Health Information Management Association of New York City

Mary Reich Cooper, MD, JD
Jill Callahan Dennis, JD, RHIA
Kelly McLendon, RHIA
Vera Rulon, MS, RHIT, CCS

Mary Reich Cooper, MD, JD is Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Lifespan Corporation, a four-hospital health system based in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Community Health at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. In her current position, Dr. Cooper is responsible for articulating the quality strategy for Lifespan. Prior to assuming this position, Dr. Cooper was in a similar role for New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She was in that position for 12 years and was responsible for operation of the Hospital’s Six Sigma program as well as quality, patient safety, quality informatics, quality research and innovation strategy.

Dr. Cooper’s leadership experience has included a variety of positions in the quality arena beginning in 1990. She also practiced internal medicine for ten years prior to moving into administration. Her interests encompass health policy and shaping the quality agenda on a variety of topics including Six Sigma, patient safety and operational efficiencies. Dr. Cooper’s achievements and honors include: Grants and fellowships in outcomes research, patient safety, information technology, case management, and cardiac medicine totaling over $8 Million. Publication of book chapters, abstracts, and journal articles including Circulation, Pediatric Pulmonology, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Academic Medicine, and AORN Journal, among others. Presentations at numerous conferences and symposia. Dr. Cooper received her undergraduate degree from Duke University, her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, and her degree in health law from Pace University School of Law. She and her husband and their three children reside in upstate New York.

Jill Callahan Dennis, JD, RHIA is Senior Vice President, Public & Industry Leadership for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), where she helps plan and execute the association’s policy and alliance agendas. Prior to joining the staff of AHIMA, she was Principal of Health Risk Advantage, a Colorado-based risk management consulting firm that assists healthcare organizations nationwide to minimize their risk of liability.

Her leadership on health information management issues spans almost 30 years, and she is a frequent speaker on risk management, privacy, and electronic health information management topics. Her publications include numerous articles, chapter author of “Legal Issues in Health Information Management” in Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, by Abdelhak, et.al. (Elsevier: 2007), author of the book Privacy & Confidentiality of Health Information (Jossey Bass and AHA Press: 2000), and technical editor of the book HIPAA by Example (AHIMA: 2007). Jill served on AHIMA’s Board of Directors from 2002 through 2007, and as the elected President in 2006. She is also an appointed member of the Confidentiality, Privacy, and Security Workgroup of the American Health Information Community (AHIC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. She has a law degree from Loyola University of Chicago, a Master’s in Administration (Health Administration concentration) from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Record Administration from Ferris State University.

Kelly McLendon, RHIA is President of his own consulting company, Health Information Xperts, which specializes in electronic systems for the HIM and the hospital IT marketplace. His practice concentrates on assisting HIM and other departments in healthcare organizations complete successful transitions to paperless environments. He has a broad healthcare IT background with a deep clinical basis. Kelly is considered an innovator and is well known for his contributions to the migration of HIM into the electronic environment. He is a well-known speaker and author about the EHR and electronic HIM systems ands has been recognized AHIMA as it’s Visionary Award winner in 2003. Kelly has recently been asked to sit on the FORE Campaign Cabinet along with a group of professionals charged with helping to raise $4 million in the next three years, four times the previous goal.

Vera Rulon, MS, RHIT, CCS, Director, Business Operations & Communications US External Medical Affairs Chief Medical Office Pfizer, Inc.

Incoming President-Elect AHIMA

Vera has over 20 years experience in health information management at diverse organizations. Currently, Vera is the Director of Business Operations in the US External Medical Affairs Group at Pfizer, Inc. in New York City. Previously she has been the manager of clinical informatics for Oxford Health Plans and Assistant Director of Medical Records for Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Vera has also held positions at various hospitals in the New York area, at a skilled nursing facility and has taught coding at a local college. Vera holds a Master of Science of Organizational Leadership, a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Care Administration, and an Associate Degree in Health Information Technology. She has served on the AHIMA Board of Directors, participated in various National and state committees, and was a member of the JAHIMA Editorial Advisory Board for six years. She was the recipient of the Visionary Triumph Award, 2^nd Place Best Practices Award, and the AHIMA BOD recognition. Vera has also received the Pfizer Global Research and Development Achievement Award and the Oxford Health Plans High Performance Award. She has spoken at various HIM conferences on topics related to health information management. She has also published on the topic of HIM in varied environments. Vera has just been elected as President-elect of AHIMA and will begin her term in 2008.