AHIMA provides.

Applications for this Committee will open in the Fall.  Please contact the New Graduate Leadership Committee at newgrads@ahima.org

Todd Norden, RHIA, Chair
Todd Norden is a 2017 graduate from the health information administration program at Dakota State University in Madison, SD. A Cedar Rapids, IA, native, he now lives in Mesa, AZ, where he serves as a chargemaster coordinator for Phoenix Children's Hospital. He discovered his passion for health information management (HIM) while working in digital communications/marketing for the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, after a journalism career spanning over 15 years. Mr. Norden is a 2015 recipient of the Linda Kloss Honorary Endowed Scholarship. Interested in all things HIM, he is grateful for the support of family and friends during his career transition and strives to encourage aspiring HIM professionals to realize the opportunity and potential before them.

Romona Betton, RHIA
Romona Betton is a health information specialist with a leading nonprofit organization in New York City. She takes pride in having a genuine interest in delivering high-quality and patient-centered healthcare. Ms. Betton received her Bachelor’s in Health Information Management from The CUNY School of Professional Studies, a school of the City University of New York in 2017. She has spent the last 10 years working for leading physicians and healthcare facilities in the New York Tri-state area. She’s worked with major healthcare companies such as Northwell Health and Bioreference Laboratories. She was the 2016 recipient of AHIMA Foundation’s Frances E. and Louis B. Fox Endowed Scholarship and was recognized as a 2016-2017 NYHIMA Academic Achievement Award Recipient. Ms. Betton hopes to encourage new graduates to develop leadership skills and to help with their transition into HIM careers.

Amber Clouse, RHIT
Amber Clouse currently resides in Kingman, KS, with her husband and three dogs. She has lived there her entire life. Ms. Clouse is a remote coding supervisor for Himagine Solutions and has served in this role since August 2018. She has her associate degree in HIM from Hutchinson Community College and received her RHIT certification in May 2016. She is currently a senior at Stephens College in the BS Health Information Administration, will graduate this May, and is planning to sit for her RHIA shortly after. She has served in multiple areas of HIM since starting her career in May 2014. She started out as a transcriptionist then moved to a coding position. She is also a part-time HIM Online instructor for Hutchinson Community College.

Phillip Duong, RHIA, CCA
Phillip Duong graduated from the University of Central Florida’s Health Informatics and Information Management Program in 2017. After graduation, he started working as an outpatient clinical documentation specialist at Jupiter Medical Center (JMC) and has served as a director on the board of his local HIM organization. In 2018, he was awarded the FHIMA Service Award for his commitment and dedication to the HIM community. Currently, he works as a revenue integrity specialist for his hospital at JMC. He is an active member of the Florida Health Information Management Association (FHIMA), where he served as a volunteer for the FHIMA Program, HIM Awareness, Advocacy, and Public Policy Committee. Being a part of the New Graduate Leadership Committee, Mr. Duong hopes to inspire and mentor students/graduates about the HIM profession.

Arikka Standafer, RHIA
Arikka Standafer graduated summa cum laude from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration in May of 2018. She obtained her RHIA credential prior to graduation. She previously served on the AHIMA Student Advisory Committee from 2017 to 2018. She was also a 2018 recipient of the Linda Kloss Honorary Endowed Scholarship. In addition to her work with AHIMA, she is an active member of the Kentucky Health Information Management Association where she is currently serving as the co-chair of the KHIMA Education Committee. She is employed as a patient financial services representative at UK HealthCare in Lexington, KY. She hopes to pursue her MHA. As a member of the New Graduate Leadership Committee, she wishes to encourage other students and recent grads to become more involved with AHIMA and inform others of the various resources AHIMA offers.

Ryan Teeple, RHIT
Ryan Teeple is a 2018 graduate from Baker College's Health Information Technology program and subsequently earned his RHIT credential in June 2018. Throughout college, he served in roles as a financial officer for the student association and as a student concierge for the Michigan Health Information Management Association. Currently, he is a trauma registrar of a level one adult and two pediatric hospital in southeastern Michigan. He says working within registries is challenging but enjoyable because there is never a dull moment or lack of learning. He is looking forward to being part of this year's New Graduate Committee. A year from now, he hopes to have completed a bachelor’s and obtained his RHIA credential.

Vanessa Villarreal, RHIA
Vanessa Villarreal is an August 2018 graduate from Arkansas Tech University where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Information Management. She earned the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential early August as well. She currently works in Clarksville, AR, as an admissions specialist at Johnson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas HIM Association and looks forward to attending the state convention as a new professional. As a member of the New Graduate Leadership Committee, she hopes to support new graduates in their journey to their dream career while providing future graduates with guidance in their transition to becoming new professionals.