The Health Management and Informatics Alumni Organization (HMIAO) is an affiliate of the University of Missouri Alumni Association, an independent, not-for-profit educational corporation.

The purpose of this Organization is to provide services to its alumni constituency and to the University.

Services and activities may be educational, developmental, or social and may encourage both fellowship and constructive contributions to the University.

This Organization encourages alumni to support the department and the University and to participate in building a greater University.

The goals of the organization shall be:

• to encourage the participation of Health Management and Informatics alumni, students, and faculty in the activities and services of the HMI Alumni Organization,
• to promote, support, and be involved in the continuing development of the MU Health Management and Informatics academic programs,
• to provide opportunities for networking, mentoring, information exchange, social interaction, and continuing education among alumni, students, and faculty,
• to assist alumni and students in identifying employment, residency/fellowship, and internship opportunities,
• to promote and maintain the quality of professionalism among graduates of the Health Management and Informatics academic programs, and
• to communicate and coordinate the activities, interests, and concerns of the Organization with other entities internal and external to the University.

2023 Board of Directors

Tim Kephart ’13
President
M2 Orthopedics

Alex Gill ’09
Past President
Children’s Mercy Kansas City

Dexter D’Costa ’05
President-Elect
Optum Insight

Adam Desaulniers ’09
Treasurer
Cerner

Zak Gase ’18
Secretary
Guidehouse

Emmy Matthews ’20
Student Relations Committee Chair
Ludi

Nic Keithley ’21
Communications Committee Chair
Guidehouse

Dillon Falk ’18
Membership Committee Chair
University of Missouri Health Care

Mikel Whittier ’16
Development Committee Chair
UCLA Health

Shaun Custard ’04
Director
Methodist Fremont Health

Madeline Cremin ’22
Director
Nicklaus Children Hospital

Andrea Wiggins ’10
Director
Harry S. Truman Veterans Hospital

Amy Ryan ’18
Director
Nova Biomedical Corporation

Daniel Vogel ’18
Director
Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital South

Jared Poeppe ’11
Director
Centene

Matt Rennie ’12
Director
Ascension

Andrew Lovewell ’15
Director
Columbia Orthopaedic Group

Bryce Sillyman ’05
Director
Wellstar Health System

Curt Hohman ’91
Director
Avera Health

Communications

Communications Committee is responsible for developing, updating, and monitoring HMIAO’s communication policies, social networking accounts, and electronic discussion groups. The committee is tasked with developing new methods for engaging and communicating with alumni, students, and faculty.

Student Relations

Student Relations Committee is tasked with assisting in student recruitment efforts which may include interacting with prospective students, raising money for student scholarships, and selecting the recipients of the scholarships.

Development

Development Committee is responsible for coordinating fundraising efforts with HMI Department Leadership including, but not limited to, creating a comprehensive development strategy, identifying potential donors, organizing fundraising events, and making recommendations on scholarship programs.

Membership

Membership Committee is charged with providing recommendations for ways to enhance service to members, developing plans and programs for attracting new members and retaining existing members, and determining ways to encourage participation from active and inactive alumni.

2023 Fall Institute

The 2023 Fall Institute was held October 12-13, 2023, at the State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia. Read about the event and view photos.

The HMIAO Awards recognizes the work done by our HMI alumni in the following categories:

• Outstanding Service
  • This award gives recognition to an individual who has generously contributed their time, talent and resources to further the success of the (former) Health Management and Informatics program. All alumni including MHA graduates, MS graduates, Executives and Residential graduates, past faculty and staff of the former HMI program and current faculty and staff of the MHA Program of the College of Health Sciences are eligible for this award.
• Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion
  • This award recognizes the outstanding efforts of an individual who demonstrates a strong
    dedication to diversity and empowerment of individuals in their workplace or community.
• Inspiring Woman
  • This award honors an extraordinary alumna who leads, motivates, and inspires others to overcome barriers and promotes the advancement of women in their workplace and community. This award recognizes a leading woman who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to advancing their profession and professional hobbies in meaningful and moving ways. 
• Outstanding Mentor
  • This award recognizes an alum’s outstanding efforts to provide guidance and motivation to support the continued growth of students and young professionals.
• Early Careerist
  • This honor is presented to an alum who is a graduate of the HMI program within the past 15 years. Nominees may be an MHA or MS graduate, or any combination of those degrees with a dual degree. The nominee has demonstrated a commitment to leadership in the healthcare field at an early stage in their career and sets an example for new graduates to aspire to.

2023 Award Nominations

We are excited this year to be again recognizing our outstanding alumni through our returning Fall Institute Alumni Awards. We will be accepting nominations for alumni in the following categories: Early Careerist, Outstanding Service, Inspiring Woman, Outstanding Mentor, Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion.

Please consider nominating alumni you feel excel and stand out in any of the above categories. We welcome you to submit the form more than once, should you want to nominate for more than one alumnus in the same category.

We look forward to recognizing the work and accomplishments of our alumni at Fall Institute 2023! Nominations will close Friday, September 1.

Submit a nomination

Contact Curt Hohman at curt.hohman@avera.org with any questions regarding award nominations.

2022 Award Winners

Congratulations to our 2022 Award Winners!

• Michelle McClay (Service to HMI)
• Lorie Thibodeaux (Outstanding Award in Diversity)
• Gail Peace (Leading Woman in Healthcare)
• Kristin Waller Hannahs (Outstanding Mentor)
• Allison Corry and Jake Simons (Early Careerist)

The HMI Newsletter is a quarterly publication done in collaboration with the HMIAO, HMI Department, MHAGSA and HMI Advisory Board.

February 2023

July 2023

The “HMI Spotlight Series” on HMI Alumni LinkedIn shines the spotlight on the three elements that make our HMI community thrive.

• HMI Students
• HMI Alumni
• HMI Faculty

Join the HMI Alumni LinkedIn group!

Mizzou Department of Health Management & Informatics Alumni

The HMIAO congratulates you on choosing to pursue an MHA/MS degree with the University of Missouri-Columbia. Whether you are a current residential or executive HMI graduate student or a recent HMI alum, we share in your excitement to further your career with an MHA/MS degree. We are family at Mizzou and want to welcome you to our extended family. 

We wanted to share with you an exciting opportunity to further enhance your networking and expand on your learning experience. We invite you to join the HMI Alumni Organization and benefit from the numerous advantages of being part of this HMI alumni-focused association.

Join the Mizzou Alumni Association – HMI MAA Membership

We look forward to seeing you at our next HMI Social, HMI Alumni Fall Institute or even you volunteering as a member of the HMIAO Board.

Networking Opportunities

• Annual Fall Institute provides an opportunity to reconnect with your Mizzou roots and interact with your HMI peers, as well as current students
• Annual ACHE and HIMSS gathering provides an opportunity to re-engage with fellow HMI alum, as well as current students
• Awareness of job opportunities within organizations led by HMI alum
• Alumni Social Events in Missouri and beyond!

Give Back to the HMI Department

• Knowledge sharing and access to expertise
• Opportunity to participate in the HMI Alumni Internship Preceptorship Program
• Opportunity to support the HMI Students Mock Interviews Program
• Access to Wednesday Forum Professional Development Speaker series and Tuesday Health Informatics Seminar series
• HMI Alumni Board Membership and leadership opportunities!

Communication Tools

• HMI Alumni Newsletter providing program updates and alumni news
• HMI Alumni LinkedIn page to stay professionally connected virtually
• Alumni Database – be sure to add your new contact information!

Mizzou Discounts 

• Download the free Mizzou App (Mizzou Alumni Association)
  • Gain access to benefits and discounts
• Visit mizzou.com/discounts
  • Promo Code to save 25% at the Mizzou Store (online or in-store)
  • View retailer discounts available throughout the country

How to I connect with other alumni?

• Find other alums using the alumni database.

How do I become an alumni mentor?

• Contact Emmy Matthews at emmy.bonderer@gmail.com

How do I volunteer to speak at a student forum?

• Please contact Rick Sommer at sommerr@health.missouri.edu or 573-882-1783, who schedules Wednesday Forums and other professional development events/sessions for the students. We are always looking for volunteers to talk about their organization and current trends in healthcare.

How do I host an internship for a student?

• Please contact Rick Sommer at sommerr@health.missouri.edu or 573-882-1783.

How do I host an Executive Management Study (EMS Project)?

• Please contact Sue Boren at BorenS@health.missouri.edu or 573-882-1492. Dr. Boren identifies the projects during the summer and organizes the EMS teams in the early fall to work on projects through the fall and spring semesters.

Can I assist a student in their professional development in some other, less time consuming, way?

• YES! If you would be willing to conduct “mock interviews” and/or resume reviews, contact Rick Sommer at sommerr@health.missouri.edu or 573-882-1783. Pairings are generally set up early in the Fall semester but can occur throughout the year if a student has a need for additional help.

For more information, to submit news about yourself or other alumni, or to get involved with our organization, contact:

Master of Health Administration Program
College of Health Sciences
University of Missouri
326 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-884-0698
E-mail: borens@health.missouri.edu / mhaadmissions@missouri.edu