DAVID SCHIMEL, JD, M.B.A.

PRESIDENT and CEO

Dave has over 30 years experience in DRG coding compliance programs, physician organization management, medical record administration and analysis, including conducting chart audits/studies related to utilization review, quality assurance and diagnosis and procedure coding. He previously served as the Executive Director of the physician professional standards review organization (the predecessor to today’s statewide QRO) for Manhattan where he oversaw the review of Medicare and Medicaid utilization in both acute care hospitals and ambulatory facilities. He is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and has previously served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Report on Medicare Compliance.

Ayana Culley, MBA, BSN, RN, RHIA, CCS

Senior VICE PRESIDENT and COO

Ayana has an extensive background in healthcare and expertise in several areas of revenue cycle management; inpatient coding and auditing, quality reporting, and compliance risk reduction. She has expertise in ICD-10-CM/PCS coding, substantial background in Public Health Nursing, and has made academic contributions at Adelphi University School of Nursing.

In her capacity as SVP and COO, Ayana oversees NHR's daily operational functions, emphasizing process optimization to enhance efficiency and productivity. Her strategic role involves cultivating vital partnerships and steering the implementation of the company's strategic mission goals, ensuring alignment across all operational levels, and driving the company toward sustained success. Additional responsibilities include overseeing talent acquisition and workforce allocation, policy development, service line innovation, and business development. Ayana serves on the Southern New Hampshire University Health Information Management Program Advisory Board.

Mary Ellen Anderson, CCS, CCS-P, CMS RAC certified

Vice President

Mary Ellen has over 25 years experience in coding for acute care facilities. She has experience in multiple project types having served as a permanent and interim coding and compliance director/manager for multiple large teaching facilities and community hospitals. She is an expert in inpatient and outpatient coding, CMS regulations and mandates, RAC projects, and prebill claim edits methodologies. Mary Ellen has extensive experience performing various types of audits such as inpatient, outpatient, E/M billing, Payer/RAC denial, quality and HAC reporting, and discharge disposition. She has additional experience in CDI program implementation, coding and billing software implementation, Emergency Department and clinic reorganization, and coder education.

Lisa Slagter, RHIT, CCS

Assistant Vice President

Lisa has over 20 years of experience in coding for acute care facilities. She specializes in reviewing medical record documentation and validating coding to ensure optimal and compliant MS-DRG and APR-DRG reporting. She is experienced in coding for multiple facility service lines including ancillary, emergency department, observation, and inpatient care. She has served as a coding lead where she performed employee training, education, and auditing.

Additionally, Lisa has served as a revenue analyst where she performed chargemaster maintenance for various hospital departments. She was responsible for communicating, collaborating, and acting as a consultant to others within and outside various hospital departments related to reimbursement, chargemaster, APC, and other related issues to facilitate continuity and coordination of services. Additional responsibilities included reviewing and making recommendations regarding hospital charges to ensure services were billable per Medicare and third-party payor standards.

Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA

Educational Consultant

Lynn Kuehn is a healthcare consultant with over thirty-five years of experience in areas including coding, reimbursement systems, and data quality reviews. She specializes in ICD-10-PCS. She is a subject matter expert for National Health Resources. Ms. Kuehn has also authored several books for AHIMA, including ICD-10-PCS: An Applied Approach 2023.

Luisa M. DiIeso, RHIA, MS, CCS

Educational Consultant

Luisa has over 40 years of experience in various aspects of Health Information Management and education. Past management positions have included both acute care (teaching and community hospitals) and long-term care. In addition, she worked as a consultant providing revenue cycle management; coding, validation, and CDI education services. She was an adjunct faculty member for the HIM programs at both Northeastern University and Fisher College in Boston, Massachusetts. Currently, she serves as an educational consultant for National Health Resources (NHR). Luisa has volunteered and held various leadership positions in health information for the Massachusetts Component State Association (MaHIMA CSA) and we are very happy to have her here as an educational consultant for NHR.