ASHRM Leadership Election

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

I bring over a decade of progressive leadership experience in healthcare risk management, built on a strong foundation in medical malpractice defense. I began my career as a paralegal specializing in healthcare litigation, gaining valuable insight into claims, legal strategy, and the critical role of risk mitigation within healthcare delivery. Transitioning into direct healthcare operations, I served as a Risk Analyst in an acute care hospital in Southern California, where I strengthened my expertise in patient safety, regulatory compliance, and event management.

My commitment to excellence and leadership potential led to a promotion as Director of Risk Management at a sister acute care hospital within the same health system. During this time, I worked closely with corporate leadership to broaden my knowledge across claims management, litigation oversight, regulatory readiness, and enterprise risk management strategies.

Today, I serve as the Senior Director of Corporate Risk Management for Bradford Health Services, overseeing risk operations for 8 inpatient/detox facilities—including PHP, IOP, and outpatient services—across 6 states (North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee). I lead and mentor a team of 8 Risk Management/Performance Improvement Directors, driving system-wide initiatives focused on patient safety, regulatory excellence, and enterprise risk mitigation in complex behavioral health settings. My career has been defined by a collaborative leadership style, strategic thinking, and a passion for building resilient, patient-centered healthcare organizations.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

I have been deeply engaged in advancing the mission of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) through extensive volunteer service. My contributions include serving on the Sponsorship Committee (2019), the Education and Development Committee (2025-Present), and the Conference Committee (2020-2024), where I held a leadership role as Chair in 2024 after four years of active involvement. Currently, I serve as ASHRM Faculty, delivering educational programming that supports the professional development of risk management practitioners nationwide. I have co-presented at the ASHRM Annual Conference in Minneapolis on the topic of “Supply Chain and Risk Management Considerations” and authored the article Decoding Cybersecurity: A Brief Risk Management Guide for the ASHRM Forum in March 2025. I will also be co-presenting two presentations at this year's Annual Conference: topics of Behavioral Health (bias and other considerations) and Supply Chain challenges. Through these roles, I remain committed to promoting excellence, innovation, and leadership within the healthcare risk management community.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

Over the past decade, I have developed a diverse and comprehensive leadership foundation in healthcare risk management, blending hands-on operational expertise with strategic, system-wide oversight. I began my career in medical malpractice defense, gaining invaluable insight into litigation strategy and the critical importance of proactive risk mitigation. Working as a medical malpractice paralegal in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California allowed me to cultivate a keen risk management perspective from the claims and litigation side of healthcare. This experience provided a full 360-degree view of adverse events — from how they occur to how they evolve into litigation — and has made me a stronger healthcare risk management professional, focused on preventing issues before they escalate into lawsuits.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

I am actively engaged in supporting healthcare risk management at the local chapter level. I currently serve as the President-Elect for the AlaSHRM chapter (Alabama Society for Health Care Risk Management), where I have been a Board Member for the past two years, helping to drive chapter growth, educational programming, and member engagement initiatives. Previously, I served on the Board of SDAHRM (San Diego Association for Healthcare Risk Management) during my time in California, contributing to chapter operations and supporting professional development activities. Additionally, I volunteered on the Sponsorship Committee for SCAHRM (Southern California Association for Healthcare Risk Management), supporting efforts to build strong partnerships and enhance chapter resources. My local chapter involvement has allowed me to strengthen connections within the risk management community, foster professional growth opportunities at the regional level, and support the broader mission of ASHRM through grassroots leadership.

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

Over the past decade, I have demonstrated leadership across every critical area of healthcare risk management, from claims management and litigation strategy to regulatory readiness and enterprise risk integration. My career began in medical malpractice defense, where I developed a deep foundation in risk financing, claims oversight, and legal strategy. Transitioning into acute care hospital operations, I led patient safety initiatives, strengthened regulatory and accreditation programs, and built cross-functional risk frameworks that aligned clinical, legal, and operational goals. As Director of Risk Management, I partnered with senior leadership to embed risk management into strategic planning processes, elevating it beyond compliance into a driver of operational resilience. Currently, as Senior Director of Corporate Risk Management for Bradford Health Services, I lead enterprise-wide risk operations across multiple states and behavioral health settings, managing a team of Directors and shaping future-ready risk strategies at the system level.

Across all roles, my leadership philosophy centers on transforming risk management from a reactive discipline into a proactive, innovative force that empowers organizations to thrive in a complex healthcare environment. I believe strongly in mentoring emerging leaders, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and building risk programs that are not only regulatory-ready but strategically resilient.

Throughout my career, I have been driven by a belief that healthcare risk management is not just about protecting organizations — it is about empowering them to deliver safer, more equitable, and more resilient care. I see risk management as a leadership discipline, one that must evolve alongside the rapid transformations reshaping healthcare.

I am deeply committed to helping ASHRM lead this evolution. I bring to this role a blend of operational expertise, enterprise risk strategy, and a passion for mentoring and collaboration. I believe ASHRM has an extraordinary opportunity to expand its impact: embracing innovation, fostering thought leadership, and shaping a future where risk management is recognized as a strategic driver of healthcare excellence. I would be honored to serve, to listen, to lead, and to help ASHRM not only meet the moment — but define the future of our field.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

I see ASHRM at the forefront of a transformational era — not just responding to emerging risks but shaping the future of healthcare itself. The future demands that we move beyond traditional risk frameworks to embrace innovation, agility, and proactive leadership. ASHRM must lead conversations on disruptive forces like artificial intelligence, cyber risk, climate change, health equity, and workforce transformation — preparing members to navigate complexity with creativity and confidence.

ASHRM’s future is not only national, but global — influencing policy, setting cross-industry standards, and helping healthcare systems build resilience and patient-centered innovation into their DNA. I envision ASHRM becoming a real-time collaborative platform, where diverse professionals co-create solutions, drive change, and redefine excellence in risk leadership. The future of ASHRM is bold, interdisciplinary, and unapologetically progressive — leading risk management not as a defensive function, but as a powerful engine of innovation, resilience, and better health outcomes. I am energized by the opportunity to help lead ASHRM into its next chapter. With collaboration, courage, and strategic vision, I believe we can set a new global standard for healthcare risk management — one that transforms how we think, lead, and deliver safer, more equitable care for all.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

As  a medical malpractice lawyer, my role in risk management centers on providing strategic legal guidance to hospitals, providers, and claims professionals.  I serve to identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks that could impact the organization's operations, reputation, and financial stability.  My experience in this regard, has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in health care delivery and the legal implications of medical errors.  It enables me to identify potential  areas where clinical practices deviate from established standards, thereby posing risks.  By analyzing cases where adverse outcomes occurred, I have developed the ability to foresee and mitigate similar risks proactively and provide tools to my clients in the health care industry.  While I serve as a legal advisor, I also serve as a strategic partner.  My dedication and appreciation of risk management in general, is supported by my desire to obtain my CPHRM and FASHRM certification and designation and my continued support and participation in risk management organizations and education.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

From 2017-2018, I served two years as a member of the Education Development Task Force. Thereafter, from 2019-2020, I was appointed to serve a two-year term as Vice Chair and Chair of the Education Development Task Force. From 2021-2022, I served as a member of the Chapter Leader Task Force and was appointed as Chair of the Chapter Leadership Committee in 2023, and appointed to serve a second term as Chair in 2024. Also in 2024, I served as a volunteer judge for the Rising Star Award. Currently, I am serving on the JHRM Editorial Review Board.  During the last several years, I have presented at ASHRM Annual Conference on four occasions and while accepted to present at the Annual Conference on a fifth occasion, due to the pandemic, my presentation was selected to be presented as a webinar rather than one of the virtual programs.  I have also co-presented two podcasts and while serving on the Education Task Force, I moderated several webinars.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

My leadership experience has equipped me with the skills to be an effective and innovative Advisory Board member.  Once I take on any position, volunteer or otherwise, I do so with dedication and commitment.  I actively participate and contribute to the collaborative process, sharing my insight and suggestions.  I volunteer when no one else will, regardless of the task.  My active participation on committees has always led to appointments as Chairperson, or other leadership designation.  This is demonstrated by my volunteer work on ASHRM Committees whereby after completing my two years of service in two ASHRM committees, I have been requested to stay on both of these respective committees in a Chair position. My attached Bio provides further leadership roles that I have held and currently hold in other professional organizations.

As an example of my skills as a leader and innovator, as I was about to begin my role as the Chair of the Chapter Leadership Committee, I firmly believed that such committee could do more to provide active mentorship to ASHRM affiliated chapters.  In prior years, the committee was tasked with Chapter check-in calls and to plan and host the Chapter Leadership Workshop which was held during the Annual Conference.  In making the Chapter Check-in Calls, I was struck by conversations with Chapters that seemed to be really struggling.  However, once our call had ended, we had no real solutions and no follow-up.  During my tenure, I knew that we could do more and that the check-in calls were no longer as beneficial as we had once hoped.  Hence, we established remote Regional Chapter Roundtable meetings. The idea of Regional assignments was to enable neighboring states to aid each other in sharing education and other resources.  We conducted these roundtables twice yearly and used Doodle polls to ensure we did our best to accommodate any Chapter that wanted an additional Roundtable.

In a further effort to aid our Chapters, we started the volunteer speaker sign-up sheet, to provide educational opportunities to those Chapters who unfortunately do not have access to sufficient education for its members.  Several of us have presented either virtually or in person upon Chapter request based upon this list that we had circulated and continue to update. We also determined that an orientation webinar would be a great way to kick off the year and to provide essential information as to ASHRM benefits and resources, as well as ASHRM's requirements for its Chapter Affiliates to ensure compliance.  We also conducted two webinars on topics that pertained to topics of interest to Chapter Leadership, which ranged from leading a Board of Directors to drafting Bylaws.  These webinars were approved for 1 contact hour of ASHRM credit for those who attended.   We made a push to increase participation of the ASHRM Chapter Leader Exchange and Nerissa Legge began posting her TIP of the day once a week and we frequently reminded the Chapters to use this tool and as a result, we did see an increase in use and sharing of information by the Chapter leaders.

We changed the format of the Annual workshop to make it more interactive and we provided mentorship and aid to two Chapters that had folded primarily due to the pandemic, namely Hawaii and Oregon.  Initially, we conducted several meetings with the point persons from each group beginning shortly after ASHRM Annual Conference in 2023.  The wonderful conference enabled me to engage in a conversation with contact people from both states as a mere coincidence.  As of last month, these Chapters have reported that they are anticipating the ability to seek reinstatement this year.   Finally, for the first time, thanks to Katie Carlson, the Chapter Leadership Committee participated in a Bite-Size Learning session at ASHRM Annual Conference on the topic of social media posting to gain Chapter visibility.

I am programmed to always believe that we can make things better.  There is always room for improvement and it takes a strong leader to make changes in a system that was good into a system that is great.  My strong desire for improvement, my creativity, and my collaborative leadership style will enable me to succeed if I were fortunate enough to have the honor of serving on the Advisory Board.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

I first joined my local Chapter in approximately, 1991, and participated in committees and attended educational events over the years on a regular basis.  In 2015, I was asked to present a webinar on a specific requested topic and then asked to speak at an in-person event.  That same year, I was then nominated and elected to serve as a Board Member-at-Large and was appointed Chair of the Bylaws Committee for a two-year term from .2015-2017.  After completing my term, I was nominated and elected as Vice President/President-Elect and served as the Chair of the Education Committee. As Chair of the Education Committee, I was responsible for developing a strategic plan for educational programming, identifying relevant topics, and selecting speakers. I was also responsible for oversight, planning, and coordinating, monthly in-person educational events and webinars, as well as our three-day Annual Educational Conference.  Under my leadership, we succeeded in our quest for providing the highest standard of educational value and accessibility, in a collaborative environment. From 2018-2019, in my role as President, I began my tenure by holding a Strategic Planning retreat to outline in unity, the organization's vision, mission, and strategic goals.  These goals were addressed and advanced by our work in our monthly meetings. As President, I also held the role of planning our Pre-Conference risk management workshop that takes place the eve of our Annual Conference.  In my year as Immediate Past President, I held the role of Chair of the Nominating Committee. This included conducting regular meetings to ensure strict compliance with our Bylaws governing the election process, and to be mindful of our fiduciary duty of confidentiality and impartiality.   This involved securing nominations, ensuring eligibility, vetting the nominees, determining validity of ballots, and counting the votes. After completing my three-year term, I had rolled off of the Board of Directors and continued to be an active participant in the Bylaws Committee, Education Committee, and the Communications Committee.  In 2024, when it was ascertained that there would be a vacancy in the position of Immediate Past President, I was nominated by the President and unanimously approved by the Board of Directors to serve for a one-year term as Immediate Past President and Chair of the Nominating Committee.  I am currently serving in this position at this time.  I have also presented several webinars and acted as a panelist in numerous in-person educational events including our Annual Conference and will be presenting at this year's Annual Conference next week.  Finally, over the years, I have been honored on several occasions at our Annual Business Meeting for my service in furthering the goals of our Chapter.

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

For over thirty years I have been dedicated to defending hospitals and individual health care providers. I have successfully tried over 75 jury verdicts involving medical malpractice claims.  I have worked closely with Risk Managers and Claims Professionals.  I began trying medical malpractice cases early in my career and quickly earned the status of Partner and have always held that position in any subsequent career move.  I have held numerous leadership roles in Risk Management Organizations and in various legal and Claims Management organizations.  In my role as a medical malpractice defense lawyer for all of these years, it is my duty to understand risk management principles, and certainly in my daily practice I am confronted with risk, claims, and regulatory issues. My leadership in these areas involves proactive strategic and collaborative efforts that support legal compliance and patient safety, in an effort to avoid subsequent poor outcomes. I often counsel my clients who face litigation as to the errors or shortcomings that led to the claim and provide guidance in creating initiatives and policies where there is room for improvement that will help improve quality of care and aid in avoiding litigation. Finally, I followed my own advice and ensured that I understood the principles of the very robust and complex practice of Risk Management by obtaining my CPHRM certification and my FASHRM designation.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

I see the future of ASHRM as being ever-ready to pivot and evolve with the emerging trends and risks. ASHRM has always acted as a leading force in the industry in paving the way to develop new strategies as the need arises.  The history of the leadership of this organization proves that ASHRM will always continue to place "improvement" at the forefront of its strategic plan.  Always brainstorming, collaborating, researching, and anticipating.  The future may require risk frameworks that are adaptable to the uncertainty of potential changes in heath care costs and regulatory changes impacted by influences of artificial intelligence and cyber attacks.  With changing regulations, greater education and foresight will be required to meet compliance needs.  The geopolitical, environmental, and societal  changes can affect supply chains, staffing, access, and policy, among other important factors. This also, will lead to the creation of necessary strategic changes.  ASHRM's leadership, with its proactive planning, will continue to ensure that the necessary educational resources and toolkits are available to assist its members in navigating through the rough waters.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

With over three decades of experience in healthcare, I am a dedicated and Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager with a comprehensive background in both clinical and operational leadership. Throughout my career, I have advanced through roles that include supervisory positions, ambulatory operations, healthcare IT oversight, acute-care, quality, and risk and compliance oversight. I have been recognized by my peers on the national level for my commitment to excellence in patient safety, and most recently was instrumental in implementing a Workplace Violence Program across our health system. My Registered Nursing background has allowed for me to easily relate to all levels of clinical staff, and my expertise in critically thinking have garnered respect among my colleagues. My philosophy is that of a servant leader and I have continued to expand my knowledge and skillset in order to more meaningfully contribute to my communities. I have been actively involved in my local West Virgnia Society of Healthcare Risk Managers since 2013, and have served in a Board capacity since 2020. Additionally, I have served at the National level of ASHRM Chapter Leadership Committee since 2024 and I am committed to increasing our presence across our rural communities as well as our metropolitan cities. My dual certifications in Risk and Compliance highlight my dedication to my profession and it is my personal goal to assist in creating a safer, more effective environment for both our patients as well as our employees.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

Served as a member of ASHRM Chapter Leadership Committee in 2024 and now serve as the Chairperson of the ASHRM Chapter Leadership Committee. Additionally, my eposter for a project, Hustle For The Muscle was chosen to be displayed at the National ASHRM Conference in 2022.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

My three decades of experience have taught me many life lessons on how to be a successful leader.  I was fortunate enough to work for a female CEO, Karen Bowling and she taught me the most valuable lesson of listening rather than reacting. I have determined The Greatest Leaders are The Greatest Listeners and from that life lesson my career trajectory improved exponentially.

My communication style is quite unique. I have the ability to talk to anyone and find a commonality no matter how small.  My husband often says, "If you want to know something about them, set them next to my wife."  I love a robust conversation, and I always love a good debate.

I worked for the Bureau of Prisons for 10 years, and in that time period my leadership and management style had to evolve.  I often had to walk into a US Penitentiary to pick up a high security inmate and transport them across the United States to a Federal Medical Center on a small private aircraft. I was always the only female on the flight, and I found it imperative to set boundaries with not only the inmate, but the Officers as well. If you set clear expectations and boundaries, there is less chance of failure.

I am already serving as an Ambassador for the ASHRM and WVSHRM Brands. My belief is people will relate to me in a positive manner, and we can grow our ASHRM community.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

West Virginia Society of Healthcare Risk Managers member since 2013. Served on the Education Committees from 2014-current and maintain responsibility for the education and event planning for two statewide conferences each year. Served as WVSHRM Secretary Treasurer Board Member from 2020-2024. Currently serving as WVSHRM President Elect for 2026.

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

My success at mediations prior to joining WVU Medicine in 2017 was unprecedented. I was able to effectively negotiate settlements with much less than the anticipated value of the claims.

I was responsible for implementation and oversight of a project in the Emergency Department regarding compliance with Chest Pain standards and was awarded the Sylvia Moss Brown Award for Excellence. This was the first time this award was granted to a Critical Access Hospital and that slogan, Hustle For The Muscle has now been granted a trademark.

Our Hustle For The Muscle Project was selected as an e poster for ASHRM in 2022.

Presented Hustle For The Muscle Presentation at Premier Breakthroughs Conference in 2023.

Presented Patient Safety Poster at Eastern Quality Improvement Collaborative (EQIC) Virtual Conference 2023.

Presented Improving Opioid Safety with Narcan Prescriptions and Education EQIC Newsletter 2024.

Selected to be a panel speaker at Premier Breakthrough Conference in July 2025 for Workplace Violence Program we implemented system wide at WVU Medicine.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

The future for ASHRM is so bright! We need to grow our organization and have a much bigger presence on the national stage. We must share our accomplishments and tell our story.

If I had a magic wand, I would create an ASHRM podcast! We have to embrace change and technology and strive to grow our membership, our sponsorships, and our outreach.

The awards we give each year can be revised to include most robust State Chapter accomplishments.  If we tell our stories from the local level, we will only propel ourselves forward at the national level.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

Committee Participation: American Society of Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) On Line Education Task Force, ASHRM, Previous Chapter Leadership Task Force, ASHRM, Previous Chair New Membership Task Force, ASHRM, Previous Annual Conference Task Force, ASHRM, Currently on Education Task Force, ASHRM. Participation in state organizations: Current Society for Health Care Risk Managers, New Jersey President Past President, Sponsorship Chair, Treasurer Sargent at Arms. PUBLICATIONS: American Society Healthcare Risk Management Collaborations: Risk Financing Playbook Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) Toolkit.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

I have participated in a number of the committee and development of two publications. I would love to volunteer for faculty going forward and have presented at a number of the conferences on various topics.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

Serving on the committees and sharing the experience with the team and the future of ASHRM has provided me with insight outside of my own organization. I have been able to see how others manage difficult situations and lead with a strong vision. I am hoping you will see my skills as a valuable asset to any support I can provide within ASHRM.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

I have continued to participate and support the New Jersey organization.

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

I have worked in various position and developed various risk management programs over my career including physician practice specific programs that were designed to understand and mitigation risk along with long term care programs and ambulance transport companies. I have also been leadership in NJ SCHRM and participated in Connecticut and New York. I have mentor staff within my organizations over the year about all the pieces of healthcare risk management and all the domains which Risk can support, provide guidance, working in conjunction with other departments, i.e., Finance, Patient Experience, Legal, Case Management, and Quality and have developed training programs to support the cross over of work details and how to support each area. I am well known in my organization for the support and ability to connect the right people to find the best risk management outcome.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

I think ASHRM's future will stem from the value they provide to the membership. The key for leaders is to ensure you are hearing from the membership and how to meet their needs. I think the focus needs to be learning to use what is available and providing video training on the ASHRM site on how to access the tools. They could be small video clips.   also including a table of contents for the work available for free to members and cost for those items that remain for sale.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

In prior roles she has served as a system director of risk management and patient relations for large health systems. In these roles she was responsible for a team of risk managers, risk management specialists, variance specialists and patient relations coordinators dedicated to support multistate hospital systems comprised of acute care and critical access hospitals, physician practices, urgent care, long term care, cancer treatment, home health and hospice. Joan has over 30 years of experience as a risk management professional. Prior to her work in risk management, she has also served as an operational leader in acute care, home health, hospice, and practice management in physician practice.  Joan is a graduate of St. Xavier University in Illinois with a R.N., B.S.N. and holds a master’s degree in management. She is a Certified Professional Risk Manager (CPHRM) through the American Hospital Association and has served the national American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM), as leader and member for the national  board committees and state chapters. She is also the former chair of the ASHRM Forum Task Force and has led the team that writes, acquires and edits the submissions to share in the Forum. She has received the designation of Fellow from the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management. She is a frequent author and speaker for many industry communications and events and is currently an adjunct professor for the masters of healthcare administration program for Texas Tech University.  She serves as ASHRM Faculty and supports the work of risk management professionals through committee and chapter assignments.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

Chapter Leadership Committee (current); New Member Committee (current) ; 2007-National Audio Conference Quarterly Webinar Education Task Force 2009- ASHRM Exchange Online Library and Educational Resource - Program Development 2011- Risk Management Pearls - Disclosure of Adverse Events- Editor - Revision Committee  2010-2011 -Vice President, Arizona Society for Healthcare Risk Management (AzSHRM) 2011-Risk Management Pearls - Nursing - Editor - Revision Committee 2012 - 2014 - ASHRM Quarterly Journal - Member, Editorial Board 2014 - 2016 - ASHRM Advocacy Task Force 2016 - AzSHRM Board Member, Arizona Society for Healthcare Risk Management  2017 - 2018 Deputy Chair - ASHRM Forum Online Publication  2017 - 2018 Board of Director, Arizona Society for Healthcare Risk Management 2018 - 2019 Chair, ASHRM Forum Task Force 2020 – 2022 Member, ASHRM Forum Task Force.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

Through positions such as board member, committee chair, or chapter officer, I have developed expertise in strategic planning, governance, and financial oversight-core domains. These roles required me to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and lead multidisciplinary teams, all while maintaining transparent communication and a nonhierarchical approach, which are recognized as essential skillsets for leaders in high-reliability healthcare organizations.

Additionally, my leadership journey throughout my career has involved managing a team of risk management professionals, mentoring peers and leaders, organizing educational events, and contributing to professional publications and presentations, reflecting the multifaceted leadership, publishing, and lecturing expectations of ASHRM.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

Past President Arizona Chapter, Recording Secretary, AZ Chapter. Members: Arizona, California, Mid Atlantic.

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

Over the course of a 40 plus year career, I have served at the level of system director of clinical risk management and patient relations for large health systems. In these roles I was responsible for a team of risk managers, risk management specialists, variance specialists  and patient relations coordinators dedicated to support multistate hospital systems comprised of acute care and critical access hospitals, physician practices, urgent care, long term care, cancer treatment, home health and hospice.

Prior to her work in risk management, I have also served as an operational leader in acute care, home health, hospice, and practice management in physician practice settings. In healthcare I had managed 13 cost centers inclusive of the emergency departments, urgent care center, physician practices and more. I have managed one team member and up to 200 staff in my various roles.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

The future of the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) is poised to be shaped by its continued commitment to advancing the profession and driving innovation in response to the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

I would see its reach expanded to more fully include other segments of healthcare such as free standing behavioral health, senior living and more. Reinforcing the importance of leadership-level risk management and encouraging collaboration for diverse perspectives would be essential. The organization's focus will likely expand to include digital transformation, hospital at home and other transitions of car delivery in response to changing needs of patients and the healthcare professional community.

In summary, the future for ASHRM involves strengthening its leadership in healthcare risk management, supporting members in adapting to new challenges, and fostering a culture of anticipatory leadership that will help organizations thrive in an increasingly complex, ever changing and competitive environment.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

I have over 25 years of Healthcare Risk Management experience and am a frequent volunteer lecturer on topics involving risk management, regulatory affairs, and leadership. I have enjoyed unique career experiences in leading risk management in all care settings (ambulatory, acute, post-acute, and psychiatric) and have served in academic, community, public, and private healthcare organizations.  I have overseen a captive insurance carrier program and have held senior leadership roles at both the healthcare facility level and the corporate system level.  In addition, I have served as adjunct faculty in the Graduate Health Services Administration program at Cal State University, San Bernardino.  I have a master’s degree in health services administration, am a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management, and a Fellow of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) where I remains an active member.  I served on the ASHRM Chapter Leadership Task Force, I am a proud ASHRM Faculty member, and spent 8 years on the Southern California Association for Healthcare Risk Management (SCAHRM) Board, including as President during the 2020-2021 COVID surges.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

Probably 18 years or so ago I served on an ASHRM Committee that put together a risk assessment tool.  I then focused more on serving in the local SCAHRM Chapter.   As my time on the SCAHRM Board was concluding I began serving on the ASHRM Chapter Leadership Task force, which I did from 2021 – 2025.    In late 2023 a peer risk professional in another health system suggested I apply to be a ASHRM Faculty member when ASHRM sent out the call for applications.   I applied and in April 2024 I was honored to have been selected and now serve as Faculty in the HRM 2 course.   It has been my pleasure to serve in professional associations as I personally learned so much in my early years as a risk professional for ASHRM and SCAHRM.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

I think the depth and diversity of my experience has prepared me to serve in an ASHRM Leadership role.   I have had over 25 years of Healthcare Risk Management experience with progressive leadership.   For the last 15 years or so I have held senior leadership roles.    I think my unique career path through all care settings (ambulatory, acute, post-acute, and psychiatric) and service in academic, community, public, religious, and private healthcare organizations also makes me an ideal candidate.    I have even had the opportunity to oversee a captive and purchase insurance.   

I have a proven track record of strategic leadership for risk management and regulatory affairs as well as new hospital construction, mergers, and acquisitions.  Perhaps I am most proud however of the individual risk professionals I have mentored and developed over the years.

As noted above I have extensively served SACHRM with 8 years of Board service culminating in my serving as SCAHRM President, plus many more years of non-elected SCAHRM subcommittee work.  I have also served ASHRM as Faculty and on subcommittees.   

I aspire to be a servant leader and I think that is demonstrated in my professional history.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

I have extensively served SACHRM with 8 years of Board service culminating in my serving as SCAHRM President, plus many more years of non-elected SCAHRM subcommittee work.   I have done countless presentations for CSHRM, SCAHRM and even developed a “Boot Camp” for new risk professionals who are members of SCAHRM.   Recently I have done presentations for the Arizona and Iowa Chapters as a volunteer. AzSHRM and ISHRM  reached out to me based on my work on the ASHRM Chapter Leadership Task Force and I was happy to serve them by presenting on Suicide Prevention (Arizona) and Risk Management Leadership (Iowa).

How have you demonstrated leadership within the health care industry as it pertains to risk management (i.e., risk financing, claims management, legal or regulatory, ERM, etc)

I think I have described my leadership in the industry in many of the prompts in this application. I am very proud of my work to lead an enterprise risk management approach.  I am proud of the risk professionals I have mentored and developed both within my department and external to the organizations I have directly served.   While catastrophic events are never ideal, I have demonstrated that CANDOR works to settle even million dollar claims.   I have given hundreds of lectures to professional associations in healthcare at local, state, and national levels. I was a pioneer in speaking out about sexual misconduct in healthcare and designing strategies and solutions to respond to the risk.  I was also an early adopter of Patient and Family Advisory Councils and presented with several patient and family advisors to national audiences about our work together to improve healthcare. More recently I have served ASHRM as faculty in the HRM2 program.

Where do you see the future for ASHRM?

The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly due to changes in our government and external pressures. ASHRM will need to adapt to these challenges and understand the financial constraints healthcare organizations are facing. AHA and ASHRM have always been leaders in helping organizations navigate turbulent waters. In the future, I think healthcare risk professionals will need ASHRM more than ever to help with supply chain shortages and doing more with less. ASHRM may need to standup some quick programing, much like during COVID, to help risk leaders manage these changes. ASHRM may also need to look at how to deliver content and resources to members in new and innovate ways. Overall, however, the future of ASHRM will be strong as members depend upon the association.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

Developed a dedicated risk management program in 2003 and introduced ERM framework in 2010.  My scope included acute care, behavioral health, senior health, & insured medical practices.  I had a wide range of activities including collaborative launch of a captive insurance program, implementation of just culture, workplace behavior, & workplace violence initiatives as well as FMEA model for improvement, & implementation of a (new) electronic incident reporting system. Also coordinated all inpatient/outpatient COVID testing for the organization.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

ASHRM Bylaws Committee (2012), Nominating Committee (2013-2014), Board Member (2015-2017), ASHRM President (2021).  ERM Faculty (2017-present), Chair Past Presidents Council (2024).  Contributing author ERM Pearls (2013) & ERM Playbook (2015 & 2020).

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

Chair Massachusetts Chapter Education Committee 2008.  President of Massachusetts chapter 2009.  Chair New England Regional RM Conference Education Committee (2008).

How would you describe a great candidate for a leadership position within ASHRM?

Collaborative, open-minded, & creative with a mentorship mentality.  Diversity of thought & ability to balance needs of current members/ASHRM organization with those of the future.  Change agent.  Good communication skills to facilitate promoting both ASHRM strategic plan & the strengths of an ERM business model.  History of active chapter leadership/participation.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

Throughout my career in health care risk management, I have progressively advanced through various roles, each with increasing responsibility and scope. I began in September 2009 as the risk manager for Texas Health Resources of Denton, a 255-bed hospital, where I promoted patient safety through the management and oversight of the risk management program. My efforts included leading projects and action plans targeted at reducing patient harm, meeting national patient safety goals, fall reduction, adverse and near miss event reporting, and investigating sentinel events. In 2011, I was promoted to Program Manager of Safety and Risk Management, overseeing seven of fourteen hospitals at Texas Health Resources. In this role, I collaborated with each hospital’s risk manager to develop individualized risk management programs, which included direct patient safety observations, risk identification and analysis, planning and implementation, reporting, and TeamSTEPPS training. In 2013, I had accepted the role of Director of Risk Management for the 14-hospital system, where I oversaw the electronic event detection system, analyzed risk information, and implemented activities to promote a patient safety culture and reduce risk. I worked directly with the risk insurance carrier to perform risk assessments and share industry best practices, monitored compliance with state and federal laws, and led the hospital system’s patient safety program. A notable challenge during this period was the Ebola crisis in 2014, where I actively worked to respond to this event and conducted root cause analysis. In 2016, I joined Baylor Scott and White as a Risk Manager and Patient Safety Officer, managing the risk program for a growing 538-bed university hospital. In this role I worked closely with the Baylor Scott and White Claims and Litigation team on investigating and responding to sentinel events and potential compensatory events (PCEs). Currently, I am the Manager of Patient Safety & Clinical Risk Management at Parkland Hospital, leading a team of risk managers and coordinating activities related to patient safety and risk management, including event report reviews, investigations, quality of care grievances, and product recalls. My career has been marked by a strong commitment to patient safety, effective risk management, and collaboration with key stakeholders to foster a culture of safety in healthcare.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

In 2009 as a new risk manager, I joined ASHRM and my local chapter, the North Texas Society of Healthcare Risk Management. I was eager to learn from other risk managers and knew getting involved in ASHRM was the best way to grow as a risk manager. In 2011 I was given the opportunity to serve for two years as a committee member for ASHRMs Educational Scholarship and Grant Program. In 2013 I served on the Social Media Task Force for 2 years and engaged with ASHRM members through multiple social media platforms. In 2015 I got the great honor of serving on the ASHRM annual conference committee for the 2016 Orlando, 2017 Seattle, 2018 Nashville, and 2019 Baltimore Annual conferences. In 2018 I was the deputy chair of the committee and served as the committee chair in 2019. I was honored to serve on the ASHRM Advisory board from 2022 to 2024. As an advisory board member, I was the board representative for the New Member Committee and actively engage with our new members at the ASHRM Annual Conference. I was a contributor to the ASHRM Leadership Playbook, host of an ASHRM webinar during patient safety week, and featured on the ASHRM Podcast. I am currently serving in my second term as a board member for the South Texas Society for Healthcare Risk Management (STS-HRM).

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

In 2009, as a new risk manager, I joined my local ASHRM-affiliated chapter, the North Texas Society of Healthcare Risk Management. I actively participated and attended meetings until the chapter closed in 2017. Following this, I became an active member of the South Texas Society for Healthcare Risk Management (STS-HRM), where I am serving my second term as board member. In my role as an ASHRM Advisory Board member, I have provided ASHRM board updates to the STS-HRM chapter. Additionally, I have attended and supported educational activities held by the Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management.

How has your past leadership or management experience prepared you to serve in an ASHRM leadership role?

Throughout my career in healthcare risk management, I have progressively advanced through various roles, each with increasing responsibility and scope. Starting as a risk manager at Texas Health Resources of Denton where I promoted patient safety through comprehensive risk management programs. My efforts included leading projects aimed at reducing patient harm, meeting national patient safety goals, and investigating sentinel events. Later working as a Program Manager of Safety and Risk Management I oversaw seven hospitals and collaborating with risk managers to develop individualized programs. As the Director of Risk Management for the 14-hospital system, I implemented activities to promote a patient safety culture and reduce risk, including responding to the Ebola crisis with root cause analysis. My role at Baylor Scott and White as Risk Manager and Patient Safety Officer further honed my skills in managing risk programs and investigating sentinel events. Currently, as Manager of Patient Safety & Clinical Risk Management at Parkland Hospital, I lead a team of risk managers, coordinating activities related to patient safety and risk management. My career and volunteer activities has been marked by a strong commitment to patient safety and risk management, and collaboration with key stakeholders, preparing me to serve in a leadership role.

Summarize your experience in your career within health care risk management.

I have 30+ years of experience in the healthcare industry. I began my clinical practice as a registered nurse, working in cardiac telemetry, intensive care, and the emergency department. I started my healthcare risk management career with FOJP Service Corporation, having dedicated risk management and claims management consulting responsibilities to Mount Sinai Medical Center. I was then a Risk Management Coordinator at Mount Sinai Medical Center and later served as Director of Risk Management at Elmhurst Hospital Medical Center. I continued my work in the field as a Risk Management Consultant with CNA HealthPro and then with AIG Consultants. I provided expertise in the field of risk management and patient safety to insured healthcare accounts including hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, surgery centers, home health agencies, etc. I then took on a position at AIG as Healthcare Product Development Manager and Clinical Healthcare Risk Manager which entailed development and management of existing & new business initiatives as well as development of specialized risk management services for the healthcare portfolio. I conducted educational in-servicing to internal and external customers on identified clinical & risk management topics. I was then the Compliance Officer for the AIG Programs Division before taking on a role at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions as the Vice President for Healthcare Risk Engineering. My current position is as Head of Loss Control for Munich Re Specialty-North America, where I provide my expertise in healthcare risk management to insured clients and underwriters.

In my current role as Head of Loss Control my ultimate responsibility is to oversee all risk management/loss control initiatives for the organization. I am accountable for setting the agenda for internal and external client services for the casualty and property lines of business, including the healthcare practice. I am one of the healthcare subject matter experts on exposures and liability trends and function as both an internal and external resource on all healthcare related issues. I am charged with providing sound technical risk mitigation solutions to insureds that are innovative and tailor-made to meet the needs of each client’s organization. I will apply proven risk management strategies, tools, and methods to assist organizations identify and mitigate exposures. My approach is always practical, and results driven. I conduct educational in-servicing on identified general casualty and specific healthcare risk management topics for organizations and healthcare professionals. I perform healthcare risk management best practice assessments; assisting clients in implementing loss mitigation interventions and help in monitoring outcomes. My role requires me to conduct research on healthcare subject matter and other casualty lines of business, case law & regulatory issues. I will assist clients with development of customized policies, procedures, programs, guidelines, committees, etc. Additional responsibilities include providing exposure identification, risk management and loss control support to underwriters, claims management staff, and other internal Munich Re personnel. I represent Munich Re Specialty-North America at local and national industry events.

I currently hold faculty appointment at Loyola Law School where I teach a course on Leadership and Strategy.

Provide a list of previous volunteer experience within ASHRM (committees/task forces, faculty, elected offices, publications, etc)

I was the 2017 President of the ASHRM Board and currently serve on the Past Presidents Council.  I am a current member of the ASHRM faculty for the health care risk management modules. I authored book chapters on Risk Financing and Health Care Operations for ASHRM's 2017 Risk Management Handbook and authored an article in ASHRM's Journal of Healthcare Risk Management. (Midgley M. Mitigating the prescription drug abuse epidemic. Journal of Healthcare Risk Management. 2017;36(3):16-20.)

I was the 2015 chair of the ASHRM Facebook Task Force and a member of the Social Media Committee. I was elected to the Board of Directors of ASHRM (2011-2013). I facilitated the 2013 redesign of the CPHRM Examination Content Outline and led the Job Analysis Advisory Committee for American Hospital Association - Certification Center. The content was aligned to be consistent with the ERM model.

My participation with ASHRM committee work over the years includes: -2010 State Regional Advocacy Task Force -2008/2009 Ethics Committee -2007 Pearls Handbook Committee -2006 Healthcare Risk Management Week Committee -2005 Monographs Task Force -2005 Risk Financing & Claims Interest Network Task Force -2004 Risk Management Handbook Format Swat Team -2003 Pearls Task Force -2003 JCAHO Standards Conference Planning Task Force.

Describe your involvement in any of the local Chapters.

I was the 2009-2010 President of the Board of Directors of the Association for Healthcare Risk Management of New York (AHRMNY). I served on the AHRMNY Board of Directors from 2006 to 2024. I have chaired and served on many AHRMNY committees. These include Education, Communications, Publications, Nominating, Public Relations and Finance.

I have authored articles for the AHRMNY journal. Most recent article is focused on fraud and abuse in the healthcare system. (Boley A., Giunta D., Midgley M. Healthcare Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Considerations with Federal Fraud. The Risk Management Quarterly. 2019;1:15-21.)  Other articles over the years have included: NY Healthcare Risk Manager Survey, NY Surgical & Invasive Procedure Protocol, Risk Retention Groups, CMS Update on DRG’s & Payment for Complications, Medication Management.

I am currently a member of the NJ, FL, and TN ASHRM affiliated state chapters.

How would you describe a great candidate for a leadership position within ASHRM?

2025 marks the 45th anniversary of ASHRM as the leader in health care risk management. Our dedication and focus on creating and delivery timely insights, driving greater global recognition and increasing member value remains strong. It is imperative ASHRM leaders are committed to these goals and the advancement of the objectives as developed by the ASHRM Advisory Board.

My primary objective in serving on the Nominating Committee will focus on vetting candidates for office who are prepared to advance the ASHRM mission, vision, and values. Candidates for elected office must be very familiar with and dedicated to the ASHRM Strategic Plan.

I will assist in preparing a slate of qualified ASHRM volunteers for the elected positions. This will involve evaluating the credentials of individuals nominated for elected offices and presenting a slate of candidates for elected office.