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Stacey R. Atkins, PhD, LMSW, CPC, CIGE
Compliance Specialist – Stacey R. Atkins, PhD, LMSW, CPC, CIGE, is a seasoned healthcare compliance and human services professional with over 30 years of diverse experience in healthcare, behavioral health, strategic planning, and program oversight at the local, state, and federal levels. Dr. Atkins is part of AIHC's professional staff, working with the Education Department and bringing a deep commitment to promoting ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and quality care across the healthcare continuum.
Her career spans leadership roles with the Office of the State Inspector General, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and HRSA, among others. She is recognized for her ability to build strong partnerships, develop impactful programs, and lead with integrity. Dr. Atkins also serves as an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she mentors the next generation of social work professionals.
Ronda K. Ash, MHLW, CPC, CPMA, CHC, CIFHA
Online Course Consultant - Ronda brings more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Ronda is an experienced leader with a strong belief in transparency and partnership. Ronda's work involves third-party reimbursement, operations, merger and acquisition coding, and documentation reviews, as well as assisting clients in general compliance issues throughout the United States. Additionally, Ronda provides expert reports and testimony for healthcare-related litigation engagements. Ronda has worked in nearly every medical specialty throughout her career, with both private and hospital-based physicians, delivering holistic coding and management solutions, and her client base includes law firms, physician practices, revenue cycle organizations, and capital investment firms. She is also the National Director of Coding, Documentation, and Education at AdvantEdge Healthcare.
Carl Byron ATC (Ret), CCS, CHA, CIFHA, CPC, ICDCT-CM/PCS, OHCC, CMDP
Auditing and Compliance Consultant - With approximately 30 years of clinical, coding and auditing experience in health care, Carl shares his expertise to enhance AIHC courses and training programs. His expertise includes medical record and claims audits, winning difficult appeal cases and training providers to improve clinical documentation. His experience includes conducting Risk Adjustment audits for CMS, working as a consultant, coding and auditing for a large world-wide medical center and currently serves our military as a medical auditor contracted with the United States government.
Brian Freedman, MS, CISSP, PMP, CHCO
Online Course Consultant - With over 20 years working in IT and Information Assurance, Mr. Freedman has hands-on experience with the public, private, and government sectors of healthcare networks and systems. Working with both covered entities and business associates, he has conducted HIPAA Security Risk Assessments and taught others how to perform them. He was formerly the CIO and Information Technology Director at a large independent medical practice, has served as a HIPAA Compliance Officer, and managed a team of IT specialists in support of electronic medical records and practice management systems. Mr. Freedman earned his Masters of Science in Information Systems through Strayer University and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from The University of Miami with a double-major in Speech Communications and History. He has co-authored a book on PCI Compliance and is the Technical Editor of a handbook on IT Regulatory and Standards Compliance. Mr. Freedman also holds some of the leading industry certifications from Microsoft and Cisco and is also a CISSP and PMP. Mr. Freedman is a Certified HIPAA Compliance Officer (CHCO) through the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance, where he serves as an Online Course Manager for the HIPAA Privacy & Security Program.
Sherra Hassig, BS, AAS
Certification Exam Proctor & Online Course Manager - Sherra earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography with a specialty in vascular ultrasound from Cuyahoga Community College in Parma, Ohio. As part of the academic program, she completed extensive clinical rotations at three well-known hospitals in Northeast Ohio. Sherra went on to successfully pass the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation and the Vascular Technology exams in order to earn her Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credential through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Sherra has also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She used knowledge from earning this degree to pursue a career in graphic design. Sherra now provides technical support and guidance to AIHC’s online students as a Certification Exam Proctor and Online Course Manager.
Scott Mertie, CHFP, CMPE, CPPM, CCRS, CHA, CIFHA, CHCO, FHFMA
Camp Instructor and Facilitator and Course Consultant & Advisor - Scott Mertie leads Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, an affiliate of KraftCPAs PLLC. With more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Scott consults on various areas involving third-party reimbursement, operations, and compliance for clients throughout the United States. Additionally, Scott provides expert reports and testimony for healthcare-related litigation engagements. His clients include hospitals, long-term care facilities, physicians, and other providers, as well as law firms. Scott is an instructor with the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance to develop and teach the Medicare/Medicaid cost reporting boot camp to train individuals who assist with cost report preparation. His previous experience includes working for a Nashville-based hospital management company, a Nashville hospital system, and other CPA firms.
Katie Reid, CPA, CHFP, CCRS, CHCO, FHFMA
Camp Instructor and Facilitator and Course Consultant & Advisor - Katie Reid is vice president of the advisory services practice at Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, an affiliate of KraftCPAs PLLC. She oversees reimbursement and operations services, including the review and preparation of Medicare and Medicaid cost reports and other third-party reimbursement opportunities. Katie works with a variety of clients, including medical/surgical, psychiatric, rehabilitation, and long-term acute care hospitals. Additionally, she works with skilled nursing facilities, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, hospice and home health agencies, and end-stage renal dialysis and other multi-specialty physician practices.
Amy Wagner, MEd, CPC, CHA, ICDCT-CM
Coding and Documentation Consultant - From 2003-2007 Amy served as Adjunct Faculty with Thomas Jefferson University for their undergraduate course in the College of Health Professions: Personal health and Wellness and currently is the Billing Office Manager and Medical Coder for local health care providers in the Medina-Cuyahoga County region of Ohio. She joined the AIHC professional team in 2019. Amy is a Certified Professional Coder (CPC); Certified ICD-10-CM Trainer (ICDCT-CM); and Certified Healthcare Auditor (CHA) and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
