Member Recognition
Patient Access Collaborative Member Awards
We recognize the trailblazers, innovators, and leaders in patient access — access leaders driving meaningful change in academic health systems, children's hospitals, and cancer centers.
Recently Announced
2026 Access Champions
Thirty-one new Access Champions have just been recognized. Additional 2026 award categories will be announced at the upcoming Symposium.
2025 Cycle — Top Honor
Access Leader of the Year
James Kern, MBA
Senior Director of Access and Capacity Management
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
"Jamie Kern's leadership extends beyond measurable achievements — it is defined by the culture he has fostered, an environment where innovation thrives."
Ann Blanchard, MBA, BSN, RN
Director, Access Innovations, Capacity Management, and Referral CORE
Nebraska Medicine
"Ann Blanchard is dedicated to enhancing access and continually seeks new opportunities for improvement."
2025 Cycle — Rising Talent
Emerging Access Leader of the Year
Dominic King, DO, FAOASM, FAMIA
Enterprise Medical Director, Access Transformation
Cleveland Clinic
Leads teams and fosters collaboration; demonstrates dedication to continuous improvement and mentorship.
Robin Van Marter
Assistant Director, Centralized Patient Access Services
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Consistently demonstrated exceptional promise" with exemplary communication and problem-solving skills.
2025 Cycle — Innovation
Access Innovation Award
Winner
WVU Hospitals — "No Show Initiative"
Reduced no-show rate from 6.94% to 5.67% (18.2% decrease year-over-year), enabling treatment of approximately 28,000 additional patients.
Awardees
- Jordan Berry — Director of Ambulatory Clinical Optimization
- Erik Bebernes — Senior Business Optimization Strategist
- Tosha Collins — Director of Contact Center Operations
Honorable Mentions
Mayo Clinic
"Automating Fax Referrals through GenAI"
Decreased referral turnaround time through intelligent automation, improving patient satisfaction and access outcomes.
Erin Layman, MBA — Operations Manager
Mount Sinai
"Impact of Referral Management Initiatives on Referral Conversion"
Required physicians to reserve 50% of new patient slots within two weeks, creating near-term appointment availability.
Adrin Mammen, MBA — VP & Chief of Ambulatory Patient Access
Marcy Cohen — Senior Director, Ambulatory Capacity Management
Sadiqa Horne — Senior Director of Access Center Operations
Stanford Health
"Transforming Patient Access Through MyHealth Asynchronous Care Optimization"
Delivers measurable improvements in efficiency, satisfaction, and provider support through digital innovation.
Justin Ko, MD, MBA — Clinical Professor/Director
Heather Filipowicz, MS — VP, Service Lines
Sanam Ghazvini, MHA — Manager, Strategic Operations
2025 Cycle — Best Practice
Best Practice in Access Award
University of Iowa Health Care
"Ensuring Triage During an Acquisition"
Demonstrated sustained excellent performance during hospital acquisition, creating a staffing model for patient triage transition.
Jen Boyd, MSN, RN — Nurse Manager
Eli McNeish, RN — Assistant Nurse Manager
UCI Health
"Workforce Forecast, Access Built to Last"
Systematically analyzed provider clinical time and optimized capacity, delivering measurable access improvements replicable across health systems.
Prasana Ruxmohan, MHA, CACM
Mary Jo Gallegos — Business Intelligence Specialist
Courtney Storey, MBA — Director
Doug Niedzwiecki, MBA, FACHE — VP
Sunil Verma, MD, MBA — Associate Chief Medical Officer
Geisinger
"Hospital Discharge Refresh"
Redesigned hospital discharge process across the system, creating a platform for inpatient point-of-care scheduling with immediate implementation improvements.
Leslie Holtzapple, MBA — Senior Director
2025 Cycle
2025 Access Champions
Thirty-five access professionals recognized for exceptional contributions to patient access at their health systems.
Anesh Haq
Supervisor — Desk Operations
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Ann Leonard
Desk Supervisor
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Araceli Mendoza
Referral CORE Scheduling Lead
Nebraska Medicine
Aysia Haikin
Executive Director of Business Operations
University of New Mexico Health & Health Sciences
Christie Collins
Access Improvement Specialist
Geisinger
Christine Fallon
Director of Connected Care Patient Experience
Boston Children's Hospital
Dana Kelly
Manager of Patient Access
Hackensack Meridian Health
Dean Brown
Principal Access Analytics Analyst
Mayo Clinic
Dustin Meuth
Director, Access Analytics
Houston Methodist
Eman Darby
Access Advisor
Mayo Clinic
Erica Simon
Director, Specialty Access & Scheduling
Houston Methodist
Heather Verdick
OAM Access Operations Assistant Supervisor
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Jazmin Forbes
Specialist — Training Practice Operations
Mayo Clinic
Jessica Nordstrom, MD
Physician and Access Medical Director
Baylor Scott and White Health
Jessica Wannarka
Supervisor — Desk Operations
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Jon Harmel
Supervisor, Clinical Prior Authorization
Mayo Clinic
Joshua Skinner
Access Operations Supervisor
Mayo Clinic
Kandace Rathbun
Coordinator — Access Operations
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Kim Morel-Betances
Executive Director of Patient Access Services
ColumbiaDoctors
Kim Colapietro
CARE Center Operations Director
Yale Medicine
Kris Gilgenbach
Supervisor — Access Operations
Mayo Clinic
Lacey Watson, B.A.S.
Desk Operations Supervisor
Mayo Clinic
Lois Bernhardt
Associate Director of Capacity Management
OSU Physicians
Lynn McLuhan
Unit Desk Clerk
Geisinger
Margarita Hebert
Operations Director
Yale Medicine
Michael Gillespie
SVP Clinical Services
Boston Children's Hospital
Michelle Lynn
Chief Operation Officer
SIU Medicine
Neha Sarkar
Director of Training & Quality
Rush University Medical Center
Nicole Guard, MSN, RN, NI-BC
Nurse Informatician IT
Geisinger
Patsy Regan
Director — Access Center Operations
Keck Medicine of USC
Rebecca Schat
Supervisor — Access Operations
Mayo Clinic
Renea Schouweiler
Scheduling Supervisor
Mayo Clinic
Sarah Keck
Supervisor
Geisinger
Tamisha Shaw
Sr. Manager, Patient Access Operations
Emory Healthcare
Tricia Graumann
Lead PASS
Mayo Clinic
Archive
Past Cycles
Browse Member Award winners from previous years.