Newswise — Chicago, IL — January 2014 — The 2014 National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ)Board of Directors is anticipating an exciting year of work to advance the association and the healthcare quality profession.

The board convened in November at the NAHQ office in Chicago where new members attended orientation, departing members were acknowledged for their service, and the group set priorities for 2014. The 2014 board, which includes the association’s new executive director Stephanie Mercado, is prepared for activities that will achieve the organization’s mission of realizing the promise of healthcare improvement through innovative practices in quality and patient safety.

President - Lenard L. Parisi, RN MA CPHQ FNAHQLen Parisi has assumed the role of president of the organization in 2014. Parisi's passion for quality improvement across all care settings is echoed by the board and mirrored in the strategic direction of the organization. "As healthcare continues to evolve, so too will the role of the healthcare quality professional. NAHQ is committed to helping its constituents meet the traditional demands of their profession and also to meet evolving opportunities around performance improvement. As we look toward the future, we see an increased need for healthcare quality professionals with the knowledge and skills to work across the continuum of healthcare, and we are certain that they will be key contributors to improving quality care and reducing cost." His professional role is vice president of quality management and performance improvement at Metropolitan Jewish Health System (MJHS) New York.

Immediate Past President - Lee Hamilton, JD MPA RN CPHQ FNAHQEntering her final year on the NAHQ board, Lee Hamilton will serve as immediate past president in 2014. In this role, Hamilton will lead the Leadership Development Team, which is responsible for identifying and developing future leaders for the association, and will advise NAHQ’s Government Relations and State Leaders teams. Hamilton is a consultant for Oleen Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting and resides in Selah, WA.

President-Elect – Mary Huddleston, RN BSN MHSE CPHQ FNAHQ A long-time national volunteer and a leader in her state affiliate, Mary Huddleston joins the board in 2014 as NAHQ’s president-elect. Huddleston will work in cooperation with the president and executive director to set and achieve NAHQ’s strategic direction. Additionally, she’ll advise the Finance Team. The 21-year NAHQ member is the Network Quality Management Officer - Department of Veteran Affairs, Florida-Puerto Rico Veterans Healthcare System.

Secretary/Treasurer - Sherry Mazer, MBA MT(ASCP) FACHE CPHQSherry Mazer enters her final year with the board and will continue to lead the Finance team. Additionally, she’ll remain as the board liaison to the Journal for Healthcare Quality Editorial Board and the Healthcare Quality Certification Commission (HQCC), the team that oversees management of the CPHQ certification program. Mazer is the corporate regulatory officer with Temple University Health System in Philadelphia.

Director-at-Large - Nancy Curdy, RN MSN ANP-C CCNS CPHQReturning for her third year, Nancy Curdy will continue to advise the Conference Planning team, as well as the new Professional Practice Advisory team, which is focused on identifying and supporting the rapid development of new products and programs to aid the professional development of NAHQ’s constituents. In her daily work, Curdy is the director of patient safety, reliability, and infection prevention at DeKalb Medical in Decatur, GA.

Director-at-Large – Rose Langdon, RN BSN MBA CPHQRose Langdon returns for her second year on the board as a director-at-large and will continue to advise the Special Interest Group (SIG) team and the volunteers of NAHQ’s philanthropic subsidiary, the Healthcare Quality Foundation (HQF). Langdon is a clinical transformation consultant for Southwind, a Division of The Advisory Board Company, and resides in Michigan.

Director-at-Large – Sarah Pavelka, MHA OTR/L CPHQ FNAHQSarah Pavelka joins the board as the new director-at-large, having served in leadership roles with her state affiliate association and several national volunteer positions. In 2014, Pavelka will advise the Professional Recognition team and participate on the Finance Team. She is owner of Pavelka’s Point Consulting, LLC, based in Cedar Falls, IA.

Executive Director – Stephanie E. Mercado, CAEStephanie Mercado joined the NAHQ board as the organization’s new executive director in December 2013. She brings to NAHQ extensive expertise in working with volunteers and strategic management of professional associations. In addition to her role as a broker of ideas and strategic guide for the volunteer leadership, she also connects the board’s goals with daily operations and staff responsibilities.

About NAHQFounded in 1976 and covering a full spectrum of healthcare specialties, the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) is an essential and interactive resource for quality and patient safety professionals worldwide. NAHQ’s vision is to realize the promise of healthcare improvement through innovative practices in quality and patient safety.

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