2024-2025 Board of Directors
President
Chris Paravate
Northeast Georgia Health System
Chief Information Officer
Chris Paravate is Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) where he oversees the information technology, clinical informatics and telecommunications departments for the systems’ four hospital campuses, as well as more than 100 ambulatory clinics and a variety of outpatient locations. Chris has served as CIO for NGHS since October 2014.
Early in his tenure, Chris began an enterprise system selection process for the health system. In October 2017, after 18 months of planning, building and training, NGHS went live with Epic, its new electronic health record. In 2018, Chris led NGHS’ first Community Connect project, as the system extended its Epic tools to Longstreet Clinic’s urgent, primary and specialty care clinics.
Prior to joining the NGHS team, Chris served as Director of Portfolio Management for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) where he was responsible for coordinating operational decision-making processes associated with redesign, process improvement and automation across the organization. While at CHOA, Chris led its enterprise EMR system selection, implementation and support delivery.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Operations from DeVry Institute of Technology and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS) as well as a CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO). He received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Brenau University and earned his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2001. Chris has over 20 years of health care process improvement and information systems implementation and support experience.
Past-President
Geoff Brown, FCHIME
Piedmont Healthcare
Chief Information Officer
Geoff Brown is VP & CIO at Piedmont Healthcare. He has over 35 consecutive years of progressive experience in Information Technology (IT), management, consulting and strategic planning. Geoff is in the unique position of having work experience as CIO in public, for profit and not-for-profit healthcare organizations, and is known for delivering real results through improved utilization of technology and people.
In 2013, Brown earned the State Public Policy Award for CIO Leadership by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). In 2011 he was appointed by Governor, Robert McDonnell as technology chair, for the Virginia Health Reform Initiative. In 2009 Brown was appointed by Governor, Timothy Kaine to serve on the Virginia, Health Information Technology Standards Advisory Committee.
Brown earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and was awarded an American Management Association Certification from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Board Member At Large
Jeff Buda
Floyd Medical Center
VP / CIO
Vice President/Chief Information Officer – Jeff Buda joined Floyd Medical Center in July, 2012. As CIO, Mr. Buda leads the Information Technology strategy and service delivery for Floyd Medical Center, Polk Medical Center and all other Floyd affiliates to include Project Management, Network/Telecommunications, IT Operations and Information Security. Prior to 2012 he served as Executive Director of Business Applications for the WellStar Health System in Marietta and Vice President of System Initiatives and Chief Information Officer for Mercy Health System/Catholic Health East in Conshohocken, Penn. He has also held roles with a major consulting firm and an information technology software vendor. Mr. Buda earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his MBA from Kennesaw State University.
Treasurer & President-Elect
Sepi Browning, FACHE, FHIMSS, PMP
IT Director, Piedmont Eastside
Sepi is a seasoned healthcare IT and operations leader with over 32 years of experience in healthcare operations. As a U.S. Army veteran and President-Elect of GA HIMSS, she brings a wealth of expertise in operational efficiency, digital transformation, and workforce development. She is the owner of Brighthour HIT Consulting Corp and the Brighthour Foundation, which focuses on student scholarships in healthcare and healthcare IT. She also serves on the Board of Directors for ACHE of Georgia, Women in Healthcare Georgia Chapter, and the National Association of Healthcare Latin Executives (NAHLE). Passionate about leadership, collaboration, and mentorship, she is dedicated to advancing healthcare technology and empowering the next generation of industry professionals.
Secretary
Dee Cantrell, MS, BSN, RN, FHIMSS, CIO
HIT Consultancy, LLC
President
Dee Cantrell is an accomplished Senior Executive, Advisor, Speaker and Thought Leader with more than 40 years of success across the healthcare industry.
Dee retired from Emory Healthcare after 21 years where she was the CIO for 16 of those years and established her own CIO consulting practice where she works nationally helping health systems, physician practices, state agencies, and payers with health information technology initiatives, process improvement, operations, cybersecurity, data analytics and more. Dee currently holds a leadership position as the Sr. Executive Healthcare Adviser and CIO/CISO for HealthAll Consulting, LLC which specializes in EHR implementation and optimization and revenue enhancement.
Dee is a Certified Fellow in the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (FHIMSS) and is very active her Health IT professional organizations such as being on the board for multiple years for GA HIMSS as well as a past president. Additionally, she has served in leadership roles on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Health Information Network -the state designated HIE, the Institute of Medicine Committee on Health IT and Patient Safety, and the National Data Warehousing Institute.
For her exceptional leadership, Dee has been recognized as a top 50 Health Care Leader by Becker's Hospital Review, the Top 10 Women Leaders in Health IT by Healthcare IT News and has twice been named the Georgia CIO of the Year by the Georgia CIO Leadership Association (GCLA).
Dee obtained her Master of Science in Organizational Management from Capella University as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Brenau University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dee-cantrell-3969804/
Membership Chair
Mindy Oberg, DBA, MBA, MHA
Grady Health System
Executive Director IT Clinical Systems & Digital Engagement Solutions
Golf Tournament & Gala Chair
Mike Dulaney
Capsa Healthcare
Regional Sales Manager
Mike is the current RSM for Capsa Healthcare (FKA: Rubbermaid Healthcare). He’s been in his current role for 7 years. A 17 year veteran of the healthcare industry, Mike spent previous roles in Pharmaceutical Sales (Merck/Schering-Plough) and Medical Device/OR Sales (DePuy Synthes/Globus Medical). In his current position, he is responsible for selling Capsa’s extensive patient point-of-care product portfolio of Mobile Computing, Wall Mounted Solutions, and Medical Carts for use in hospitals and other care settings. Designed to be ergonomic, lightweight and customizable, our products help hospitals enhance patient care, safety, and caregiver workflow.
Mike currently resides in Charlotte, NC and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also played 5 years of professional football with the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers.
Golf Tournament & Gala Chair
Corey Taylor
Windham Brannon
Senior Manager
An energetic IT professional with 20 plus years' experience working in large healthcare system versed in IT business practices and procedures. A capable team leader with project management and technical problem-solving skills coupled with interpersonal and analytical abilities. Capable of performing a variety of management functions within IT. Knowledgeable in IT Service Delivery, IT Project Management, IT Customer Relations, and Team Development.
Corey is a Director in the Healthcare Advisory practice working alongside the Healthcare Advisory Principal to provide RPA solutions for hospital systems in revenue cycle. His specialties include:
- IT Service Delivery
- IT Project Management
- IT Leadership
- IT Hospital Operations
Prior to joining Windham Brannon, Corey was an IT Leader at WellStar Atlanta Medical CenterDowntown and WellStar Atlanta Medical Center-South providing IT oversight and leadership. Corey received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Saint Peter's College. He is also an active member of Georgia chapter of HIMSS and NCAA Men's Basketball Officiating community.
Golf Tournament & Gala Chair
Beth Edwards
Floyd Medical Center
Regulatory Reporting Officer
Beth is a PhD candidate, holds an MBA and a B. S. Health Care Services. She currently works as the Regulatory Reporting Officer for Floyd Medical Center and is a college professor. Over the last 13 years she has held the following positions in healthcare: Senior Project Manager, Director of Lean Healthcare, Consultant, Director of Hospital Operations, and Director of Facility Planning and Decision Support, build a career that combines her passion for education and healthcare. Beth has been a member of professional organizations such as GAHE, ACHE, SIOP and GA HIMSS and seeks opportunities speak and collaborate professionally via conferences such as the Center for Healthcare Design, university guest lecture series and written articles. A native of Georgia, she spent 14 years traveling and living in multiple areas of the United States (Hawaii was her favorite place she has lived) moving back to Georgia 11 years ago and quickly regained her southern accent.
Virtual Events Chair
Kathrin (Kathie) Barber Clark, BSM, MHA
IOTECH Consulting
Executive Accounts Manager
Kathrin (Kathie) Barber Clark is an accomplished professional with over fifteen years of expertise in the healthcare industry, specializing in IT consulting services sales and business development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Healthcare Administration, underscoring her strong foundation in both business and healthcare management.
As a seasoned client executive, Kathie is known for her exceptional relationship-building, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. She thrives in dynamic environments, leveraging her expertise to drive revenue growth and combine strategic planning with innovative solutions. In her current role as an Executive Account Manager at IOTECH Consulting, she successfully presents complex analysis findings to senior management and designs tailored project plans to enhance business operations for new and existing clients.
Kathie is also an active member of the healthcare community in Georgia, collaborating with professional groups and associations to foster growth and success within the GA HIMSS chapter. Before her healthcare career, Kathie excelled in various roles at Fortune 100 companies such as 3M Health Information Systems, IBM, Citigroup, and IHG.
Kathie is currently serving a second term on the Board of Directors as the Committee Chair for Virtual Networking.
Board Advisor
Gretchen Tegethoff, MSIST, CHCIO, CDH-E, FCHIME, FHIMSS, ASCP
Gretchen Tegethoff is the Vice President of Strategic Relationships for ELLKAY, a nationwide leader in healthcare interoperability and data management. With extensive healthcare IT experience, she has a unique background which includes medical technology, healthcare leadership, and business development. She has more than 20 years of healthcare IT experience and has served as CIO for two health system organizations, including The George Washington University Hospital, an academic hospital located in Washington, DC. She served as Vice President for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and has been nationally recognized with several industry awards and honors of recognition.
Gretchen currently serves on the Georgia HIMSS board of directors and has served as a member of the CHIME board of trustees, the CHIME Education Foundation board, and the Healthcare CIO Boot Camp faculty. She was instrumental in guiding CHIME’s public policy efforts and previously held a leadership role on the CHIME Advocacy Leadership Team.
Gretchen earned her master’s degree in information systems technology from the George Washington University School of Business and her undergraduate degree in medical technology from West Virginia University School of Medicine.
In her current role, Gretchen works with enterprise-level healthcare organizations who are going through major change, such as with EHR replacements and growth through acquisition. She helps CIOs and other business leaders with data management strategies, application rationalization, and complex connectivity initiatives.
Programs Chair
Diane Fredrikson
Connection Enterprise
Enterprise Account Executive
Diane Fredrikson has 20+ years of IT and business experience and is currently a Healthcare IT Solutions Consultant with Connection Enterprise. She joined Connection is 2014 and helps providers integrate technical, clinical, and operational solutions to enhance workflows and patient care. In addition to careers working in health care and education IT, Diane brings a background in marketing and advertising to help foster enhanced communication for health system employees, clinicians, patients and their families. As a board member for GA HIMSS, she is excited about growing the chapter through developing educational programs and networking opportunities that improve health care in Georgia with information technology.
Diane received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from The Florida State University and enjoys boating, hiking and travel.
Advocacy Chair
Christopher Kunney, FHIMSS, EFACHDM, MSMOT
Healthcare Technology and Business Strategist
Christopher Kunney is a highly respected and seasoned healthcare technology changemaker and strategist. He has previously been responsible for developing new business and expanding existing contracts, initiating and executing solution strategies, win themes, and partner strategies. As an experienced healthcare information technology executive, Christopher collaborates with hospitals, health systems, accountable care organizations, clinically integrated networks, ancillary service providers, physician-owned entities, and government agencies to provide guidance and insights on emerging healthcare technology offerings, compliance-related issues, and technology adoption.
Christopher has held significant roles throughout his career, including Senior Vice President of Digital Acceleration for Divurgent, Chief of Strategy for Juno Health (a DSS, Inc. subsidiary), Senior Vice President of Healthcare Information Technology for Coker Group, and Managing Partner and IT Strategist at IOTECH CONSULTING. Additionally, he has served as Entrepreneur in Residence at The Combine, Director of Emerging Healthcare Technology for AT&T, Vice President and COO for Health Innovations, Vice President and CIO for Piedmont Healthcare, and served as a fractional CIO and advisor for various healthcare institutions across the country.
Mr. Kunney has a proven track record of developing and implementing strategic enterprise-wide solutions that address the current challenges faced by health systems, including digital transformation, governance, meaningful use, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the HITECH Act, HIPAA compliance, EMR adoption, CMS quality measures, and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).
He has appeared as a subject matter expert at numerous healthcare IT industry conferences and events, and his insights have been featured in a variety of publications including The Atlanta Business Chronicle, Modern Healthcare, Who’s Who in Business and Industry, and Who’s Who in Black Atlanta. He has also been highlighted as part of the “Minorities in Healthcare” series by the Atlanta Hospital News and Black Enterprise Magazine. Mr. Kunney co-authors various articles and whitepapers and presents nationally on the impact of health information technology on the clinical ecosystem. Most recently, the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) recognized him as a 2024 Changemaker Awardee. Recently, LinkedIn recognized him as one of its “Top IT Strategy Voices” and HealthTech Magazine named him one of the “Top 30 Healthcare IT Influencers to Follow in 2024.”
Professional Development Chair
Marie DiFrancesco, BSN, MBA, CPHIMS
Piedmont Healthcare
Director of Clinical Informatics
20+ years success leading large-scale, informatics integration projects for healthcare organizations. I am passionate about the patient experience, team engagement and making a positive difference. Skilled in guiding cross-functional teams in the design, migration, and launch of EHR application systems and continuous improvement evaluation and reiterations. Talent for using current industry trends and data to implement effective processes and programs.
Current role as Director of Clinical Informatics at Piedmont Healthcare providing leadership of 20+ including Application Analysts, Epic Inpatient Orders, and Clinical Documentation team supporting 11 hospital facilities across Georgia through development and maintenance of Epic applications to drive health system efficiencies. Routinely present as subject matter expert for conferences including Health Information and Management Systems Society, Georgia Nurses Association, and EHR user groups. In addition, frequently guest lecture at University of Georgia School of Public Health on healthcare informatics topics. Experience with Epic, Cerner, and Allscripts EHR Applications.
Education –
- Master of Business Administration, Elon University
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, North Carolina State University
Professional Development Co-Chair
Michael Collins
Director of Organization Development at Wellstar Health System
Michael Collins is the Director of Organization Development at Wellstar Health System. He assists leaders in overcoming challenges and leading more effectively. As a Prosci-certified Change Management Practitioner, Michael is dedicated to guiding leaders through the people side of change to achieve quicker and higher adoption of technology and organizational strategies.
Michael's background includes service in the United States Marine Corps and law enforcement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in HR Management, and an MBA with specializations in IT Management and Health Care Management from Salem University. With 11 years of healthcare IT experience, he has held various leadership roles overseeing Epic and third-party clinical applications. Additionally, Michael has clinical experience working in Emergency Departments.
In his current role, Michael facilitates transformative change, promotes efficiency, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement to optimize patient care and operational effectiveness. He has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions, enhancing workflows, and leading high-performing teams across multiple service lines. Michael is a catalyst for change and helps leaders navigate leadership challenges.
Communications Chair
Mike Mosquito
Mike Mosquito is a global thought-leader for transformation, innovation, and emerging technology. Throughout his career, Mike has created and directed cross-functional teams and implemented enterprise technology solutions for public, private, and government entities. He is recognized across multiple industries for developing and managing multi-million-dollar strategies, organizations, programs, projects, and emerging technology products. Additionally, Mike empowers these large cross-functional teams to collaborate and make fact-based decisions guided by executive, business, and technology-themed roadmaps.
With 20+ years of healthcare IT experience, functioning at the Fortune 10, he has managed teams as an executive as a provider and consulted for some of the top businesses in the world. As a leader in healthcare IT and multi-industry consulting, Mike and his teams provide strategic and technical solutions for problems emerging technology support in addition to the integration of IT, Clinical,
and Business Management. The solutions include AI governance, technology integration, digital and experience transformation, data analytics, developing centers of excellence, process automation, and strategic innovation road mapping. He is known for providing companies with a new landscape for assessing, managing, and supporting entities from start-up to large business growth investments. He currently sits on the board of directors for several companies, from established to start-up, that are changing business innovation and the skills required to engage the next generation of consumers.
Mike attended the United States Air Force Academy and is a graduate of Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree, with a minor in Materials Engineering. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a special concentration on Business Information Systems Management and Information Technology from the Michael J. Coles College of Business through Kennesaw State University.
In addition to being a certified CHCIO, Certified, Digital Health Executive, and active member of CHIME, as well as serves on the board at Georgia HIMSS as Communications Chair. Mike maintains a variety of professional memberships, including, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Association for Executives in Health Information Technology (AEHIT), and Project Management Institute (PMI). Mike is a mentor and guest lecturer and several colleges and universities, with a mission to educate and encourage the next generation of innovators and thought leaders. He is also a professional presenter and emcee at various conferences, institutions, and national speaking events.
Regional Events Chair
Steven McWilliams
Georgia Hospital Association
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Steven McWilliams is the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Georgia Hospital Association (GHA), the primary healthcare trade association for the state of Georgia. He joined GHA in 2015 and currently is responsible for overseeing IT strategic initiatives, operational effectiveness, and regularly contributes to the organizational advocacy efforts.
Prior to joining GHA, Steven served as part of the IT management team at Oakwood University, a private not-for-profit institution located in Huntsville, AL.
Steven earned his Master of Science in IT Project Management and Leadership from Purdue University. As a Fellow of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and an active member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, Steven has been engaged with his peers and has been acknowledged by numerous organizations. However, he takes the greatest pride in his efforts to address digital literacy, bridging the digital divide, and advancing healthcare technology.
Chapter Presence @ HIMSS
Eddie Lai
Metro Atlanta Chamber
Edward “Eddie” Lai is the Senior Manager of Life Sciences & Digital Health Ecosystem Expansion for the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). He directs MAC's recruitment and growth strategies for the Life Science (Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices/Instruments, animal/agriculture bioscience), Digital Health (Health IT, mobile health, wearable devices, telehealth and telemedicine, and personalized medicine), and Age Tech ecosystems. Prior to joining the Chamber, he came to Atlanta from Boston for a role at metro Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare as an Operations & Strategy Administrative Fellow working on hospital and system-wide initiatives including COVID-19 Supply Chain procurement and outpatient COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Operation. He subsequently joined the Emory Healthcare Innovation Hub as its first Administrator, engaging with companies external to Emory as well as with internal stakeholders to operationalize projects within the health system.
Eddie earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a minor in Health Services Administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. After graduation, he served in AmeriCorps in a high school in the West Philadelphia Promise Zone. He then earned his Master of Public Health with a concentration in Healthcare Management and a certificate in Pharmaceutical Development, Delivery, and Access from the Boston University School of Public Health. He is also the co-founder of the Association of Asian Healthcare Leaders (AAHL).
In his free time, Eddie enjoys exploring metro Atlanta sights and scenes, including trying out the area's great food scene. He can also be found being active outdoors hiking, playing disc golf, or tennis. He currently resides in Dunwoody, GA.
Board Advisor
EJane Caraway
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Director, Life Sciences
As the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Director of Life Sciences, EJane leads her team in providing assistance to companies considering Georgia as a business destination. In addition, she helps identify and pursue prospective companies with expansion or relocation potential. Per companies with operations in Georgia, EJane works to develop solutions for their business needs. She also provides assistance to local chambers of commerce and development authorities in their economic development outreach.
EJane has been with GDEcD since Fall of 2009 as a project manager for Region 4. Throughout her tenure, EJane has helped GDEcD work and close many projects, including Jindal Poly Film ($205m/243 jobs), Yamaha ($35m/300 jobs), Greenway Health ($18.5m/550 jobs), CAT Griffin ($120m/206 jobs), NCR ($145m/1864 jobs), Anthem ($17M/1800 jobs), Facebook ($750m/100 jobs), Google ($45m/300 jobs) and Boehringer Ingelheim ($162m/225 jobs) and many others.
Prior to joining GDEcD, EJane was Vice President of Business Development with Southern Creations Development, served as President of the Muscatine Development Corporation and was a Director both at MCI and Sprint for the Southeast Region. EJane has owned several businesses of her own and has been involved in commercial development in GA, TN, AL and FL.
EJane earned her Certification as an Economic Development Finance professional through the National Development Council. Her membership affiliations include the Georgia HIMSS Board, GA Bio Board, Innovation Crescent Board, Georgia Economic Developers Association, Southeast Development Council, Korean Southeast US Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and several others.
A native of Tennessee, and a Georgian by choice, EJane holds a BS Degree in Business Management from East Tennessee State University.
EJane has been a team leader in several communities for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society and served many years for the Boy Scouts of America. She is also active in her church at Oak Hill and has served on the Women’s Ministry Board and the Global Mission Team. EJane is a member of the Business Women’s Golf league and currently serves on the Georgia Bio board.
EJane has two adult children. Both of EJane’s children attended Georgia College and State University. Her daughter and son-in-law served as missionaries in Uganda. EJane’s daughter is now an educator and administrator at a private school in Georgia and her son is employed by Walmart Corp. EJane has a granddaughter, Ella, born in 2018 and a grandson due in 2020.
Board Advisor
Alistair Erskine, MD
The Chief Information and Digital Officer at Emory Healthcare and Vice President for Digital Health at Emory University, Alistair Erskine is responsible for the digital transformation of the Emory organization, using a platform-based and experience-led portfolio. He oversees a team of 700+ staff who are enhancing the patient, care team, and research experience, and the financial health of the organization through the appropriate sequencing of ultra-modern technologies. Whether predictive, conversational or generative AI, the team specializes in the application of novel technology into clinical and administrative workflows.
Prior to Emory, Dr. Erskine was the Chief Digital Officer of Mass General Brigham, the teaching hospitals, and clinics of Harvard Medical School. He led Mass General Brigham’s Digital Health Strategy and Digital Health division, including the Electronic Health Record (eCare), Health Information Management/Interoperability, Virtual Care, and Data Analytics with over 650 staff. He has a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School and continues to teach medical students, residents, and fellow on topics of clinical informatics and digital health.
Dr. Erskine was Geisinger Health System’s Chief Informatics Officer where he oversaw Geisinger’s Unified Data Architecture, a hedged data management environment powered by Hadoop/Big Data and traditional relational database systems. In previous roles, he was appointed Associate Dean of Medical Informatics at Virginia Commonwealth University and was a member of the Board for the 650-physician Medical College of Physician practice plan. He was appointed to the Virginia Governor’s Health Information Technology Commission and was a voting member of the Health Information Technology Standards Committee. Dr. Erskine spent two years in Doha, Qatar in the Middle East as Chief of Health Informatics at Sidra Medical and Research Center. He presents and publishes on the topic of clinical transformation in peer-reviewed literature and serves on Boards of several publicly traded and not-for-profits companies.
Dr. Erskine trained at Brown University and Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and is triple Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Clinical Informatics and Pediatrics. He completed a two-year degree program at MIT Sloan School of Management, with a specialization in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish and feels blessed by his wife Amanda and three kids Fiona, Gemma, and Benjamin.
Sponsorship Chair
Tony Beeman
Tony Beeman serves as an accomplished Senior Sales Executive at Pure Storage, bringing over two decades of senior sales and business development expertise within the healthcare sector. His focus on consultative sales of IT solutions has consistently delivered innovations that enhance operational efficiency and improve patient care outcomes. Tony is renowned for his deep understanding of healthcare IT challenges and his ability to drive strategic growth, making him a trusted partner for healthcare organizations seeking cutting-edge technology solutions.
Tony earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, where he cultivated a diverse background in athletics, including rugby, soccer, and other sports. He remains a steadfast advocate for promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, which aligns seamlessly with his contributions to the healthcare industry.
Annual Conference Chair
Patty Lavely
Throughout her executive career, Patty has held influential roles as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). These positions have allowed her to develop a wealth of experience collaborating with boards to establish governance of technology and cybersecurity risk. This collaboration involved translating the technological needs into a compelling business strategy resulting in risk mitigation.
Patty is the principal consultant for CIO Consulting, LLC, where she leverages her expertise to provide interim leadership, strategic guidance, and advisory services. Her experience spans across five premier healthcare organizations, where she served as the CIO/CISO. These organizations varied in scope and size, ranging from managing a small department of 50 IT professionals to leading over 500 IT, imaging, clinical engineering, and telecommunication employees, in an organization with $1 billion in gross revenue.
Recognized for her leadership abilities and industry acumen, Patty serves as an Associate/Mentor for Creative Destruction Lab Wisconsin, an objective-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science, and technology-based companies.
Patty holds an MBA from Florida State University and BSBA from Shorter University. She has a Certificate in Private Company Governance issued by the Private Directors Association, is certified by the Digital Directors Network as a Boardroom Qualified Technology Expert (QTE), is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a Certified Healthcare CIO and Chief Digital Executive by the College of Health Information Management Executives.
In addition to her non-profit board work as Chair of the PAWS Atlanta Board, she serves as the Co-Chair for a national Opioid Task Force for the College of Health Information Management Executives and as the Annual Conference Committee Chair for the GA Health Information Management Systems Society. Her hobbies include fitness, reading and spending time with family and her two Boxers.
Annual Conference Co-Chair
Nancy Stockslager, RN, CPHIMSS
Nancy Stockslager is a highly experienced Healthcare IT executive who has served in a wide array of leadership roles throughout her career, including VP/Chief Information Officer for the Health Care District of Palm Beach County and Clinical Informatics Officer/Sr Director of Applications for the Gwinnett Health System. She is most recently served as the Director of Usability and System Application Training at Piedmont Healthcare. She began her career as a Registered Nurse, completing graduate work at the University of Kentucky. She has historically been a member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), Association for Executives in Healthcare IT Applications (AEHIA) and Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS). She has served on the Board of Directors for AEHIA and Mosiac-Sexual Assault Center.
Membership Co-Chair
Steve Burger
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Manager, Optimization and Support
Communications Co-Chair
Melinda Nelson
Guidehouse
Health Growth Executive & Strategist | Trusted Advisor | Board Member
Board Member at Large
Atul Kanvinde, MSIE, MBA, CHCIO, CDH-E
Shepherd Center
Chief Information Officer